Dark Pfeffernüsse

This recipe was brought over from Germany by my (i.e., JessicaMorgan's) great-great-grandmother. It's a really good cookie that's covered in powdered sugar but isn't too sweet. Because I come from a large family (seven kids, two parents, a niece and a nephew, and my grandfather all live in my house) the recipe my dad wrote down is a triple batch of the original and since I'm too lazy to do the math right now this one is a triple as well. If you don't want about sixty cookies I'd suggest cutting the recipe in half or in three. Also, I wouldn't recommend making these in the summer, it takes forever, and don't put all the flour in or they'll be rock hard. After the flour is added it should be a bit more firm than regular cookie dough—almost in between cookie dough and bread dough.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups shortening
• 2 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups molasses
• 9 cups flour
• 9 drops anise oil and 3 Tbs hot water OR 2 tsp anise extract
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp cloves

Instructions:

Mix wet ingredients. Add dry ingredients. Roll into one inch balls. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes on greased cookie sheets. Cool partway, shake in powdered sugar.

When you put the cookies in the powdered sugar I highly recommend a Tupperware container or something similar that you can put a lid on and shake them that way, it makes things so much easier and keeps your kitchen cleaner.

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