A Christmas Cookie... 12 Days Late!!

Okay, so I KNOW Christmas was 12 days ago, but c'mon! Don't act like you weren't up to your freakin' eyeballs in wrapping paper, cousins, Best Buy gift cards, and the same exact food you ate for Thanksgiving, too!! I made these cookies just before Christmas, and they were fantastic! I think they were Josh's favorite, and everyone loved them. They're called Pfeffernussen, which is German for "pepper nuts" or something like that. They're kinda soft, kinda crispy, almost cake-like, and deliciously spicy! Since I'm so late posting the recipe, let's just called them "Winter cookies" instead of "Christmas cookies!" ;)

PS: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from The Baker Family + Friends!

Left to right: my brother's g/f Jessica, my brother Lance Jr., Wrinkles, my mom Cathy, my dad Lance, me, and my b/f Josh!

Pfeffernussen (from "Martha Stewart's Cookies")
Makes 3 dozen

1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar (for dusting)
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the confectioners' sugar in a brown paper bag.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, pepper, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and baking soda. Set aside.
Place butter, brown sugar, and molasses in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture; beat until just combined. Pinch off dough in tablespoon amounts; roll into 1 1/4-inch balls. Arrange balls 1 1/2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. (Dough can be frozen at this point, covered tightly with plastic wrap, up to 1 month.)
Bake until cookies are golden and firm to the touch with slight cracking, about 15 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer sheets to a wire rack to cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Working in batches, place cookies in paper bag; shake until well coated (I shook the extra sugar off my cookies in a large seive). Let cool completely on wire rack. Store in an airtight container.