The National Pfeffernuesse Day is celebrated every 23rd of December each year. This day gives recognition to Pfeffernuesse– everyone’s favorite German cookie. This cookie is particularly popular during the holidays. It is a fluffy cookie with spices, ground nuts, and is covered in sugar. If you are a fan of Pfeffernuesse, then you should not miss the celebration of this event.
About the National Pfeffernuesse Day
During the National Pfeffernuesse Day, people conduct various activities that let them achieve the objectives or purposes of the celebration. For one, people try to make their own Pfeffernuesse at home. They collect all the needed ingredients and tools to make some. Other people prefer to just buy some delicious Pfeffernuesse from a bakery or pastry shop that offers them. People also shout out on social media how they are participating in the celebration of the event.
Also Read: National Oreo Day
National Pfeffernuesse Day History
There is no exact known origin of the Pfeffernuesse cookie. But the Dutch people believe that the cookie is traditionally linked to the Feast of Sinterklaas, which is a celebration in Netherlands during the 5th of December and in Belgium and Germany in the 6th of December. This holiday involved children receiving gifts from St. Nicholas (where Santa Claus is based on). The children usually received Pfeffernuesse cookies as gifts.
Over the course of time, many cooks and bakers experimented with the recipe of Pfeffernuesse. The traditional recipes included walnuts and almonds. Modern recipes don’t make use of nuts anymore. They use allspice, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon. Some other bakers also use honey and molasses to make the cookies sweeter.
With limited knowledge about the origins of Pfeffernuesse, even less is known about the history of the National Pfeffernuesse Day. We don’t know when, where, and how it began. We also don’t have a clue as to who founded it. But still, we can make a good guess as to why such event was established in the first place. Perhaps a person or a group of people thought that Pfeffernuesse is much loved by the people. They must have then thought that it deserves a spot in the list of food holidays celebrated every year.
Dates
As mentioned earlier, the National Pfeffernuesse Day is celebrated every 23rd of December each year. This means that the dates of celebration for this event are as follows:
- Wednesday, December 23,
- Thursday, December 23,
- Friday, December 23, 2022
- Monday, December 23, 2023
- Wednesday, December 23, 2024
- Thursday, December 23, 2025
Celebration Ideas and Activities
The following are the best things to do to make your celebration of the National Pfeffernuesse Day as best as it can be:
Make Some Pfeffernuesse
Obviously, the best thing to do for your celebration of this event is to make some Pfeffernuesse yourself. To do that, follow the steps below:
Ingredients:
- 4 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- ½ teaspoons of baking soda
- 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon of ground white pepper
- ½ teaspoons of ground ginger
- ½ teaspoons of ground cardamom
- ¾ teaspoons of salt
- ¾ cups of softened butter
- 1 and a quarter cups of packed brown sugar
- 2 pieces of large eggs
- ¾ cups of chopped almonds
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 350 F.
- Mix in all the dry ingredients in a large bowl then set aside.
- Prepare a separate bowl then beat the butter and sugar together. Add in the eggs one at a time. Beat well for each addition.
- Put in the dry ingredients, about half cup at a time. Add in the almonds (if you have and want them).
- Roll each dough into one inch balls and then arrange them in an ungreased baking sheet, about 1 inch apart. Bake the cookies for about 11 to 14 minutes.
- Cool the cookies and then store them in an airtight container. You can consume them right away but it would be better if you can let them sit for 3 days so that the flavors would be enriched.
Buy Some from the Bakery
Another good idea for your celebration of this wonderful day is to order some Pfeffernuesse from the bakery or pastry shop. For sure, these stores will be offering lots of these baked goods during or even before the event because they expect that a great demand for this cookie will come due to the celebration. Just make sure to buy one or some from a bakery or pastry shop that offers delicious Pfeffernuesse. A renowned pastry shop or bakery will do. This alternative is best for people who want to indulge themselves into some delicious Pfeffernuesse yet they do not have the time to make some for themselves.
Celebrate on Social Media
You can also take your celebration of this day on social media. You can, for instance, use the hashtag #NationalPfeffernuesseDay to let your friends and followers know that you are also participating in the celebration of this day. Let them know that such a celebration takes place every year and also how happy you are enjoying your day.