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Pfeffernusse German Gingerbread Cookies Gluten Free Vegan-2
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Pfeffernusse – German Gingerbread Cookies

Pfeffernüsse or German Gingerbread-style Cookies are all part of the tradition of celebrating Christmas. Best of all you can make them into more traditional festive shapes using cookie cutters. Poke a hole in each using a drinking straw, bake, thread a piece of string through the hole and you have instant edible Christmas tree decorations! These are vegan, nut- and gluten-free, as well as processed sugar-free. Makes about 16 cookies
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Servings: 12

Ingredients

  • 60 g butter or coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup rapadura sugar
  • 1/3 cup rice malt syrup
  • 1 tbsp Chinese five spice mix
  • 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
  • 1.5 tbsp boiling hot water
  • 250 gluten-free flour
  • 1 tsp bicarb soda
  • 1 tsp raw cacao powder or cocoa powder

Instructions

To make the Pfeffernusse:

  • Place butter or coconut oil, rapadura sugar, rice malt syrup and five spice mix into a small saucepan.
  • Heat, stirring, over low heat until the spread is melted. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
  • In a small bowl, mix together ground flaxseed and boiling water until the mixture resembles egg consistency. Set aside to cool.

Once all liquids are cooled to room temperature:

  • Place gluten-free flour into a large bowl. Sift in bicarb soda and cacao powder.
  • Whisk flaxseed mixture into the cooled butter or coconut oil and sugar mixture.
  • Pour the mixture into the dry ingredients and stir together with a spoon until dough forms. It may seem a little sticky but that's ok.

Preheat oven to 180C (160C fan-forced, 350F, gas mark 4). Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper.

  • Shape about 1 tablespoon of the dough into balls and flatten gently. Or roll flatten small batches of dough to about 1/4 inch onto a sheet of baking paper and cut out desired shapes with cookie cutters. Remove scraps and repeat.
  • Bake on the middle shelf in a preheated oven for about 11 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and allow to cool.
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