High-protein Pfeffernüsse (spiced gingerbread drops) with quark and wholemeal spelt

High-protein Pfeffernüsse made from low-fat quark, wholemeal spelt flour and defatted almond flour, with gingerbread spice, pepper and honey. Snacks with 20 g protein per serving (6 pieces).

At a glance

• Serves 6
• Prep time: 25 min
• Cooking time: 28 min
• Total time: 53 min
• Calories: 258 kcal per serving
• Protein: 21 g
• Fat: 8 g
• Carbs: 24 g

Ingredients

• 150g low-fat quark
• 1 egg
• 50g honey
• 25g butter
• 110g wholemeal spelt flour
• 110g defatted almond flour
• 40g whey protein powder
• 1 egg white
• 20g coconut sugar
• 2 tsp gingerbread spice
• 1 pinch of pepper
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

Method

You’ll need: oven

1. Stir together the low-fat quark, egg, honey and soft butter. Mix the wholemeal spelt flour, almond flour, protein powder, gingerbread spice, pepper and bicarbonate of soda and knead them in until you have a soft dough.
2. Preheat the oven to 180 °C (160 °C fan). With wet hands, shape 36 walnut-sized balls and place them on two baking trays lined with baking paper.
3. Bake the Pfeffernüsse one tray at a time at 180 °C for 11 to 12 minutes each, until browned underneath.
4. Grind the coconut sugar finely and whisk it with the egg white into a thin glaze.
5. Brush the warm Pfeffernüsse with the glaze and return them to the oven at 180 °C for 2 more minutes so the glaze sets.
6. Leave them to cool on a wire rack.

Good to know

Pfeffernüsse are small, spiced balls with a hint of pepper. The quark keeps these soft, and they're quick to roll. The thin glaze needs no icing sugar.

Swaps

Wholemeal spelt flour → light spelt flour (paler). Low-fat quark → skyr. Honey → maple syrup. Butter → coconut oil.

Cooking tips

Use a plain whey protein without sweeteners, otherwise the dough tastes artificial. The balls come out the same size if you first shape the dough into logs and cut pieces of equal length.

Storage

Keeps for 1 week in a tin somewhere cool.

Allergens

Contains gluten (spelt), almonds, milk (quark, butter, protein powder) and egg. Not suitable for children under 1 year because of the honey.