Vegan Pfeffernüsse (spiced gingerbread drops) with wholemeal spelt and date syrup

Vegan Pfeffernüsse made with wholemeal spelt flour, date syrup, almonds, gingerbread spice, pepper and orange. A spiced dessert for the cookie tin, 160 kcal per four cookies.

At a glance

• Serves 10
• Prep time: 25 min
• Cooking time: 14 min
• Total time: 39 min
• Calories: 160 kcal per serving
• Protein: 4 g
• Fat: 6 g
• Carbs: 20 g

Ingredients

• 200g wholemeal spelt flour
• 100g date syrup
• 50g ground almonds
• 30g coconut oil
• 1 orange
• 2 tsp gingerbread spice
• 0.5 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 pinch of salt

Method

You’ll need: oven · saucepan · baking tray · mixing bowl · grater

1. Warm the date syrup and coconut oil in a small pan until the oil has melted.
2. Mix the wholemeal spelt flour, ground almonds, gingerbread spice, pepper, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a bowl.
3. Grate the orange zest, squeeze the juice and add both to the flour with the syrup mixture. Knead everything into a firm dough and leave it to rest in the fridge for 1 hour.
4. Shape 40 walnut-sized balls and place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
5. Bake the Pfeffernüsse in a preheated oven at 180 °C (160 °C fan) for 12 to 14 minutes and leave them to cool on a wire rack.

Good to know

Pfeffernüsse are small, hard on the first day and just right after a week in the tin. You can hardly taste the pepper, but it rounds off the spices.

Swaps

Date syrup → maple syrup (paler). Wholemeal spelt flour → rye flour (stronger flavour). Almonds → hazelnuts. Bicarbonate of soda → baker's ammonia (classic, lighter texture).

Cooking tips

The dough can happily rest in the fridge overnight – the flavour gets stronger. A piece of orange peel in the tin makes the Pfeffernüsse softer.

Storage

Keeps for 4 weeks in a cookie tin.

Allergens

Contains gluten and almonds; suitable for children, fine during pregnancy.

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