Pfeffernusse

What You Need:

• ¾ cup room temperature butter
• 1 egg
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup molasses
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• ½ teaspoon baking soda dissolved in ¼ cup water
• ¼ teaspoon each of salt, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg
• 4 cups flour
• Sheet pan
• Parchment paper
• Powdered sugar (optional)

What You Do:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Invite your child to measure the butter, sugar, and molasses into a medium mixing bowl and give a good stir. They're building the muscles in their arms while combining those ingredients!
3. Test your child’s sense of smell by having them close their eyes and take a sniff of each the seasonings – pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg -- seeing if they can guess what each one is! Once they're done giving them a good sniff, they can use measuring spoons to measure each of seasonings. Have them add the seasonings to the bowl along with the vanilla, egg, and baking soda dissolved in water.
4. Once they have incorporated the ingredients, they can begin adding the flour one cup at a time, until a thick dough is formed.
5. Invite your child to scoop out small spoonfuls of the dough and give them a roll between their palms, creating a nice ball.
6. The rolled cookies can be placed on a sheet covered in parchment paper, with about 1-inch spacing between cookies.
7. Place the cookies in the oven and set the kitchen timer for 12 minutes. The warm cookies can be enjoyed as is, or tossed in powdered sugar for an extra special treat!