If you’ve rolled through Trader Joe’s in the last week, you know they’re in overdrive on the holiday items. Even my latest trip, post Thanksgiving, was mostly for holiday stuff, not staples. Among them, Trader Joe’s Pfeffernüsse Cookie Mix.
Usually, pfeffernüsse is too anise-flavored for me, and a black licorice fan I am not. But Trader Joe’s is zero anise, and everything I love in a spice cookie: molasses with cinnamon, salt, cardamom, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, cloves and black pepper. Yes, please and thank you.
So the deal is, you whip a softened stick of butter, add an egg, and the mix. Form them into balls (you’re aiming for 30, I ended up with 20), and bake them for 11-13 minutes. My old oven had me at the full 13 minutes. They don’t spread a lot, so you can do nine on one sheet pan. Let them cool (no, really, let them cool all the way) and toss them in powdered sugar, which is provided. Straight-forward, no fuss, I like it.
Ya’ll, these are good. The spice mix packs a punch, it’s a nice soft cookie, and I would buy these again in a second. The powdered sugar is a little messy, but whatevs, it’s the holidays. These are a win.
Now, you know I always say things from TJ’s are too sweet for my taste, but Trader Joe’s Pfeffernüsse Cookie Mix is NOT. These cookies are good.
Vid with the process is up on Instagram at @wetriedtraderjoes. Give it some love. With hashtags being constrained, it’s brutal over there for us little guys.
Check out some other holiday We Tried’s from Trader Joe’s:
Beef en Croute (aka Beef Wellington)