Carina Branson, a digital producer at KSN, shares her favorite peppernut recipe that comes from her great-grandma Neufeldt.

Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cup dark brown sugar 
  • 1.5 cup granulated sugar 
  • ¼ cup molasses 
  • ½ cup water 
  • 1 beaten egg 
  • 2 sticks salted butter (8oz) 
  • 4.5-5 cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for working surface) 
  • ½ cup chopped pecans 
  • ½ tsp. ground cinnamon 
  • ½ tsp. liquid anise 
  • ½ tsp. ground ginger 

Instructions

  • Add brown sugar, white sugar, molasses, water, beaten egg, and butter to large pot. Warm over low heat until butter is melted, and mixture is smooth. 
  • Mix in anise, cinnamon, and ginger until well combined. Then stir in pecans. Sift in a cup of flour at a time until mixture resembles a thick, peanut butter consistency. 
  • Place in fridge overnight for at least 8 hours, allowing it to thicken into a dough.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Sprinkle work surface with flour. Use a sturdy spoon to scoop a spoonful of dough onto work surface. Roll with clean hands into a snake about the width of your index finger. Cut into ½ inch pieces. Keep dough in fridge between batches. Place on ungreased baking sheet an inch apart. Bake until lightly brown for 10-15 minutes. Store in an airtight container. They will harden up upon cooling.