Three hours in the kitchen this afternoon yielded over 1,000 peppernuts. I always make a double batch which Gramma said would make 3 gallons. Last week I rolled the dough into snakes and put them in the freezer.
Today I took out the snakes, two-by-two, and cut them into little buttons.
I put about 90-100 peppernuts onto a cookie sheet and baked for 12-14 minutes. The first batches take longer than the following ones. I only put one cookie sheet at a time into the oven. That somehow works better for me.
Here's a sheet full of peppernuts just out of the oven. In order for all the spices and flavors to completely blend, the little cookies must age for at least a few days, if not longer. That's why I start this process in November. I have also discovered, though, that if you find peppernuts a year later, they have gone waaaay beyond a good aging.
I don't know how many batches Gramma made each year, but my dad remembers helping her bake them. For awhile my uncle made these to sell on the internet, and the year we lived in Chicago I ordered some from him.
1 comment:
My snakes are in the freezer. Only one batch, though. Tomorrow is baking day. All your baking methods are right on.
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