Pepernoten (Dutch Spiced Sinterklaas Cookies)

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Cookies bars Easy

Pepernoten (Dutch Spiced Sinterklaas Cookies)

Tiny, firm, honey-and-brown-sugar cookies flavored with cinnamon, ginger and clove. Pepernoten are handed or thrown around before Sinterklaas. Makes 100 cookies in about 1 hr 10 min.

Prep 25 min

Cook 15 min

Cooling 30 min

Total 1 hr 10 min

Yield 100 cookies

Ingredients

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2 cups (250 g)all-purpose flour
½ cup (100 g)dark brown sugar
3 tbsp (60 g)honey
¼ cup (60 g)butter, softened
3 tbsp (45 ml)milk
1 tspbaking powder
2 tspground cinnamon
1 tspground ginger
¼ tspground cloves
½ tspground anise
1 pinchsalt

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Instructions

Whisk the flour, baking powder, spices and salt together.
Beat the butter, brown sugar and honey until creamy, then mix in the milk.
Add the dry ingredients and mix to a firm dough. Chill 30 minutes.
Heat the oven to 350 F (180 C) and line two sheets with parchment.
Roll the dough into 1/2-inch (1.5 cm) balls or pinch off small cubes. Place about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart on the sheets.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes until firm and browned underneath. Cool on the pan.

Tips

Keep them small; larger balls bake soft rather than crisp.
Grind whole anise seeds for the best flavor.
Dutch bakers call the crunchy round version kruidnoten.
Good with hot chocolate.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make pepernoten (dutch spiced sinterklaas cookies)?

Plan on 25 minutes of prep and 15 minutes of cooking, plus 30 minutes to chill. The recipe makes 100 cookies.

How should I store pepernoten (dutch spiced sinterklaas cookies)?

Store airtight for up to 3 weeks.

Can I make pepernoten (dutch spiced sinterklaas cookies) ahead?

It is at its best the day it is made; prepare it a few hours before serving.

Small spiced cookies handed out around Sinterklaas on December 5. Serve it with hot chocolate.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 100 servings this recipe makes.

20 Calories / serving

0.5g Fat

3.5g Carbs

0.3g Protein

1.5g Sugar

Whole recipe (100 servings): ~2000 cal · 50g fat · 350g carbs · 30g protein · 150g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.