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Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 cookies 16g Recipe makes 48 cookies)
Calories 73
Calories from Fat 36		(49%)
Amount Per Serving		%DV
	Total Fat 4.0g	6%
	Saturated Fat 2.5g	12%
	Monounsaturated Fat 1.0g
	Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2g
	Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 14mg		4%
Sodium 28mg		1%
Potassium 9mg		0%
Total Carbohydrate 8.7g		2%
	Dietary Fiber 0.2g	0%
	Sugars 4.2g
Protein 0.8g		1%
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Black Pepper Butter Cookies

Recipe #74251 | 26 min | 15 min prep | add private note

⁽⁷²⁾ RATE IT NOW Print Recipe

By: HeatherFeather
Oct 29, 2003

These are my absolute favorite cookies. A friend in college had received a huge tin of homemade cookies from her mother and a version of these cookies were inside, along with many other types of cookies. I had never heard of black pepper cookies before and loved the unique flavor-sweet & buttery, with a slight kick from the pepper. I searched for years to find the recipe and finally found it in a Watkins spices cookbook several years ago. I make these every year for the holidays and everyone always wants to know the secret of my "vanilla flecked" butter cookies. Update: Eggs sizes seem to be shrinking, so depending upon the size of the eggs in your area, you may need to use an XL egg rather than a large. Regarding the pepper: fresh ground will produce huge grains of pepper and make things far too peppery and savory tasting. Please use finely ground pre-ground black pepper in this recipe, carefully measured using a measuring spoon and leveled off.

48 cookies (change servings and units)

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup sweet unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
extra sugar, for dipping glass

Directions

1
Mix all ingredients (except for the extra sugar for dipping the glass) together well using a heavy duty mixer.
2
Roll into 1/2 inch size balls-you will need three large ungreased cookie sheets, 16 balls per sheet.
3
Use the flat base of a drinking glass that has been dipped into sugar to flatten each dough ball on the cookie sheets.
4
Bake in a preheated 350 F (or 180 C) oven for 8-11 minutes or until lighly browned on the edges- do not overbake.
5
Remove to wire racks to cool.

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Featured Reviews for This Recipe

From: razzintaz

On Oct 5, 2009

ok, we had high hopes for these. But, they were a total let down. You fail to mention if you use the store bought already ground black pepper or fresh. We only use fresh, and well.. Yuck. The dough was so sticky and hard to work. We ate them so as not to waste the food, but otherwise they would have been in the trash. I am soo very glad I didn't double the recipe like i usually do. These were gross. sorry.

0 people found this review helpful

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From: Georgiapea

On Sep 3, 2009

Love. Them. These cookies are wonderful and intriguing. I like making people guess what the secret ingredient is. I've made them twice now, and the second time I changed three things. I didn't flatten them, i rolled them in sugar, and I ground some fresh pepper on top of a few of the hot ones. I whole-heartedly recommend all of these things (only the extra pepper if you like the kick). When you don't flatten them they come out a little more fluffy but they still flatten nicely - I prefer that to how they are when you flatten them. Thanks Heather!

1 person found this review helpful

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From: DonnaR

On Apr 8, 2006

These cookies are great! I have made them several times, and sometimes I seperate the dough and make some without the pepper just so I get a variety (also, some times I ice some). A trick I use is to put the dough into logs in the fridge for a while. That helps me make even balls as I can just slice evenly and then form the balls from the slices. Thanks for a great recipe!

16 people found this review helpful

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From: Heather U.

On Jun 28, 2004

Oh yum! From one Heather to another-- thanks! I did half the batch with fresh black peppercorns(ground ultra fine), and the other half I did plain with cinnamon sugar on top (just in case the pepper wasn't to my liking). I really loved the pepper, and would do a whole batch with it next time. I made a reduced calorie version (4 T butter, 1 T lecithin, 1/2 c applesauce, 1/4 tsp guar gum, 1 c splenda, 2 T corn syrup) instead of using 1 c butter and 1 c granulated sugar. Using a small cookie scoop, my batch turned out 38 1/2-oz cookies (might've been 39 or 40 had I not pilfered some of the dough before baking...). Little pillows of yummy goodness! These would be great with a lemony glaze.

13 people found this review helpful

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