Pfeffernüsse are small spice cookies, popular as a holiday treat with Germans and ethnic Mennonites in North America.

[7][9] In 1820, the Brothers Grimm warned their sister Charlotte (de) against excessive consumption: "Don't eat too much of the pepper nuts, they are said to cause a lot of heat!"

[15] Though Pfeffernüsse cookie recipes differ, all contain aromatic spices – most commonly cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, black pepper, mace, and anise.

[19] The Netherlands gives the name kruidnoten to the small, brown, round cookies,[22] while pepernoten concerns a chewy snack that is lighter in color and has a chunky, angular appearance.

[22][23] Even though they are perceivably different, some Dutch residents mistakenly call kruidnoten pepernoten and online stores list them under this category as well.

[citation needed] In the US midwest and plains states, families with German or Scandinavian roots make a treat they call peppernuts which is smaller, harder, and lacks eggs as an ingredient.