Cookies with black pepper--Pfeffernusse or Peppernuts in English--are a Christmas tradition in my family. Mine are very spicy crunchy cookies about the size of a quarter or smaller. As well as pepper, my recipe calls for cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and ginger. My sister likes to use the recipe from her DH's mother, which calls for the addition of finely chopped candied fruit. There are multiple variations of this cookie.