These days, they are already in the supermarket at the beginning of September: kruidnoten! Popularly known as pepernoten. The choice is vast, but not for vegans. Culi editor Anne bakes them herself, using the easiest recipe for vegan spiced nuts. Homemade and animal-friendly, they really do taste best.
The easiest vegan cloves
Even with only adolescents in the house, we still celebrate Christmas Eve here. The lots have been drawn again. Suprises, poems, presents, a big pan of vegan pea soup and lots of candy, such as marzipan, speculaas, chocolate letters and spiced nuts are part of the celebration. We celebrate Saint Nicholas Eve with all the trimmings. I like to make the sweets myself with this recipe for the easiest spiced nuts. They are easy to make vegan and just out of the oven they really are the most delicious.
So what is not vegan about most groceries from the shop?
The kruidnoot, better known as the pepper nut, usually contains (cream) butter and milk. To bake them vegan, swap the butter and milk for a plant-based version. Instead of milk, I used plain water this time, but milk is also available in many plant-based versions. Think soy milk, almond milk and oat milk. These are the three most common substitutes for milk.
What is the difference between pepernoten and kruidnoten
In 1600, the pepper nut was made from dough left over from gingerbread and spice cakes. So the pepernoot is a cube-shaped lump of gingerbread. This real pepper nut looks a bit more like taaitait and tastes very different from the kruidnoot. Kruidnoten are the half spheres with speculaas spices that we eat most often and are also sold under the name pepernoot (pepper nut) nowadays. So the difference is in the size and texture. The old Dutch pepernoot is large and most like taaitait. The kruidnoot is small (but you can make it as big as you like) and harder. It has a deeper flavour than the old Dutch peppercorn. The kruidnoot made its appearance in the 17th century. I made this easy vegan version of the kruidnoot.
Getting started with a hefty portion of vegan spiced nuts. Like making biscuits, it starts with a big ball of dough.
Recipe: easy vegan spiced nuts
Kitchenware
- come
- wooden spoon
- griddle
- baking sheet
- oven
Ingredients
- 250 gr self-rising flour
- 10 level tbsp dark caster sugar
- 100 gr vegetable butter
- 2 el water or vegetable milk such as oat milk almond milk, rice milk or soy milk
- 2 el speculaas spices
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Mix the ingredients well with a wooden spoon in a bowl.
- Dump the crumbly dough onto the board and knead by hand just until you have a dough ball. Does it remain too dry? Add a little more water.
- Wrap the dough ball in cling film. Place in the fridge for over half an hour.
- Remove the dough ball from the fridge and turn it into about 50 balls. Place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
- Bake the balls for about 20 minutes in the oven at 180°C.
- Leave to cool well.
Notes
You can make the cloves as big as you like.
Saving the easiest vegan spiced nuts
Whoever manages to keep these easy vegan spice nuts, I think is very clever. They are addictively delicious! So I prefer not to bake them until December out of self-protection, haha. Would you like to give the cloves as a present or are you expecting visitors tomorrow? Put them in a good sealable container to keep them. Or make one of these surprisingly tasty recipes with. You can also leave the dough in the fridge to make these gingernuts when you want to eat them. After all, still a little warm, they are even tastier.
More inspiration for a greener Saint Nicholas party can also be found at thegreenlist.nl
- This is how St Nicholas finds the best second-hand gifts.
- For the deputies: tips for more sustainable shoe presents.
- Making large vegan chocolate letters.
- Recipe for the evening: vegan pea soup.
Sources: history of the pepper nut, palm oil. Photo credtis: Anne van Twillert.
