Today, December 23, 2013, is National Pfeffernuesse Day. Pfeffernüsse are small, round biscuits (cookies) with ground nuts and spices, popular as a holiday treat in Germany, Denmark, and The Netherlands. While the exact origin of the biscuit is still uncertain, the traditional Dutch belief links the pepernoten to the feast of Sinterklaas, celebrated on December 5 in The Netherlands and December 6 in Germany and Belgium. In Germany, the pfeffernüsse is more closely associated with Christmas. The biscuit has been part of European yuletide celebrations since the 1850s.
