Thanks, drbabs, but it's only because my dad was German and my Wisconsin aunts taught me some good kuchen. Groan. Sorry about that.

And I think it's Pepper Nuts, not Pepper Rocks.

betteirene, you rock!

Pfeffernusse (Pepper Rocks) are spice cookies with black pepper (and sometimes finely chopped or ground nuts) added to the dough; the dough is rolled into balls, baked and coated with powdered sugar.

Gewurzplatzchen are cookies made with traditional "sweet" spices (no savory pepper) that are flattened with a glass dipped in granulated sugar.