Mom's Pfeffernusse

• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons grated orange peel
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Instructions:

Beat the sugar and eggs on a low speed until blended, then on a high speed until creamy. Add the rest of the ingredients, and beat until combined. Shape the dough into four balls (using heavily floured hands!). Wrap each ball in plastic, and freeze for one hour, or refrigerate them overnight. They will be very sticky! Handle them with floured hands if they are too sticky to shape. Preheat the oven to 400º F. Grease the cookie sheets. On a well-floured surface, roll out into 10" x 6 ", and only work with one ball of dough at a time while keeping the others cold. Cut each rectangle into 6 strips, then each strip into 10 pieces. Bake them for 8-10 minutes, about 1/2 inch apart on the sheet. Repeat the process with each ball of remaining dough. Cool on wire racks.