Aldi’s Holiday Cookies Are Leaving Some Customers Surprised

This year, a lot of holiday cookies aren’t holiday cookies. What do I mean by that slightly perplexing statement? Well, 2026 has seen a parade of products that take the flavors of traditional holiday cookies and run with ‘em in ever-more-interesting ways: Yes, you’ve got Costco dropping down-the-line holiday shortbread, but you’ve also got snickerdoodle-flavored Twinkies and sugar cookie-flavored Hershey’s Kisses. Everything is something else. Soon, there will be one singular food, a mashup of every single flavor imaginable, and it’ll be the only thing we eat.

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So it’s kind of a relief to see Aldi re-release a deeply traditional holiday cookie for the festive period – which has a few first-timers confused. Let’s discuss.

Aldi Benton’s Pfeffernüsse

This year, Aldi has dropped its Benton’s Pfeffernüsse for the holidays, which it advertises as “iced gingerbread cookies.” Those in the know, however, will know that pfeffernüsse have a few qualities that make them stand out from the pack. One Redditor found this out after purchasing them and discovering their unique chewy consistency. “These… are not what I was expecting,” they said. 

Others jumped in to explain that pfeffernüsse, a German cookie that’s also popular with the Mennonite community in North America, are meant to be soft and chewy – and their distinctive flavor comes from the addition of white pepper. “Pfeffer” literally translates from German to “pepper,” and the fact that I could recall that from my school days (when I found German lessons more challenging than most; French was more my thing) made me feel a deep sense of smug satisfaction today. As a result, they can be a bit of an acquired taste for some, but they’re also way more interesting than your standard gingerbread or sugar cookie. 

A Home-Made Treat

Despite the initial misgivings of the Redditor who questioned Aldi’s pfeffernüsse, it’s clear these cookies are a hit with the majority of its customers. They’re also emblematic of one of Aldi’s best qualities, in my book: Its stalwart championing of traditional German food, despite it perhaps not being as shiny or high-selling as some of its other product lines. If you don’t have pfeffernüsse at an Aldi near you, though, may I recommend making them at home? These little cookies are surprisingly easy to make, and their miniature nature makes them fun to put together with kids. Just make sure you don’t overdo it on the white pepper: It’s a fine line between an enjoyable kick and a nasty surprise.