A pepernoot (Dutch pronunciation: ['peːpərnoːt]; plural: pepernoten ['peːpərnoːtə]; literally, "pepper nuts", the Dutch or Belgian equivalent of Pfeffernüsse) is a cookie-like kind of confectionery, traditionally associated with the early December Sinterklaas holiday in the Netherlands and Belgium.They are light brown, round shaped, and made from the same ingredients as taai-taai: flour, sugar, anise, cinnamon, and clove.