Instructions: Heat oven to 190 degrees. Lightly grease baking sheet. Cream butter, pepper, cinnamon, cloves and vanilla. Beat in sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy.

Beat in the egg. Sift flour and cocoa into bowl and blend dry ingredients thoroughly with the butter and sugar mix until a firm dough.

Lightly flour hands and roll spoonfuls of the dough into balls about 2cms. Put on a baking sheet and press. Place in centre of oven and cook for 12 minutes.

Cool for a minute on tray and cool on cake rack. When cool, store in airtight container.

Try with dessert, great with coffee of tea (from the North Coast, of course).

Try these cookies - great after dinner with coffee, or anytime! Maybe warn the children about the black pepper before letting them try!

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