Preheat oven to 350F.

Cream together the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until smooth.

Stir in the egg and vanilla, mixing well.

Add the peppercorns, baking soda, salt and flour, mixing into a smooth dough.

Pour sanding sugar on a shallow plate.

Use a cookie scoop to measure dough, rolling into a ball, then coating with sanding sugar.

Place sugared dough piece on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

Flatten with a fork that has been dipped in sugar in a cross-hatch pattern.

Continue with remaining dough.

Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven.

After five minutes out of the oven, continue cooling cookies on a wire rack.