Gingerbread Cookies (Pepparkaka)
12 servings
120 minutes
Gingerbread cookies Pepparkaka are a symbol of coziness and warmth in Swedish cuisine, with a rich history rooted in the Middle Ages. These aromatic, crispy cookies are traditionally made for Christmas, filling the home with a unique spicy scent of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Their taste is a harmony of sweetness and spicy flavors, while the texture is thin and fragile with a light caramel note from chestnut honey. Pepparkaka pairs well with coffee or mulled wine and can also be a decoration for the festive table. With the ability to vary the spice composition, each recipe takes on a unique character. These cookies are not just a dessert but a true ritual that unites generations.
1
I recommend grinding spices yourself — it becomes much more aromatic and spicy. If you're not used to strong and pronounced flavors, feel free to reduce their amount by half. I, on the other hand, double it. Chestnut honey adds a special note, but if you don't have it, it's not a big deal.
- Ginger: 2 teaspoons
- Cinnamon: 2 teaspoons
- Carnation: 0.5 teaspoon
- Cardamom: 1 teaspoon
- Chestnut honey: 2 teaspoons
2
If you're in the mood to experiment, feel free to do so with spices. For example, add black pepper and reduce cinnamon, etc.
3
The butter should be at room temperature, soft.
- Butter: 100 g
4
First mix the butter, egg, and sugar, then add all the other ingredients and finally add the flour.
- Butter: 100 g
- Chicken egg: 1 piece
- Sugar: 1 glass
- Baking powder: 1 teaspoon
- Salt: 0.5 teaspoon
- Ginger: 2 teaspoons
- Cinnamon: 2 teaspoons
- Carnation: 0.5 teaspoon
- Cardamom: 1 teaspoon
- Chestnut honey: 2 teaspoons
- Wheat flour: 200 g
5
It's best to put the dough in the fridge overnight so it absorbs the aroma of the spices well. If there's no time, then for an hour or two.
6
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
7
Line the baking tray with parchment paper.
8
It's better to roll the dough quite thin, about three millimeters, if possible (a silicone mat helps — it's easy to cut cookies on it, flip it over, and wait for them to fall onto the baking sheet with our help).
9
So, shape the cookies, place them on a baking sheet, and send them to heat. The time depends on the thickness. For thin ones 2–5 mm — 5–6 minutes. For thicker ones — about 8 minutes.
10
Do not remove the cookies from the tray immediately; wait for them to cool slightly, gently slide them onto the table with a spatula (they are very fragile right after baking), and wait until they cool completely and harden.