Christmas in Sweden is never complete without Swedish Pepparkakor. A traditional gingerbread cookie, the pepparkakor never fails to delight the hearts of the young and young at heart. Read our guide for more facts & information…
The Scandinavian region prides its variety of baked cookies, one of which is the Swedish pepparkakor. Pepparkakors are thin and very brittle cookies that are staple sweet treats during the Christmas season. Popularly know elsewhere as gingersnaps and gingerbreads, the Swedish pepparkakor is a baked goodie that never fails to make its presence on the Swedish tables.
In Sweden, the pepparkakor is also used as window decorations. For this purpose the Swedish pepparkakor is baked slightly thicker than the original size and usually decorated with glaze and candy. Families usually bake these sweet cookies for their kids. This moment of baking Swedish pepparkakor is an opportunity for moms and kids to bond and share stories.
Pepparkakor literally means gingersnap. This is among the traditional treats during the holidays but usually sold all-year round. Families can get ready-made cookie dough from bake shops but nothing beats the adventure and the nostalgia of making your homemade Swedish pepparkakor.
For the ingredients of Swedish pepparkakor, prepare 200 grams of brown sugar, 200 grams of white sugar, 200 grams of dark corn syrup, 150 ml of water, 300 grams of butter, 2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon, 2 tablespoons of ground ginger, 2 tablespoons of ground cloves, 1 tablespoon of baking soda and 1 kilogram of flour.
Swedish pepparkakor is very easy to prepare. First heat the brown and white sugar, the corn syrup and water in a pot. Then add the butter and let it melt. Stir the syrup and let it cool for a few minutes. Blend in the cinnamon, ginger and baking soda. Make sure that the spices are set in the mixture to give the pepparkaror a good spice. Mix in the flour until you have a smooth consistency. Put out the dough and sprinkle a dust of flour on top. Let it cool overnight. The following day, take the dough and knead it smooth on a baking table, add flour occasionally. Using a rolling pin, make a thin spread of dough and cut into shapes. The famous Swedish pepparkakor shapes are the lucia cats, stars and moon. Bake the pepparkakor cookies in the oven over 180 degrees Celsius or 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes. Allow the gingersnaps to cool and serve.
Enjoy the Christmas season with these delightful treats. This easy-to-make recipe can give you Swedish pepparkakors all year round.
