Pepparkakor Recipe (Swedish Ginger Cookies) - Texanerin Baking (2024)

These pepparkakor (thin Swedish ginger cookies) are whole wheat and dairy-free and just as crisp and delicious as the more traditional kind!

Have you ever tried Anna’s Ginger Thins or the heart-shaped ginger cookies at IKEA? These pepparkakor cookies are just like those, but better! They’re thin, crisp and have lots of gingerbread spice. And cardamom! I don’t think I had ever had cardamom in anything before I did my first exchange year in Sweden, where cardamom is really popular.

Now that I’ve tried it, I enjoy it in most of my gingerbread-like treats. And my other Swedish treats, like this Swedish apple pie, which is actually more like a crisp and super delicious. I also added a tiny bit to my Swedish blueberry soup!

Pepparkakor Recipe (Swedish Ginger Cookies) - Texanerin Baking (1)

Pepparkakor (Swedish for “pepper cookies”) are enormously popular in Sweden and the rest of Scandinavia during the holidays. They’re relatively simple to make and don’t require any frosting or other decoration. And they come with an interesting history!

There’s one story about King Hans, the Swedish-Danish-Norwegian king around 1500, whose doctor prescribed him pepparkakor, which were sold not only in bakeries, but also in pharmacies. King Hans had a bad temper and obviously pepparkakor were the answer – it’s said that eating pepparkakor makes you a nicer person! Pepparkakor were also sold in monasteries, where nuns ate them to help with their digestion. So, these pepparkakor are miracle cookies and you need to make them. :)

Pepparkakor Recipe (Swedish Ginger Cookies) - Texanerin Baking (2)

The cookies pictured above are the dairy-free version made with coconut oil. I thought I’d try them with butter, just in case someone asked about using it, and you can see the difference below. But the thing is, I used 1.4 more tablespoons of butter, as I often need a little less coconut oil than butter when baking certain treats.

So instead of 2/3 cup, I used 3/4 cup. That was definitely too much. If you want to use butter, I recommend 11 tablespoons. Or even 2/3 cup! They came out delicious and perfectly crisp with 3/4 cup butter, but they spread quite a bit.

I made my first few batches with sugar beet syrup, which is similar to regular molasses. Then I made it with blackstrap molasses and for the first time ever, I have to recommend not using blackstrap. It totally overpowered the spices. Stick with regular molasses here!

Pepparkakor Recipe (Swedish Ginger Cookies) - Texanerin Baking (3)Something I really love about this pepparkakor recipe is that the cookies stay fresh for a long time. I wrote one month in the the recipe, just to be safe, but in reality I’m pretty sure they last much longer (based off of past experience with pepparkakor). And the dough is pretty easy to work with and bake!

I made some intricate snowflakes and was worried about the edges burning before the center had browned, but they came out perfectly. I made the moose in this cookie cutter set and that was the only one I had issues with, probably because it’s so big. Instead of using a spatula to remove the moose to another baking sheet, I just peeled away the dough around the cookie cutter and baked the moose on the parchment paper I had rolled it out on.

For grain-free cutout ginger cookies, I recommend my soft and chewy gingerbread men. Note that they won’t get crisp like these Swedish cookies, no matter how long you bake them.

And if you don’t want to use cookie cutters and prefer traditional ginger cookies, these ginger cookies look great! I bet they’d work out great with white whole wheat flour.

I hope you’ll enjoy these pepparkakor! If you try them out, please let me know below in the comments. Thank you!

Want more Swedish cookies? Try these Crispy Swedish Cardamom Cookies from The Food Charalatan! These Swedish Heirloom Cookies from Shugary Sweets also look awesome.

♥♥♥♥♥

Rated 4.8 by4readers

Pepparkakor Recipe (Swedish Ginger Cookies) - Texanerin Baking (4)

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  • Yield: 40-50 cutout cookies

Ingredients

  • 3 cups (375 grams) whole wheat flour
  • 1 tablespoon ground ginger
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2/3 cup (149 grams) coconut oil, room temperature (it should be as soft as room temperature butter)
  • 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated or raw sugar
  • 1/4 cup (50 grams) brown or coconut sugar
  • 1/2 cup (176 grams) molasses (blackstrap is not recommended!)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 large egg, room temperature

Directions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together all the dry ingredients (flour through salt).
  2. Using a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer, beat together coconut oil, granulated sugar and brown sugar until thoroughly combined.
  3. Add the molasses and vanilla and beat until combined. Beat in the egg.
  4. Add the dry mixture all at once and beat until well combined. It'll be very crumbly and dry. Use your hands to combine it and bring it together into a dough. Form into a disc and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until very firm.
  5. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
  6. Place 1/4 of the dough onto the center of a piece of parchment paper. Cover with another piece of parchment paper and roll to 1/8" thickness. Try to keep it as even as possible so that the cookies bake evenly. The dough shouldn't stick at all to the parchment paper. If you see that it is, gather the dough back together and lightly flour the surface before rolling out again. The dough will be very firm and will take quite a bit of effort to roll out – if it's too firm, let it sit for 10 minutes or until softened just a little.
  7. Cut out shapes using whatever cookie cutters you like and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
  8. Bake for 7-10 minutes or until evenly and lightly browned. It's difficult to give an exact time as it depends on the size and shape of your cookie cutters. The cookies may be soft when you remove them from the oven, but after cooling for a few minutes, they should be totally crisp. If they're soft after they've cooled, you can put them back in the oven for a few more minutes. You may want to make just a few the first time as a trial.
  9. Let the cookies cool for 3 minutes on the baking sheet and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
  10. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

Notes

  • I used refined coconut oil and these cookies had absolutely no coconut taste. If you use unrefined coconut oil, these will likely have a coconut flavor.

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Recipe by Texanerin Baking| www.texanerin.com

Pepparkakor Recipe (Swedish Ginger Cookies) - Texanerin Baking (5)

Pepparkakor Recipe (Swedish Ginger Cookies) - Texanerin Baking (6)

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Pepparkakor Recipe (Swedish Ginger Cookies) - Texanerin Baking (2024)

FAQs

What does pepparkakor mean in english? ›

Pepparkakor (or "pepper cookies") are Swedish cookies. Similar to gingersnaps, pepparkakor are thin, crisp, and spicy. They're commonly baked and sold in Scandinavian countries during the holiday season.

Why don t my ginger cookies crackle on the top? ›

Not enough leavening (it needs to be strong enough to crack the top once it's set) Using a single-acting baking powder (double acting gives extra rise when it gets heated) Not creaming the fat long enough (creaming cuts little air pockets into the fat, which means the leavening has to do less work)

Why are my ginger cookies so hard? ›

“There are some gingerbread recipes that are hard right after baking and need to sit for a few days to soften. Molasses and honey hardens gingerbread, but as the sugar absorbs moisture, it will get softer.”

What's the difference between gingersnaps and ginger cookies? ›

Ginger Snaps are simply a variation of the traditional Gingerbread cookie. They're known for their crisper quality; their “snap” if you will. Introduced in colonial times, the main differences between Gingerbread and Ginger Snaps are a longer bake time for an extra crisp and the use of molasses versus sugar.

What day of the year are Pepparkakor traditionally made? ›

They are traditionally baked for St Lucia's Day (December 13th) and widely consumed through Christmas (and often even in January). Pepperkakor has a very strongly expressed spicy flavor; however, the ratio of spices changes in different recipes, with there being no ubiquitous one.

What is the history of Swedish Pepparkakor? ›

Baking cut-out 'Pepparkakor' ('Pepper cookies' in Swedish) has been a Christmas tradition in Sweden since the 17th century. The original recipe from the 14th century is said to actually have contained pepper and believed to have a ”soothing effect and alleviate indigestion”.

Why are my ginger cookies bitter? ›

Baking soda helps cookies spread outward and upward while cooking. Adding too little can cause flat, lumpy cookies. Adding too much can lend a bitter taste to the cookies.

How do you know when ginger cookies are done? ›

When you bake cookies that are all chocolate or dark, like gingerbread, it's often hard to tell when they are finished. The glossy sheen test comes in handy for these – the second they are no longer shiny pull them out.

How to get cracks on ginger biscuits? ›

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  1. Don't overmix the dough otherwise gluten will. ...
  2. The oven should be hot enough. ...
  3. Use both baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. ...
  4. Avoid opening the oven before the biscuits are well. ...
  5. There has to be corn or golden syrup added to the. ...
  6. If you want the biscuits to be soft instead of.
Oct 29, 2021

Why do my ginger cookies go flat? ›

The Problem: Your Oven Is Too Hot

If your cookies repeatedly turn out flat, no matter the recipe, chances are your oven is too hot.

How to enhance ginger flavor? ›

Cinnamon: Cinnamon enhances the spiciness of ginger and adds warmth and depth to confections. The combination of cinnamon and ginger is commonly found in cookies, cakes, and spiced candies. Coconut: Coconut adds a tropical sweetness to ginger confections, creating a unique treat.

What are the three types of gingerbread? ›

The three distinct types of gingerbread are brown gingerbread, wafer-based gingerbread and honey gingerbread.
  • BROWN GINGERBREAD.
  • WAFER GINGERBREAD.
  • HONEY GINGERBREAD.

Is Biscoff a ginger cookie? ›

Speculoos, the cookie family to which Biscoff belong, are often described as a type of gingerbread, but that's a little misleading. Aside from their use of caramel sugar, speculoos don't have quite the same bite; their spice blend tends toward aroma rather than heat.

What is the famous ginger biscuit? ›

What is Grasmere Gingerbread. VICTORIAN cook Sarah Nelson invented Grasmere Gingerbread in 1854 in the English Lake District village from where it gets its name. A unique, spicy-sweet cross between a biscuit and cake, its reputation quickly spread and it is now enjoyed by food lovers all over the world.

What is a ginger cookie called? ›

A gingersnap, ginger snap, ginger nut, or ginger biscuit is a biscuit flavored with ginger. Ginger snaps are flavored with powdered ginger and a variety of other spices, most commonly cinnamon, molasses and clove.

What is the meaning of the name gingerbread? ›

Etymology. Originally, the term gingerbread (from Latin zingiber via Old French gingebras) referred to preserved ginger. It then referred to a confection made with honey and spices. Gingerbread is often used to translate the French term pain d'épices ( lit.

Why is German gingerbread special? ›

The main ingredients for baking Lebkuchen are: Hazelnuts, Walnuts, Almonds, Candied Orange and Lemon Peel, Honey, Flour, Sugar, Eggs and Marzipan. Add to these some exotic spices from all around the world (cinnamon, cloves, anise, cardamom, coriander, ginger and mace) to make the Lebkuchen a special treat.

What is the name of German gingerbread? ›

Lebkuchen (pronounced leyb-koo-kuh n) is a centuries-old German spiced treat traditionally baked during the winter holiday season. While lebkuchen is often translated to English as gingerbread, it's not exactly what most Americans envision when they think of gingerbread.

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