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

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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.

What are ginger cookies made of? ›

Molasses: I typically opt for “original” (versus dark) unsulphured molasses. Eggs and baking soda: Two soft and chewy cookie staples. Flour: I typically use all-purpose flour for this classic recipe, but white whole wheat flour can work too. Spices: We will use a mixture of ground ginger, cinnamon and cloves.

How long do ginger cookies last? ›

How Long do Gingerbread Cookies Last. After you have baked your gingerbread cookies and they are decorated perfectly, they will last for 4-6 weeks. Gingerbread is a fairly dry type of cookie which extends it's shelf life. Less moisture means the cookies will be more resistant to mold.

What is the difference between Pepparkakor and gingersnap? ›

Some consider these differences to be enough to place them into two separate categories. Ginger snaps (Pepparkakor) are typically baked for a longer time; they're thinner, chewier, and often with a more robust, well-expressed spice flavor than a standard gingerbread cookie.

What day of the year is Pepparkakor traditionally made? ›

If a Swedish family opts to bake Pepparkakor at home, they'll most likely do it a few days before December 13th. But while the tradition is still quite popular, the majority tends to opt for commercially packaged cookies.

Are ginger cookies good for your stomach? ›

Ginger cookies won't help but real ginger, especially ginger tea, can be effective for a tummy ache. “Ginger is usually one of the best natural remedies for an upset stomach and can be consumed through teas or lozenges,” Kirkpatrick said.

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

The basic difference between two is that the Gingerbread cookies have comparatively soft texture than the ginger snaps. The ginger snaps are dry and hard, so they 'snap'. This is due to longer time for baking and use of molasses instead of sugar.

What is the difference between ginger snaps and ginger cookies? ›

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. Molasses was used as substitute for sugar as it was the more affordable alternative to sweetening.

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.”

How do you know when ginger cookies are done? ›

Easy to Notice Signs:
  1. Golden Brown Edges – Check the edges of the cookies for a golden brown colour. This indicates that the cookies have caramelized and are likely done. ...
  2. Set Centres – Gently touch the centre of a cookie. ...
  3. Light Cracking – Look for light cracks on the surface of the cookies.
Oct 18, 2023

Can you freeze homemade ginger cookies? ›

Shortbread, biscotti, gingerbread, and drop cookies like chocolate chip or oatmeal are all examples of sturdy cookies that hold up well once frozen. "They can stand up to the cold temperatures and won't be damaged when you mindlessly rummage through your freezer," says Jason Schreiber, baker and cookbook author.

What happens if you don't chill gingerbread dough? ›

Chilling the dough makes the butter, and the dough firm up. Also, a very cold, even frozen crust will shrink less during baking. If you think about a stick of butter it makes sense: the cold butter keeps it's shape, When it softens, it spreads and no longer keeps it's shape.

How do you moisten gingerbread cookie dough? ›

There are a few things you can do to add liquid to your cookie dough if it is too dry and crumbly. One option is to add milk, water, or another liquid until the dough is the right consistency. You can also try adding melted butter or shortening. If your dough is still too dry, you may need to add more flour.

Should gingerbread cookies be soft or hard? ›

Should gingerbread cookies be hard or soft? Soft gingerbread biscuits are ideal. They ought to be flexible. However, they should still be somewhat elastic, and if you hold them too firmly because you're so excited to eat them, you might even be able to leave your fingerprints on the cookie!

What is the meaning of the name gingerbread? ›

In Medieval England, the term gingerbread simply meant “preserved ginger” and wasn't applied to the desserts we are familiar with until the 15th century. The term is now broadly used to describe any type of sweet treat that combines ginger with honey, treacle or molasses.

What is the German name for gingerbread? ›

Lebkuchen - pronounced LAYB-kue-chn - and sometimes called Pfefferkuchen is a German baked Christmas treat somewhat resembling gingerbread. Soft, moist and nutty German gingerbread was invented by medieval monks in Franconia, Germany in the 13th century.

What is a German gingerbread heart called? ›

Lebkuchenherzen have become a staple in German celebrations, especially around Oktoberfest and Christmas time. They're typically decorated with intricate icing designs and lettering, including endearing or funny messages. Try your hand at making them and share them with someone you love!

Why is German gingerbread special? ›

German Gingerbread is soft and moist, unlike the hard gingerbread that is known in North America. It is made with nuts and a special spice mixture called Lebkuchen spice that is similar to Pumpkin Pie Spice and gives them their unique flavor.

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