Pepperkaker

Pepperkaker is a traditional Nordic biscuit, commonly associated with Norway and Sweden, and known in English as gingerbread cookies. The name combines pepper with cake or cookie, reflecting a historic use of warming spices, even though modern recipes emphasize gingers, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom rather than black pepper alone.

The dough typically contains wheat flour, a sweetener such as brown sugar, molasses or honey, butter or oil, and eggs, with a leavening agent like baking soda or baking powder. Spices are the defining element: ginger is essential, complemented by cinnamon, cloves, and often cardamom. The dough is usually chilled before rolling, rolled out thin, and cut into shapes before being baked until crisp and lightly browned. Some recipes include optional liquor or zest for added depth.

Pepperkaker holds a prominent place in Christmas traditions across Norway and Sweden. In Sweden, the cookies are famed for their delicate, crisp texture and are often pressed or cut into festive shapes. In Norway they are similarly enjoyed as a seasonal treat, sometimes decorated with sugar glaze or icing. Beyond eating, pepperkaker shapes and houses are associated with holiday décor and family baking sessions.

Storage and variations: baked pepperkaker keep well in airtight containers for several weeks and can improve in flavor after resting. Regional recipes vary in spice balance and sweetness, but the core concept remains a crisp, spiced cookie typical of Nordic Christmas culinary repertoire.