These Swedish gingersnaps, known as pepparkakor, are thin, crisp cookies packed with warm, rounded spice: plenty of ginger and cinnamon, balanced by cloves and a subtle touch of black pepper for character. I first baked them for a Girl Scout World Thinking Day when our troop represented Sweden, and they’ve remained one of my favorite holiday discoveries—snappy, delicate, and deliciously caramelized. If you enjoy bold spice and a satisfying crunch, these are a lovely alternative to softer, chewier ginger cookies.
Pepparkakor are intentionally thin and crisp; when baked correctly they dry to a light, brittle snap and develop a deep, caramel-like flavor from the browned butter and molasses. The tiny pinch of black pepper (and a faint kick of cayenne, if you choose) lifts the spices and gives the cookies their distinctive Swedish edge without making them hot. They work beautifully at holiday gatherings but are also a nice change when you want a more refined ginger cookie any time of year.
These cookies are best rolled extremely thin—less than an eighth of an inch—so plan a little extra time for chilling and careful handling. Once cooled, they crisp up fully and keep well when stored properly. The method below uses browned butter and dark brown sugar for depth, plus a short chilling period to make rolling and cutting easier and to preserve their delicate texture during baking.
Recipe
Swedish Gingersnaps aka Pepparkakor
Anna
10 mins
8 hrs 20 mins (includes chilling)
8 hrs 30 mins
Dessert
Swedish
60 cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (350 grams)
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- A small dash each of cayenne pepper and black pepper (adjust to taste)
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks (170 grams)
- 1 ¼ cups packed dark brown sugar (260 grams)
- ¼ cup molasses (80 grams)
- 1 large egg (50 grams)
- 1 large egg yolk (18 grams)
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt and spices together in a bowl and set aside.
- In a saucepan, brown the butter over medium heat, watching closely so it doesn’t burn. Once it turns amber and develops a fragrant, nutty aroma, remove from heat.
- Stir in the molasses and brown sugar until smooth. Scrape the mixture into a mixing bowl and let it cool until warm but not hot.
- When the mixture is warm to the touch, whisk in the egg and yolk until incorporated.
- Add the flour and spice mixture and stir until a uniform dough forms.
- Divide the dough into four portions. Press or roll each portion into a very thin slab (under 1/8 inch) between parchment paper or plastic wrap. Stack the parchment layers on a baking sheet or tray and chill for several hours or until very firm.
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
- Remove one chilled slab at a time and use a 2-inch cookie cutter to cut shapes. Transfer shapes to a parchment- or foil-lined baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch between cookies. Repeat with the next slab.
- Bake for 15–18 minutes, until the cookies appear set. Allow them to cool completely on a wire rack—this is when they dry out and become crisp.
Notes
Storage: keep cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks. If they soften, re-crisp briefly in a warm oven.
Serving: these are lovely with coffee or mulled drinks, and they can be used to decorate holiday cookie plates because they hold their shape well when cut thin.
Swedish Gingersnaps
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