Pepperkaker
Wafer-thin, deeply spiced gingerbread snapped from festive shapes — the crispest scent of Christmas.
Cultural Context & History
Rolled paper-thin and cut into hearts, stars and pigs, pepperkaker fill Norwegian homes with the scent of December. Building and decorating them is a cherished ritual of the season.
Ingredients
- 150 g butter
- 150 g sugar
- 100 ml golden syrup
- For the spice mix: 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground cloves, 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 400 g plain flour
Recommended Tools
- Heavy-based saucepanMelts the syrup and sugar without scorching.
- Rolling pinTakes the dough thin enough for a clean snap.
- Assorted cuttersStamps out the hearts, stars and figures.
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Step-by-Step Instructions
- 1
Warm the butter, sugar and golden syrup in a pan until melted and smooth, then stir in the ginger, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper and leave to cool completely.
- 2
Stir the egg, bicarbonate of soda and flour into the cooled mixture to form a firm dough, then chill overnight.
- 3
Roll out very thinly on a floured surface and cut into hearts, stars and figures with cutters.
- 4
Space the shapes on lined trays and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 8-10 minutes until deep golden, then cool on a wire rack.
Chef's Tip
Roll the dough as thin as you dare, barely a couple of millimetres — that thinness is what gives pepperkaker their brittle snap rather than a chew.
Chef's Tip
The dough keeps happily for a week in the fridge, so you can roll and bake a tray at a time through December.
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