Scandinavian style Ginger thins or Ginger bread biscuit, tasty accessories, recipe and history
By thougtforce
This is an article about the Scandinavian style ginger thins or Pepparkakor as we call them in Sweden. After some research for ginger thins and gingerbread biscuits I realise that there are many names to this cake and it can also mean a more thicker biscuit than the typical Swedish pepparkaka in some countries. So in this hub I will call them pepparkakor or Swedish thins so there is no mistake of what I mean!
Swedish Thins is a cookie that is very traditional to eat in Sweden during Christmas time. Although we eat them all year around it is a "must have" during Advent and Christmas time to get that special Christmas feeling.
Swedish Thins are delicious as they are but they can also be eaten in many other different ways and you can combine them with other tastes to get new and sensational taste experiences!
But first a little history about Swedish Thins or gingerbread biscuits!
In Sweden we call this biscuit "pepparkakor" which in English is ”pepper cookies”. The reason for that is because when the cookie came to Sweden for the first time in the 1400s the recipe really contained pepper! There are different stories about the origin of this cookie and it may origin from Germany. One of the first gingerbread cookie in Sweden are said to have been baked by nuns in Vadstena convent in Sweden who baked them as drugs for various diseases. Back then the cookies where really spicy and contained ginger, cardamom, honey and pepper. These spicy cookies was sold in pharmacies and where used as remedy for diarrhea, constipation, depression, cholera, toothache and all kind of symptoms and disorders. Now days there is normally no pepper in the gingerbread cookies and we eat them only because they are so tasty and easy to eat!
Myths
The Scandinavian thins are also said to make those who eat them in a better mood so they become nicer! We often say: take some pepparkakor and you will be kind! This is an old myth that have remained since 1490 when the King in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Kung Hans, was ordinated gingerbread biscuits to ease his bad temper. Since the myth still remains I guess the cure must have been successful!
Other fun traditions
The gingerbread biscuit is also used as a children's game as a ”wish cookie” that have remained during the centuries. At first it was a game used to wish Christmas gifts but now it is a game to wish something else. Do like this: Put a cookie in you open palm and push it in the middle. If it breaks in three different parts you may wish something that you want to come true. But you must keep the wish silent to yourself or it will not happen at all!
Special facts!
We have a special day for this biscuit: ”Pepparkakans Dag” that occurs December 9! The day is dedicated to gingerbread cookies because of the long history and tradition this cookie have in Sweden.
There are many different types of pepparkakor or gingerbread biscuits in Europe. They can be hard, soft or chewy depending on the recipe and the country.
This is an old Swedish recipe for Scandinavian-style Thins or Gingerbread biscuits that I got from my mother:
You need:
300 gram butter
200 gram brown sugar
200 gram sugar
1,3 cup (3dl) cream
1,3 cup (3 dl) syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp mald ginger
1 tsp mald cloves
All the spicies should be ground
2 tsp baking soda
1,3 kg flour
In order to make lactose free cakes: replace the butter with milk-free margarine
In order to make them gluten-free: u You need to use 1/4 more gluten free mix than the required amount of flour. You also need to add 1 egg for every 3,4 cup (8 dl) flour you use to the gluten-free mix.
Do like this:
- Mix butter, brown sugar, sugar, cream and syrup or molasses to a smooth dough, use preferable an electric beater
- Mix the spices and add them to the dough
- Add the flour, little at time and work the flour into the dough. If you don't use an electric beater you can work the flour into the dough by hand.
- Cover the bowl with plastic rap and let it rest in refrigerator at minimum over the night. If you want, you can also leave it ti rest for a day or two.
- Take out the dough and cut out a piece of it that is enough for you to work with to start with
- Let the rest of the dough rest in the refrigerator until you need a second piece. This will prevent the dough to get sticky. Take out shapes in the dough and put the cookies on a cold oven plate to avoid bubbles in the cookies.
- Turn the oven to 200 °C.
- Roll out the dough very thin, 3-4 mm thick
- Bake in the middle of the oven for 4-5 minutes, or so depending on your oven. Watch them because they will get burn very quickly!
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The biggest event including Swedish Pepparkakor are Advent, Lucia and of course Christmas!
We bake them in traditional forms like hearts, stars, pigs, gingerbread men and ginger bread women, gingerbread bucks!
The traditional way to eat them during Christmas time is gingerbread cookies served with coffee or glogg. You can read more about Glogg here!
I must share some great ways to serve Swedish Thins and other food to combine with them that will give you a new and sensational taste to your Swedish Thins! They recipes are easy to do and you can do them just before you light the candles and heat up the gloegg!
Combine Swedish Thins with blue cheddar!
Pepparkakor are sensationally tasty combined with Blue cheddar. Do like this:
Mash 200 gram Blue cheese with 200 gram Philadelphia cream cheese.
The cheese will be enough for about 25 gingerbread cookies.
Put a tablespoon of cheese on a gingerbread cookie, add another gingerbread cookie and press gently.
More spicy busciuts
If you want to try more hot Swedish Thins you can try this recipe when you bake gingerbread cookies:
Dust with extra fine ground chili pepper over the cookies before baking them. Remember to be very careful with the chili pepper and make sure it is only a very small amount on each cookie.
Comments
Hi jfay2011, yes these cookies are great to coffee or hot chocolate too and to eat them with a glass cold milk is heavenly! That is the best thing with them, so easy to eat and combine with many different tastes. Thanks for your visit and your comment, I appreciate both!
Tina
I like the sound of these biscuits with the blue cheddar!
I am going to make some of these for my dad, he loves ginger, thank you for the recipe, voted up
I love foods with ginger in them and these cookies sound delicious. Thank you for sharing the recipes as well as the myth and traditions. Blue cheese with ginger is a very interesting combination - I'm looking forward to trying this. Thanks for the video, too. I'm going to read you hub about Glogg now - I love the name!
Movie Master, It is a great combination even though it may sounds a bit strange! It is my favorite way to eat them. I hope you dad will like them too! Thanks for the vote and the comment, I appreciate your support MM!
Tina
Alicia, blue cheese with ginger is so tasty! I love it, but my husband doesn't, so I guess you either like it or not:) We usually serve gingerbread thins in different ways so it will suit everybody. I always appreciate your comments and I hope you find your favorite!
Tina
Tina I really liked how you mixed some history with the Pepparkako cookies. Going to show this recipe to the resident dessert cook around here-haha! They'll like this one too. When I was in Scandinavia one thing I always looked forward to was the smorgasbord and desserts. Some friends still send some sweets and cookies every Christmas from Germany..the ones in the decorative cans. Thanks Tina, Yum! Yum!
Alastar, I hope you get the chance to try pepparkakor! They go so well with gloegg or mulled wine ore a cup of coffee. I love the smorgasbord and the desserts too and it is what I look forward to most of all during Christmas. There is nothing that can compete with good food with the family! Thanks for the vote and your positive comment Alastar,
Tina
Oh wow, these look wonderful! The 9th? Do you ship overnight to overseas addresses? ;)
I seriously love ginger cookies and these would be delightful to eat or share. Perfect music in the video for my love story with gingerbread cookies.
Voted up and bookmarked.
RTalloni, I would be glad to:) But if you want them before 13 of December I guess it is best you bake them! Here we can buy the dough in the store and just amuse ourselves baking them. Pepparkakor is a "must have" during Advent and Christmas. I hope you try this and since you like ginger cookies I know you will love these:)
It is so good to see you and I appreciate your comment!
Tina
I love ginger! I buy ginger root in the supermarket, boil it and drink the tea. Very good for you. These cookies look so good. I must try them all. And will wash them down with some nice hot chocolate. Thank you for your delicious hub. Voted UP!
vocalcoach~
Hi vocalcoach, I am glad to see your happy face! Ginger tea sounds interesting, thanks for the tips, I will give it a try. I wish you luck with the Swedish thins and hope you like them as much as me. Hot chocolate and pepparkakor are so tasty! Thanks for reading and the vote vocal, it means a lot to me!
Tina
I really liked this hub and it has to have an up up and away here.
Take care and enjoy your weekend.
Eddy.
Thank you Eiddwen for the up and for being a supportive hub friend! Take care of yourself during this coming week. The week before Christmas can be so busy:)
Tina
This is a different recipe than the one my grandmother brought over with her. I find it interesting. Though, I love mine, I might try yours. Thanks. :)
Hi Maygrace, there are many different recipes on pepparkakor and I have collected a few during the years. It is fun to try another recipe now and then but every family usually have a traditional recipe that is regarded as the real! Thanks for your comment and I hope you like this one if you try it! Nice meeting you!
Tina
Tina, Thanks for this recipe. I love ginger snaps, gingerbread cookies and can't wait to try your recipe.
Hi Susan, it feels great to share a recipe with you since you are the talented one when it comes to baking and cooking! I am not so good in the kitchen but I love to do traditional things like these before Christmas. Thanks for reading and for leaving a comment!
Take care
Tina
Hi Tina, These cookies are really tasty, I remember eating them in the U.S. where they were called pogens, if I remember correctly. You may be surprised to know that Anna's ginger cookies are available in Croatia as well. Thanks for passing along the recipe and some of the history behind the culture, like Dec 9. Voted up and awesome.
EuorCafeAuLait, I have never heard about the word pogens before, how interesting, I will check it up! I am so glad to hear that you can buy Anna´s Ginger cookies in Crotaia as well, I hope you enjoy them and eat many of them, especially during Advent. Thanks for reading and for the interesting comment!
Tina
i so enjoy cooking and your hubs are always so amazing. My father absolutely adores ginger and I shall definitely give these recipes a go. Thank you Tina.
Hi acaetnna, I am so glad to hear that and I hope you father will like them too! Thanks for the visit and for the generous comment,
I hope you have a great weekend
Tina
jfay2011 5 months ago
those sound really delicious. I love a good spice cookie to dip in coffee or hot chocolate. thanks for sharing.