Grandma Nola’s Pepparkakor
Ginger Cookies
Nothing compares to the fragrance from a kitchen where these Swedish Christmas Cookies are baking. Grandma Nola often made these cookies, not only for Christmas but often for our Lockwood Labor Day gatherings. She was still making these cookies well into her 90’s!
THE WISH COOKIE
We often referred to these as the ‘wish cookie’. An old Swedish tradition is to place a Swedish Pepparkakor in the palm of your hand. Then make a wish. Using the index finger of your free hand tap the cookie in the middle. Swedish tradition states that if the Pepparkakor breaks into three pieces your wish will come true. If not, you’ll just savor the cookie in smaller portions.
RECIPE
| 3 ½ cups flour 1 tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt ¾ TBSP ground ginger 2 tsp cinnamon 2 tsp ground clove | ½ cup dark corn syrup 1 cup butter 1 cup sugar 1 egg |
Mix flour, baking soda, salt and spices together. Set aside. Combine syrup, butter and sugar in saucepan over low heat. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Cool to lukewarm. Add egg. Gradually mix dry ingredients into the mixture. (Dough will be quite soft). Form into a log and wrap in plastic wrap and place in fridge overnight.
Next day: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove dough from fridge and roll out very thin on a pastry board, one small section at a time using as little flour as possible. (Can help to remove dough 20-30 minutes before you start rolling.) Cut in desired shapes.* Place on a greased cookie sheet (or use parchment paper) and bake for 3 minutes. Turn. Bake 3-4 more minutes, keeping a very close eye not to overbake. Cool on a wire rack. These cookies freeze beautifully.
Makes about 245 cookies.
(This is the Tupperware cookie cutter Grandma Nola used)