Scandinavian · dessert

Gingerbread Cookies (Pepparkakor)

Name: Gingerbread Cookies (Pepparkakor)
Prep time: 35 min
Total time: 42 min
Cuisine: Scandinavian
Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour; 3/4 cup butter, softened; 3/4 cup sugar; 1/2 cup molasses; 1 egg; 2 tsp ground ginger; 2 tsp cinnamon; 1/2 tsp cloves; 1/2 tsp cardamom; 1 tsp baking soda; royal icing for decoration

Gingerbread Cookies (Pepparkakor) reads sweetness 6.8, richness 5.6 and warm spice 4.3 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Scandinavian dessert, about 42 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 2.5 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 6.9 / 10
Sour & Bright — 0.7 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 2.1 / 10
Rich & Fat — 5.9 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 4.9 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Sweetness 6.8 · Richness 5.6 · Warm Spice 4.3 · Allium 3.1 · Floral 3.0 · Umami 2.5 · Earthy 1.8 · Bitterness 1.8 · Nutty 1.1 · Herbaceous 1.0 · Sourness 0.6

What's in it (11)

3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp cardamom
1 tsp baking soda
royal icing for decoration

Time & effort: about 42 min (35 min active) · effort: medium

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 405 kcal, 5.5 g protein, 16.5 g fat, 60.9 g carbs

Dietary: Vegetarian · Contains dairy · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (4 steps)

Cream butter and sugar, then beat in egg and molasses.
Sift in flour and all spices with baking soda and mix to a firm dough, then refrigerate for at least an hour.
Roll very thin, cut into classic shapes (hearts, pigs, stars), and bake at 175°C for 6–8 minutes until crisp.
Decorate with royal icing when cool.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Sweet Potato Pie — Southern
Tangyuan (汤圆) — Chinese
Cinnamon Buns (Kanelbullar) — Scandinavian
Pain Perdu (Lost Bread / French Toast) — Cajun/Creole
Pryanik (Пряник) — Russian

Keep reading: what sweetness, richness, warm spice mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

See how this dish fits your palate — take the short taste test →

Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.