Swedish Gingersnaps Recipes

PEPPARKAKOR (SWEDISH GINGER COOKIES)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda. Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, combine the butter, both sugars, molasses, ginger, cinnamon, orange extract, salt, cloves, and pepper. As the butter melts, whisk until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to simmer. Remove from heat. Cool until just warm to the touch, about 30 minutes.
• Whisk the egg into the cooled mixture until smooth. Pour over the dry ingredients and fold with a rubber spatula until no dry flour remains. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
• Heat the oven to 350 F with racks in the upper- and lower-middle positions. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Working with a tablespoonful of dough at a time, use dampened hands to roll into balls. Arrange 12 dough balls on each baking sheet, spacing evenly.
• Lay a sheet of plastic wrap over the balls on each sheet and use the bottom of a dry measuring cup to flatten each to about ¼ inch thick. Remove the plastic and bake until richly browned, 14 to 16 minutes, switching and rotating the baking sheets halfway through to ensure even baking. Cool on the sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

SWEDISH ORANGE GINGERSNAPS

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl or standing mixer cream together the butter and sugar until light. Beat in 1 egg and mix in the molasses, orange juice, and zest. Sift together the dry ingredients and stir them into the wet ingredients to make a soft, smooth dough, adding more flour if dough is too sticky. Knead the dough three times on a lightly floured board.
• Shape the dough into 3 logs, about 8-inches long, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Slice logs into thin circles, less than 1/8-inch thick. Place on lightly greased baking sheets.
• Bake cookies for about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer cookies to a rack to cool.

SWEDISH GINGER SNAPS (PEPPARKAKOR)

Steps:

• Whisk pastry flour (or all-purpose flour and cornstarch), baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon and cloves together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• Combine butter, sugar and molasses in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on medium speed until mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. This will take longer if you are mixing by hand. Reduce speed to low and add the egg. Mix until fully combined.
• Add flour mixture to butter mixture. Mix on low speed until just combined. Using a spatula, transfer dough to a large piece of plastic wrap. Wrap tightly and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to one day or, alternatively, place dough in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes. The dough will be easier to work with if it is well-chilled.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place 1/2 cup of sugar in a small bowl and find a drinking glass with a flat bottom.
• Remove a portion of the dough from the refrigerator. Tearing off one small piece at a time, roll dough between your palms into a small ball about 1/2 -3/4 inch in diameter. Dough will be sticky. Place dough ball in the bowl of sugar and roll it around until it is completely coated. Place ball on prepared baking sheet.
• Continue with remaining dough until baking sheet is filled, leaving at least 1 inch of space between each dough ball on the baking sheet. Dip the bottom of the drinking glass into the bowl of sugar and press down on each ball flattening it into a disc approximately 1/4 inch thick. Be sure to dip the glass in the sugar before flattening each cookie.
• Place baking sheet in the oven and bake cookies for 8-10 minutes or until cookies are just set. Do not over bake if you want the center of the cooke to remain slightly chewy. Let cool completely on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack. Repeat with remaining dough, rechilling the dough as necessary if it becomes difficult to work with.

GINGERSNAPS

Steps:

• Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg and molasses. In another bowl, whisk together the next 6 ingredients; gradually beat into creamed mixture, and mix well. Refrigerate, covered, for at least 4 hours., Preheat oven to 350°. Shape tablespoonfuls of dough into balls; roll in additional sugar. Place 2 in. apart on lightly greased baking sheets., Bake until edges are lightly browned and tops are set and starting to crack, 8-10 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks.

SWEDISH GINGERSNAPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
• Butter a large cookie sheet.
• Whip cream until almost stiff.
• Combine sugar, molasses, syrup, ginger, lemon rind and baking soda and mix thoroughly. Pour into cream and beat for 10 minutes by hand or four minutes in an electric mixer.
• Add five cups of flour and blend in thoroughly. Beat in remaining flour gradually until dough is just smooth enough to handle but still soft and pliable.
• Wrap in waxed paper and chill several hours or overnight.
• Roll out to one-fourth-inch thickness on a lightly floured board. Cut into fancy shapes, such as animals, boys, girls, stars, hearts and crescents, with cookie cutters about two and a half inches wide, or cut into gingerbread boys or girls in any size.
• Place on cookie sheet and bake for about 12 minutes, or until evenly golden brown.

BACON FAT GINGERSNAPS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or nonstick liners.
• In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine all ingredients. Pulse until a smooth, stiff dough forms. Wrap dough in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to 1 week.
• Put a thick layer of granulated sugar into a shallow bowl. Use your hands to break off a 1-tablespoon lump of dough and roll into a ball between your palms. Drop into the sugar, roll to coat and place on prepared pans. Repeat with remaining dough, placing dough balls 2 inches apart; they will spread out as they cook.
• Bake until flat and dark brown, about 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a rack to finish cooling. Repeat with remaining dough. Store cookies in an airtight container.

SWEDISH GINGER COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine all ingredients. Spin until dough forms.
• Chill the dough in the refrigerator for a few hours. Drop the dough in 1-tablespoon lumps on a cookie sheet, form into balls, roll in sugar, space 2 inches apart and press flat with fingers. Bake in the oven for about 10-12 minutes until dark brown. Let cool on baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a baking rack to finish cooling.

PEPPARKAKOR (SWEDISH GINGER COOKIES)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, and salt.
• In a small saucepan over moderate heat, warm the corn syrup and orange zest. Add the butter and sugar and continue warming, stirring occasionally, until melted. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Add the egg and whisk to combine. Pour over the flour mixture and stir to combine. Form the dough into a ball, wrap in a double layer of plastic wrap, and chill overnight.
• Arrange racks in the upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 375°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with nonstick baking mats, such as Silpats, or parchment paper.
• Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out a portion of the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 1/4 inch thickness. Using cookie cutters, cut the dough into desired shapes, such as circles, stars, hearts, bells, gingerbread men, and Christmas trees. Transfer to the prepared baking sheets and sprinkle with the pearl sugar. Bake, switching the cookies between the upper and lower racks and rotating the baking sheets about halfway through baking, until the edges are just beginning to brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Watch the cookies carefully to make sure they don't get too brown.
• Let the cookies cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to let cool completely. Continue rolling and cutting out the rest of the cookie dough and baking the cookies on cooled baking sheets. DO AHEAD: Pepparkakor can be baked ahead and kept, stored between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container, for up to 2 weeks, or frozen up to 1 month.

SWEDISH GINGERSNAPS

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar; add eggs and molasses.
• Stir in spices and soda.
• Mix in flour.
• Roll into balls the size of walnuts and then in sugar.
• Place 2-inches apart on cookie sheets.
• Bake in 350° oven for 10-11 minutes until golden brown.

SWEDISH GINGER COOKIES

Steps:

• In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and molasses until mixture is light and smooth. Add egg and water or milk, blending well. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, soda, salt and spices. With mixer at low speed, gradually beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture, beating just until combined. Remove, knead briefly with your hands, divide into two pieces and wrap both in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 2 days.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 4 cookie sheets with foil or parchment. Remove dough from refrigerator one package at a time, and cut in half. Let it soften slightly if it is not malleable.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick. Dip cookie cutters in flour, and make shapes. Place cookies 1-inch apart on cookie sheets. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes until set. Remove sheets from oven, and let stand for 1 minute. With a thin metal pancake turner, transfer cookies to cooling racks, and let cool completely before storing or frosting.
• Store plain or frosted cookies in single layers, separated by sheets of waxed paper. Store at room temperature in metal tins or heavy-duty aluminum foil for up to a week.

SWEDISH ORANGE GINGERSNAPS

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl or using a standing mixer cream the butter and sugar until light and well combined, beat in one egg.
• Add the molasses, orange juice, and zest. Sift the dry ingredients together and stir into the mixture making a soft, smooth dough. More flour can be added if dough is too sticky.
• Place dough on lightly floured surface and knead the dough three times. Separate dough into three pieces and shape into logs, approximately eight inches long. Wrap logs well in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice logs into circles, 1/8-inch thick or less and place on lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. When baked, place cookies on wire racks to cool.

OLD-FASHIONED GINGERSNAPS

Steps:

• In a bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg and molasses. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Chill. , Roll into 1-1/4-in. balls and dip into sugar. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for about 10 minutes or until set and surface cracks. Cool on wire racks.

GINGERSNAP SWEDISH MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Crush gingersnaps, approximately 20, 2 inch cookies, to make 1 1/4 cups.
• In large bowl, combine crushed gingersnaps with milk and egg.
• Add ground beef, pork, onion, salt, pepper and allspice. Mix well to combine.
• Refrigerate, covered for one hour.
• With moistened hands, shape mixture into meatballs, 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
• Preheat oven to 325.
• In hot butter in large skillet saute meatballs, just enough at one time to cover bottom of skillet, until browned all over. (I have elimanated this step to bake in hot oven until browned).
• Remove to a 2 quart greased (pam) oven proof casserole dish as they brown. Pour off drippings to measure 1/4 cup, adding more butter if necessary.
• Add drippings back to skillet heat and add flour stirring to make a smooth mixture.
• Gradually stir in beef broth and bring mixture to boil, stirring constantly.
• Add garlic, thyme and bay leaf, salt and pepper to taste simmer for 5 minutes for flavors to mingle.
• Pour over meatballs and bake covered one hour.
• Garnish with parsley and serve with noodles.