In Norway, the tradition of making pepperkaker dates back to the 15th century. Today, it remains one of the country’s most popular Christmas cookies. Pepperkaker, literally “pepper cookies” in English, are fragrant and wonderfully spiced, with a thin and crisp texture. Like most gingerbread recipes, the dough features a generous blend of warm spices, including cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and cloves. But the difference with pepperkaker, as its name implies, is the addition of freshly ground black pepper, which adds even more warmth and depth of flavor.
While some cut-out cookie doughs can be difficult to work with, pepperkaker dough is easy to make, pliable, and forgiving. I chill the dough overnight before rolling it out, which helps to hydrate the flour so that the dough won’t crack under my rolling pin. I roll the dough out until it is just about 1/8 inch thick, or even just a tad under, to get the cookie as crisp as possible.
