The Country Club Plaza Lights

    Merry Christmas from Kansas City!

 Writing a food blog has several advantages, one being you are read by other food bloggers and are accepted into a sort of sorority of foodies.



This week, I have received so many Christmas greetings from around the world, each wishing me a Merry Christmas in a foreign language. I received 7 from Italy wishing me a Buon Natale! 2 from France with messages of Joyeux Noël! A Spanish wish for a Feliz Navidad, and I must not forget
a Munter Jul from Sweden!
I realize this recipe is a little late, unless you read this blog tonight and just happen to have the ingredients and the evening free. The dough needs to be refrigerated overnight, so you will bake them tomorrow! (I've added some American equivalents
where needed, they are in red)




Swedish Pepparkakor
("Pepper cakes"...these cookies contain black pepper)
1 cup (2 dl) water
1/2 cup (1 dl) syrup (molasses)
2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon of ground cloves
1 tablespoon of ground ginger
1 teaspoon of ground cardamom
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon of bicarbonate (baking soda)
10.5 oz (300 gr) butter (1 1/3 cups)
2.5 cups (5 dl) sugar
7.5 cups or about 1 lb. (1.5 liters) flour


HOW TO DO IT: Mix butter, sugar and syrup. Add spices and bicarbonate, then water and finally part of the flour.
Mix in the rest of the flour.


Let the dough sit over night, wrapped in foil in the fridge.
Roll the dough as thin as possible using flour.


Cut out figures - preferable Christmas figures, hearts, stars etc.
Bake in oven for about 5 minutes at 200-225 degrees C (400-425 degrees F).


Watch it! They burn fast once they start.
You can get about 300 cookies, depending on how big you make them. It is nice to make some quite big hearts, decorated with frosting and maybe hang them up in the window.

Enjoy! Merry Christmas!