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4.9 from 48 votes

Icelandic Pepper Cookies (Piparkokur)

These Icelandic Pepper cookies, also known as piparkokur or pepparkokur are a popular Christmas cookie similar to a gingersnap in the US. They are beautifully chewy and easy to make from scratch!

Prep Time
13 mins
Cook Time
13 mins
Chilling time
6 hrs
Total Time
20 mins
Servings: 30
Calories: 163 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Scandinavian , Icelandic

Ingredients

  • 1 cup 250g butter at room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup 250g light corn syrup (or golden syrup)
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 ½ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer, or vigorously by hand, then mix in the syrup and eggs and beat well.
  2. Sift in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and spices and mix until combined. Wrap the dough and refrigerate overnight.
  3. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C and line two baking sheets with baking paper.
  4. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about ¼ inch thickness. This is quite a soft dough, but if it’s not manageable to roll and cut, then lightly knead in a little more flour.
  5. Cut into rounds with a 2” cookie cutter and place onto the prepared baking sheet, an inch apart (they will spread a bit).
  6. Bake for 7 minutes. Leave on the tray for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. They will firm up as they cool.

Notes

  • Make sure the butter is room temperature to get the correct dough consistency.
  • Cookies that have syrup and sugar can tend to stick to a pan. This is why using parchment or baking paper is ideal on your sheet pans.
  • If you don't have time for the dough to chill overnight, you can still cook the cookies right away. The dough will be too sticky to roll out, so drop small spoonfuls onto the cookie sheet and bake.
  • Since the cookies spread, you may need to use two or more baking sheets depending on how many cookies you’re making in one batch. Leave enough room in between each cookie so they do not spread into each other.
  • It’s a very soft sticky dough, but if necessary to roll it out, knead in a little more flour, sparingly.
  • To Store: You can store this pre-made dough in the fridge for up to 5 days before baking. Once cookies are baked, they will stay fresh for about 1 week in a sealed airtight container.
  • Freezing: Both baked cookies and cookie dough can be frozen if sealed for up to 3 months. Make sure the dough is thawed out in the fridge for 24 hours before baking.
  • What Else are Pepper Cookies Called? Pepperkaker in Norway, Pepparkokur in Sweden (and in Ikea stores worldwide!), Brunkager in Denmark, and Piparkokur in Iceland.

Nutrition Information

Calories 163kcal (8%) Carbohydrates 25g (8%) Protein 2g (4%) Fat 7g (11%) Saturated Fat 4g (20%) Cholesterol 27mg (9%) Sodium 83mg (3%) Potassium 43mg (1%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 13g (26%) Vitamin A 205IU (4%) Calcium 18mg (2%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 30Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 163

% Daily Value*

Calories 163kcal 8%
Carbohydrates 25g 8%
Protein 2g 4%
Fat 7g 11%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Cholesterol 27mg 9%
Sodium 83mg 3%
Potassium 43mg 1%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 13g 26%
Vitamin A 205IU 4%
Calcium 18mg 2%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.