These cookies are a staple of Christmastime in Finland, with the recipe from This is Finland. The trick is allowing the dough to set overnight, which will lock in the flavors and make your gingerbread cookies delicious—oh, and to choose the right mold(s) for whatever shapes you like!
“Like many families in Finland, my boys, my wife and I usually bake gingerbread cookies for Christmas. It is a nice way to get into the Christmas spirit. Gingerbread came to Finland in the 17th century. At first, gingerbread recipes were secrets sugar bakers carefully cherished. Today, gingerbread cookies belong at the Christmas table in almost every Finnish home.”
- MIKKO HAUTALA, AMBASSADOR OF FINLAND
🇫🇮 Finland: Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup dark syrup (if you can’t find dark syrup, 1 part molasses and 3 parts corn syrup will do!)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- ½ Tbsp grated orange peel
- 1 stick (½ cup) margarine +2 Tbsp
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup sugar +2 Tbsp
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Boil the syrup, spices, and grated orange peel. Add the margarine and beat until the mixture is cool. Set aside.
- Using a whisk or hand/stand mixer, beat the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Mix the baking soda with the flour and salt, and then combine with the syrup-margarine mixture.
- Fold in the whipped eggs until just combined. If the dough is too wet, add a little flour.
- Gather the dough into a block and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Store in the fridge overnight.
- When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400° F. Roll out the dough, cut out into shapes using a knife or cookie cutter, and bake the cookies in the oven for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.
- If desired, decorate the cookies with frosting, or even by dipping them in melted chocolate (as shown in the picture!)