Pepparkakorballs Recipes

SWEDISH PEPPARKAKOR COOKIES

Steps:

• Add the sugar, honey, and milk to a small saucepan. When measuring a "scant" cup of the honey and the milk, you want to it to be just under 1/2 cup, but not closer to 1/3 cup. If you can measure in milliliters, its exactly 100 milliliters.
• Bring to a boil then turn off the heat and let cool slightly.
• Add the butter and the spices to a mixing bowl, and pour the warm syrup mixture over them. Mix until the butter is melted and everything is combined.
• Sift the baking soda, salt, and flour together, and then add to the butter and the syrup mixture. Mix until everything is evenly incorporated.
• Shape the dough into a flat disk, and chill in the fridge overnight or up to 48 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350F. Roll out dough to about 3/8" thick and cut out using cookie cutters.
• Arrange cookies on a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes, until slightly puffed and golden.
• Allow to cool completely before icing.
• Mix the powdered sugar with just enough water to make a smooth but thick glaze. Divide the icing into smaller batches if you want to make different colors. You can also flavor the icing with a little vanilla extract or almond extract if you'd like. For pipping lines and small designs, keep your icing pretty thick so that it won't spread, there should be a little resistance when mixing it with a whisk. For covering the entire cookie like the green and blue reindeer, add a bit more water to the icing so that it goes on smoothly and is easier to cover the whole cookie before it starts to dry and crack. Try some icing on a test cookie if you're not sure about the texture!
• For the light blue color I used, add 2-3 drops of food coloring to 1 cup or so of glaze.
• For the darker green/blue color, add a couple drops of green and blue, and a tiny touch of red to tone the color down a bit.
• Place the icing in ziplock bags or a piping bag fitted with a very small tip. Cut a tiny corner off of the ziplock bags if using. Decorate, and allow to harden completely before moving or stacking.

GRANDPA'S POPCORN BALLS

Steps:

• In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, corn syrup, butter and water. Stir and heat to hard-crack stage or 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Remove from heat, add vanilla or vinegar; mix well.
• Pour slowly over popped popcorn while stirring. Wait 5 minutes and shape into 3 inch round balls.

PORK MEATBALLS

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Crumble meat over mixture and mix well. Shape into ten 2-in. balls. , In a saucepan, bring broth to a boil. Place meatballs in the broth. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn the meatballs; cook 15 minutes long or until a thermometer reads 160°. Remove with a slotted spoon.

EASY MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Mix eggs, Italian seasoning, basil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder together in a large bowl. Add beef and panko bread crumbs and mix thoroughly.
• Shape mixture into about forty 1 1/2-inch balls, a little smaller than golf balls, using a teaspoon. Place on ungreased, rimmed baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the centers, turning halfway through cooking time, 10 to 15 minutes total.

PEPPARKAKOR I

Steps:

• Place butter in a large, heatproof bowl. In a medium saucepan, heat brown sugar, molasses and spices just to boiling point. Add baking soda and stir in. Pour this mixture over the butter and stir until it melts.
• Beat egg and mix in; add flour, a cup at a time, and blend thoroughly. Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead 1-2 minutes. Wrap in waxed paper and chill until firm (about an hour).
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (170 degrees C).
• Roll out to approximately 1/8 inch thickness on a lightly floured board and cut into desired shapes. Place on greased baking sheets and bake for 8 - 10 minutes.
• Remove from sheets and cool on racks; may be decorated with piped icing or whatever else you like!

PEANUT BUTTER BALLS

Steps:

• Beat the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, 2 tablespoons of the butter, vanilla extract and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer until combined and smooth. Roll the mixture into 24 equal-sized balls (about 1 teaspoon each) and place them on a small baking sheet or tray. Chill in the freezer until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the chocolate and the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a small microwave-safe bowl in 20 second intervals, stirring between each with a rubber spatula, until melted and smooth.
• Holding with two forks, dip each peanut butter ball into the melted chocolate to evenly coat. Tap off excess chocolate. Place the balls back on the baking sheet. Chill in the refrigerator until the chocolate is firm and set, about 1 hour. Serve chilled. Refrigerate extra balls in an airtight container.

PEPPARKAKOR

Steps:

• Cream together the butter and sugar in a bowl. Stir in the syrup and eggs. Sift together the flour, salt, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and cloves in a separate bowl; add to the butter mixture; knead into a stiff dough. Pat into a flat circle, and wrap in waxed paper. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Roll the dough out onto a lightly-floured surface to about 1/2-inch thickness. Cut the dough using a star-shaped cookie cutter. Place cookies one inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake in preheated oven until the edges are golden brown, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature before serving.

TRADITIONAL PEPPARKAKOR (SWEDISH SPICE COOKIES)

Steps:

• Sift together dry ingredients; set aside.
• Cream sugar and butter.
• Add egg and molasses.
• Blend in dry ingredients thoroughly. Let dough stand overnight for easy rolling.
• On a well-floured board, roll out dough to 1/8 inch thickness.
• Cut into shapes (we usually make gingerbread people) and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
• NOTE: Prep time does not include time to let dough rest overnight.

OLD-FASHIONED POPCORN BALLS

Steps:

• Place popcorn in a baking pan and keep warm in a 200° oven. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, stir together the sugar, corn syrup, water, butter and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. , Continue cooking without stirring until the temperature reaches 270° on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat. Add vanilla; stir just enough to mix. Slowly pour over the popcorn. Cool just enough to handle. Shape with buttered hands.

PEPPARKAKOR(SWEDISH PEPPER HEARTS)

Steps:

• Mix flour, spices and baking soda; set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until blended. Beat in water gradually; beat in flour until well blended; dough will be soft.
• Divide into four sections. Shape each fourth into a one-inch-thick circle on a piece of plastic wrap. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease cookies sheets. On a lightly floured surface, with a floured rolling pin, roll a quarter of the dough at a time to one-eighth-inch thick. Cut out three-inch-wide hearts. Place one inch apart on cookie sheets and bake 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Cool on cookie sheets for 2 minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool. May be frosted with butter icing, using maraschino cherry juice instead of milk to make the frosting.

SWEDISH PEPPARKAKOR CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a bread pan.
• Mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and cloves in a large bowl.
• Beat egg and milk together in a separate bowl; add to flour mixture and stir to moisten dry ingredients evenly. Pour mixture into a bread pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

PEPPARKAKOR BALLS

Steps:

• Sift flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, allspice and nutmeg together.
• Cream butter and add sugar gradually, beating until fluffy.
• Add egg and molasses and beat well.
• Gradually add flour mixture, beating until well blended.
• Wrap dough in waxed paper and chill overnight.
• Roll into balls, flatten with a glass dippped in granulated sugar.
• Place 2 inches apart of a lightly greased baking sheet.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes.
• Watch closely to avoid burning.