Pepparkakor are thin, crisp Swedish spiced cookies flavored with ginger, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and a hint of black pepper, which gives the cookie its name ("pepparkakor" translates to "pepper cakes"). They've been baked in Sweden since at least the medieval period, when ginger and other spices arrived via European trade routes, and are strongly associated with Christmas, traditionally served alongside glögg (mulled wine) or as part of a smörgåsbord. The dough, a mix of butter, sugar, egg, flour, and spices, is chilled, rolled thin, cut into shapes like hearts and stars, and baked until deep golden-brown and snappy. It has close cousins across Scandinavia, including Norwegian pepperkaker and Danish pebernødder, which use similar spice blends but vary in shape and texture.