Hello Mary

Today is a special day in Sweden. "SANKTA LUCIA"
Here is a  recipe cin connectio to LUCIA feast and Swedish tradition.
 

"Pepper-cookies"

Eating "pepper-cookies" is an old Swedish tradition. Of course, the cookies are not made of pepper. But long ago people thought that pepper was a noble spice, and since the cookies were brown, they became known as "pepper-cookies". (The brown color comes from the cinnamon and ginger.) Here is the recipe:

3dl water
½ dl treacle/molasses
2,5 spoons ground cinnamon
2 spoons ground cloves
2 spoons ground ginger
2 spoons bicarbonate
400 g butter
750 g sugar
1350 g flour

Let the water, molasses, spices and bicarbonate boil. Stir in the margarine and sugar. Pour the boiled spicemix over and let it cool down. Now mix in almost all the flour (the rest will be used later). Let it sit until the next day. Roll the dough as thin as possible, cut out the figures, bake for 5 minutes at 225° Centigrade in the oven. This recipe yields about 150 gingerbread cookies.

Here is another version of Peppercookies. I cannot vouch for their quality but it should compare to the previous pepper cookie recipe from Sweden with different ingredients. Latvian Peppercookies Pipakuks Crispy and spicy dark sugar cookies. Dough is stiff and easy for children to handle. 1 c karo syrup 1/2 c honey 1 lb brown sugar (2 c) 3/4 lb butter 2 egg yolks 7 1/4 c white CAKE & PASTRY flour 1 t cinnamon 1/2 t pepper 1 t cloves 1 t nutmeg 1/2 t baking powder 1 t baking soda In small saucepan melt karo, honey, sugar, and butter, mixing with whip. Heat only until just melted. In mixer with dough hook and white attachment mix 4 c flour with spices. Mix in hot butter mixture. Measure 3 1/4 c flour with powder and soda (mix well with fork or sift). When mixture has cooled (thoroughly to room temperature), mix in egg yolks and flour mixture until dough is very hard, shiny and doesn't stick to fingers. May have to remove from mixer and knead by hand to get the rest of the flour mixed in (may need to add a little more flour also). Roll out on floured surface and use cookie cutters. Placing on lightly oiled cookie sheet, bake at 350 F. 10-12 minutes. (Watch carefully, they burn quickly!) Remove to wire racks for cooling.

LITTLE ANGELS (Little devils) My sister passed this recipe on to me. Of course everyone loves marshmellow , peanut butter and chocolate!!! It was called Little Devil's cookies because it is made with devils food cake mix but because her Sunday school class loved them, they decided it would be better to call them "Little Angels". Call them what you like they are delicious!! Ingredients: 1 devils food cake mix 1 stick of butter/1/4c. melted 13 oz. marshmellow cream 1 1/2 c. creamy peanut butter 1 choc. candy bar melted Proceedure: Cream together the, marshmellow cream and peanut butter. Make crumbly mixture of cake mix and butter. In a 13/9 pan spread 1/2 devils food cake mix/butter mixture. Spread the marshmellow/peanut butter mixture. Pour remaining cake mix/ butter evenly over the top Bake 20 min. @ 350 degrees drizzle the melted chocolate bar over the top.