The secret ingredient is faith (Inga Lucāns)

From the blog of Liene Kukaine Femme au foyer: A Baltic Christmas Day 5 – Piparkūkas!

Piparkūkas

Piparkūku recipe triples well – just be sure your pot is large enough!
Yield: 2½ – 3 pounds dough, which bakes into the same amount of cookies!    

Please do not be intimidated by the length of this recipe – it’s not really very complicated! This recipe is based on one from Dzidra Zeberiņa’s Cepumi – kā vēl nekad (Baking – As Never Before), published in the USA, 1965; my mother’s, grandmothers’ and others’ advice, and a bit of experimentation. If you like your piparkūkas less spicy, switch the honey/molasses ratio, and add just a bit less of all the spices.

Heat on stovetop in a large soup pot or Dutch oven:
⅓ cup honey
½ cup dark molasses (I use “Grandma’s Robust” with the green label.)
1 cup dark brown sugar (dark enhances the color and flavor more so than light)
½ cup (1 stick) salted butter (or unsalted, if that’s what you have)
3 tablespoons lard (yeah, I know, LARD – but it’s good for crispiness!)

Using a wooden spoon, mix well until ingredients are dissolved and almost at a boil.

Remove from heat and add spices:
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cardamon
1 teaspoon ground coriander

Beat well with a wooden spoon.   (Smells really good, yes?)

Add:  
2½ cups sifted flour, all at once.
½ teaspoon baking soda
a pinch of baking powder
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
¼ teaspoon corn starch.

Using a wooden spoon, beat dough, turning the pot, lifting the dough from the bottom, outside to center, until well mixed and smooth.  It should still be very warm.

Add:  2 eggs, lightly beaten.
Using a wooden spoon, beat until eggs are incorporated.

Gradually add:   2 – 2¼ cups sifted flour
Using a wooden spoon, beat dough, turning the pot, lifting the dough from the bottom, outside to center. If dough becomes too stiff to use spoon, turn it out onto a floured surface and knead by hand until smooth, shiny, and not sticky. If dough continues to feel sticky, let it “rest” for a few minutes, knead again.

I have found that it is easiest to add all the flour while the dough is still quite warm. When you have added the correct amount of flour (by measure), the dough may still seem a bit sticky, but as it cools it will become smoother and will not stick. When cooled, turn out onto a smooth, clean surface and knead until smooth and shiny. Do not over-knead, as this will cause the cookies to bake up tough, not crispy.

Place dough into a container and seal tightly. At this point, you may also split dough into several smaller portions and store it in tightly closed containers or bags. Store in a cool place. Let dough “rest” at least a day or two, several weeks is ok. Tightly wrapped dough will store a month or more in a cool place.

BAKING THE COOKIES:

Roll out the dough as thin as you can, cut shapes using cookie cutters. 

Place cookie shapes on greased or parchment-covered cookie sheet, brush with lightly beaten egg, decorate with chopped or sliced nuts, colored or pearl sugars.   Bake in a hot, 400°F – 425°F oven until golden brown (not very long, 4–5 minutes).  Watch closely, because when done, piparkūkas burn very easily!

Piparkūkas can be stored in a tightly closed container for several weeks.  If left out in the air, they will soften.