MAIN ARTICLE:
Make Scandinavian Buffet Food at Home
Christmas Ginger Cookies Recipe
1 cup softened butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tablespoons grated orange peel
2 tablespoons dark corn syrup
1 tablespoon water
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cloves
Icing for decoration:
1 egg white
3 to 4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Add the egg and beat until light and lemon colored. Stir in the orange peel, syrup and water.
Combine the flour with the baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Stir into the creamed mixture until a dough forms. Gather into a ball; chill several hours or overnight.
Cover baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease them. Preheat oven to 325°F.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board and roll out to about 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into shapes using cookie cutters. Place on prepared baking sheets and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until cookies are set but not overly browned. Cool.
Mix the egg white with the powdered sugar and almond extract to make a thin icing. Turn into a pastry bag with a writing tip and press icing onto Christmas cookies to decorate.
— From The Great Scandinavian Baking Book by Beatrice Ojakangas (University of Minnesota Press, 1999), with permission