A Latvian Christmas: Time-Honoured Traditions & the Scent of Gingerbread

As winter settles over Latvia, the air fills with the scent of pine, woodsmoke, and something unmistakably festive, freshly baked piparkūkas, the traditional Latvian gingerbread cookies that signal Christmas has truly arrived.

At Nord Haus, we’re inspired by the quiet elegance of Northern traditions, where celebration is found in simple pleasures: candlelight, homemade food, and time spent together. In Latvia, Christmas is no exception.

Latvians celebrate Ziemassvētki, a festival that beautifully blends ancient pagan customs with Christian traditions. The celebration stretches over several days, from December 24th to 26th, but its roots go back even further, to the Winter Solstice, when people honored the return of the sun.

Homes are adorned with evergreen branches and straw ornaments, symbolizing life and fertility. Candles flicker in every window, driving away the darkness of the longest nights. Families gather to sing “Ziemassvētku dziesmas” (Christmas songs), exchange small handmade gifts, and share a table filled with comforting winter foods: grey peas with bacon, sauerkraut, roasted meats, and of course, Piparkūkas.

No Latvian Christmas is complete without piparkūkas, whose name literally means “pepper cookies.” These spiced treats are more than dessert, they’re a ritual of togetherness.

Families come together in the kitchen to roll, cut, and decorate the cookies, often using generations-old wooden molds in the shapes of stars, hearts, and animals. Every home has its own version of the recipe, but the essence is always the same: a balance of aromatic spices, dark syrup, love and of course, a christmas tea towel!

‘PIPARKUKAS’ RECIPE

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Resting Time: 12 hours (or overnight)

Cook Time: 7–10 minutes per batch

Makes: About 60 cookies

Ingredients:

• 250 g (2 cups) flour

• 100 g (½ cup) sugar

• 100 g (½ cup) butter

• 100 g (⅓ cup) dark syrup (molasses or golden syrup)

• 1 egg

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• ½ tsp ground cloves

• ½ tsp nutmeg

• ½ tsp ginger

• ¼ tsp black pepper (yes, that’s the “pipar” in piparkūkas!) add more if you like!

• Optional: a pinch of cardamom or allspice for depth

Instructions:

1. Melt the syrup, butter, and sugar together in a saucepan over low heat until smooth. Let cool slightly.

2. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, and spices.

3. Add the syrup mixture and egg, stirring until a soft dough forms.

4. Wrap in parchment or beeswax wrap and let it rest overnight in the refrigerator, this step deepens the flavours.

5. The next day, roll the dough thinly on a floured surface and cut into festive shapes.

6. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 7–10 minutes, until lightly golden and fragrant.

7. Optional: decorate with icing, slithered almonds, or enjoy them plain, traditionally, Latvians love them just as they are.