Through the years the tradition of gingerbread biscuits has disappeared from the countries of its origin, and is now seen as a typical Swedish and Nordic tradition. The gingerbread biscuit was so called because in older times people could not distinguish between different spices, and the dominant taste gave rise to the name.

The first gingerbread biscuits did not have the familiar brown colour of today, but were white and often decorated with caramel. And so the tradition remained until long into the 19th century.

It was in 1830 that the colour began to change, and when the popular heart shape was introduced. The heart is of old usually associated with goodness and kindness, and perhaps the idea of the influence of gingerbread biscuits on spiritual life stems from the heart-shaped biscuits. Today it is well known that you become good-natured by eating gingerbread biscuits.
The sale and production of gingerbread biscuits on a large scale did not start until more than 50 years ago. Today Nyåkers Pepparkakor is the oldest gingerbread biscuit bakery in Sweden, with a long tradition and behind it. The business began in the 40s when two brothers from Nyåker got the idea to distribute the gingerbread biscuits that had been baked for generations in the home in Nyåker, a district which was already famous as the Promised Land of gingerbread biscuits. The two brothers worked out a recipe for the gingerbread biscuits and began to bake them, and in fact this recipe is still used today and is a very well preserved secret. Because Nyåkers Pepparkakor have their own recipe they also have a very special taste, and therefore can never be confused with other varieties.