European Home Cooking by Marissa

Welcome to The Lavender Apron, where I share easy European recipes for real home kitchens. From French classics and Baltic favorites to everyday cakes and soups with less sugar and more flavor, every recipe is tested in my own kitchen and served to my family.

European Home Cooking

Thin piparkukas stacked on a plate with the top one broken in half.

Piparkūkas: Traditional Latvian Christmas Cookies

Thin, crisp Latvian gingerbread cookies made the old-fashioned way, with malt extract, dark brown sugar, honey, lard and an eight-spice blend. They’re perfect for Christmas celebrations, cookie tins, cookie exchanges, Advent baking or hanging on the tree.

Hi! I’m Marissa!

I’m Marissa, a home cook sharing seasonal European recipes inspired by my years in France and my Latvian roots. I believe good food should be full of flavour, not fussy, and always worth sitting down for.