In Denmark, Christmas time is also cookie time. The Danish cookies are small, dry and crunchy. Let's dive into the 5 most iconic Christmas cookies, the ingredients, how they are made and how they came to be.
The cookies we will be focusing on are named as in the picture up above from left to right.
- ¨Vaniljekranse¨ aka: Danish Vanilla Cookies
- ¨Pebernødder¨ aka: Christmas Spice Bites
- ¨Brunkager¨ aka: Almond Spice Cookies
- ¨Jødekager¨ aka: Cinnamon Sugar Cookies
- ¨Finskbrød¨ aka: Almond Sugar Cookies
¨Vaniljekranse¨ - Danish Vanilla Cookies
- The word vaniljekranse directly translates to ¨vanilla wreaths¨.
- This type of cookie is one of the most popular cookies that Danes consume, not just at Christmas time but also year-round.
- In a Danish survey taken in 2024, this was the most liked Christmas cookie in Denmark.
- Historically, this cookie has been around since somewhere between the 1700's and 1800's, when vanilla itself became availible to Denmark through trade. At that time, it was a cookie that was produced to hint at a persons wealth and status, since vanilla was so expensive, only the wealthy could afford such luxury goods.
- There are many different ways to make this cookie. Traditionally, it is made using what is called a vaniljekransejern, which is a metal dough press on wheels that presses the dough out in lines what are star shaped. Many bakers in Denmark still use this tool today. There are smaller presses that people can use when making this style of cookie. However it is very common to see recipes that involve a piping bag with a star tip to make these cookies at home or in a smaller bakery. In order to make the vaniljekranse dough soft enough to pipe, more liquid is needed and this can pose a problem when it comes to baking the cookies and having that iconic spiral look. This is why you will find an endless number of vaniljekranse recipes both in English and in Danish that have such different ingredients.
- Almost all vaniljekranse recipes include the following ingredients: flour, butter, vanilla bean, and sugar.
- The recipe that DK Bakery uses consists of: powdered sugar, sugar syrup, agave syrup, sea salt, butter, vanilla sugar, vanilla extract, gluten free flour, and all purpose flour. This might seem like a rediculous amount of ingredients for such a seemingly simple cookie, however it is much more difficult than most can imagine to get the right flavor, consistency, and look to match traditional vaniljekranse without a dough press.
- Through experimentation, we have found out about the importance of each ingredient and how it can affect the outcome of the cookie. More information will be posted on the DK Bakery Youtube chanel (link at the bottom of the page). Stay tuned.
¨Pebernødder¨ - Christmas Spice Bites
- The word pebernødder directly translates to ¨pepper nuts¨.
- This cookie is also another very popular cookie, specifially at Christmas time.
- It is a small, bite sized cookie that is filled with an array of spices. These spices typically consist of: cinnamon, cardemom, clove, pepper, and ginger.
- This small cookies is very aromatic and one of the most simple Christmas cookies to make, requiring no special equipment and no resting time in the fridge or freezer.
- The basic method includes simply mixing all of the ingredients together and then rolling the dough out like a rope, cutting it, and then baking it.
- One of the ¨special¨ ingredients in this cookie is a leavening agent called hjortetaksalt or ammonium bicarbonate (aka bakers ammonium) and is not the easiest ingredient to find in America, but is quite easy to find in Denmark, due to its use in cookies. This ¨bakers ammonium¨ is a very potent leavening agent that does not need anything but heat to activate it. It has a very distinct and strong smell to it that is quite overwhelming during the baking process but once the cookies have cooled is completely unrecognizable.
- These small morsals date all the way back to the 1500's-1600's and started off as luxury cookies due to the expensive spices in them. Today they are a nice snack and enjoyed by many Danes and their children during the holiday season.
¨Brunkager¨ - Almond Spice Cookies
- The word brunkager directly translates to ¨brown cakes¨.
- The distinct brown color comes from a variety of things, but mostly the dark syrup that they are made from that contains molasses or malt. Other ingredients that contribute to this dark color are cinnamon and clove that are often included in these cookies.
- The little flecks in the cookies that you can see are almonds and sometimes also hazelnuts, depending on the recipe used.
- This cookie has a particulary long shelf life due to an ingredient called potaske or potassium carbonate. Potassium carbonate causes these cookies to be extremely crunchy. This as well as the way the cookie si baked so that it has almost no moisture, makes this cookies last months at room temperature when stored in a relatively airtight container.
- This cookie is typically made by freezing the dough into a sausage shape and then cutting it very thin, placing the cookie dough slices onto a baking sheet and baking them for a handful of minutes until they are evenly baked and crispy.
- This cookie dates bake to midieval times. Like the pebernødder, this cookie used to also be considered a luxury cookie due to the spices it contained. However, it was not consumed in the same we do today. It used to be believed to aid in digestion and overall health due to the spices it contains. Especially considering that it traditionally was not made with sugar but with honey instead.
¨Jødekager¨ - Cinnamon Sugar Cookies
- The word jødekager directly translates to ¨jew cakes¨.
- This cookie is a very simple cookie to make because the base dough is most often a simple 4 ingredient dough and then that dough is rolled out, cut out, and topped with cinnamon, sugar, and often almonds.
- While the name seems to imply something to do with religion or jews, it is actually not the cause of its name. Back in the 19th century, the Danish word ¨jøde¨ was used to label foods that were exotic or sweet spiced. It is thought that it is due to the cinnamon and sugar on the top of the cookie that it got its name.
¨Finskbrød¨ - Almond Sugar Cookie
- The word finskbrød directly translates to ¨finnish bread¨.
- Considering that this cookie is exclusive to Denmark and not found in Finland, this cookie is thought to get its name from two things, 1. The fact that it seems to have gotten inspiration from the Nordic style cookies with a high butter content, shortbread-like texture, and coarse sugar with almonds on top. 2. In the late 1800's and early 1900's, Danish bakeries would often use foreign-sounding names to make a baked good seem more desirable, luxurious, or special.
- This cookie is quite a simple cookie to make. Depending on where you go, there are different ingredients included in this recipe. The recipe that DK Bakery uses includes lemon zest and juice and due to the granulated sugar included in the dough and on top of the cookie, it has a very satisfying crunchy texture and the flavor is quite mild compared to the other 4 Christmas cookies mentioned above.
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All the cookies in our box were delicious. Thank you!