Seems like I’ve developed a little trick. Have you noticed? Not the one where I hide all the good Snickerdoodles for myself. Or the eating-cookie-dough-for-lunch trick.
Ok, I’ll just tell you. My trick is when I don’t know what to call a holiday recipe that has lots of butter and spices (score!), I just add “Norwegian Christmas” to the beginning of the title.
Like the Norwegian rice pudding. Remember that creamy deliciousness? That was good. But these cookies are good, too! And wayyy festive. Double good!
1. Norweigan Pepperkaker (Gingerbread Cookies)
You can find different kinds of the Norweigan Pepperkaker all over Europe.
And while they aren’t as chewy or spiced as the gingerbread cookies we might be used to, they have lots of warming ginger and cinnamon that will have you grabbing another.
Honestly, I think these are maybe even better than gingerbread because they’re more mellow. That means everyone, including the little ones, will be all over them!
2. Norwegian Walnut Cookies
Just like the name suggests, these Norwegian walnut cookies are a total treat that blends plenty of nutty flavors and sweet tastes.
They remind me so much of Mexican wedding cookies, but they use walnuts instead of almonds.
I find this makes the dough less sweet. So when you get to that powdered sugar dusting at the end, it’s not too much at all. Not overwhelming.
3. Norwegian Goro Cookies
Here’s a classic Norwegian Christmas cookie you just don’t want to miss.
They’re typically made from a mix of cream, sugar, butter, and flour. The dough gets rolled out thin, cut into fancy shapes with special Goro irons, and then baked until golden.
Serving them with coffee or tea? That’s the way to go.
4. Sandbakkels/ Sandkaker (Norwegian Sand Cookies)
Sandbakkels are a traditional Norwegian pastry you see a lot at Christmas.
They are these little cups with such a buttery and delicate texture. People often fill them with jam, cream cheese, or almond paste.
They are just perfect for parties. I love making a huge batch and then filling them with all sorts of festive things, like a no-bake pumpkin cheesecake or a spiced cream cheese. So good.
5. Norwegian Krumkake
Norwegian Krumkake is just the perfect combination of flavors and textures.
It’s like a cookie and a waffle had a baby, with a light and airy texture and those delicate, crispy edges.
You’ll usually see them served as a cone, and they are so often filled with fresh fruit and whipped cream.
Of course, if you’re taking them to a party, wait to add the cream until you serve them. Otherwise, the cookie will get soggy.
6. Easy Christmas Chocolate Rice Puffs (Risboller)
With a combo of powdered sugar, chocolate, and creamy coconut fat, this no-bake cookie recipe is a must-make.
The warm chocolate highlights the coconut’s sweetness, and the rice puffs give it a crunchy texture you just can’t resist.
You can serve them plain or top them with festive sprinkles, chopped almonds, or crushed candy canes. You do you.
7. Norwegian Kransekakestenger (Almond Cookies)
The recipe up top gives you a pretty firm dough you can scoop into portions.
This version has a similar flavor, but the dough is much softer. Because of that, it’s one of my favorite cookie press recipes. You can portion it into such cute shapes.
This one has ground almonds and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, making them extra tender and just a little bit zippy.
8. Norwegian Konjakksnitter (Cognac Cookies)
When you first see these, you might think they look more like beignets or biscuits. But they’re actually Cognac-infused butter cookies!
They have a quick dough of eggs, flour, sugar, and butter. They are so simple but also feel decadent.
That little hint of booze makes them feel extra special for the holidays.
Serve them with a dusting of powdered sugar, and you’ll be in Scandinavian heaven. Yes, please.
9. Brune Pinner
Brune pinner (or brown sticks) might not look super festive, but they are a total Norwegian holiday staple.
You’ll get notes of vanilla, cardamom, and cinnamon. It makes them similar to the pepperkaker we talked about.
But there’s all this sweetness from the golden syrup and a really nice crunchy layer on top, thanks to chopped almonds and pearl sugar.
10. Norwegian Julemenn (Christmas Men Cookies)
These dense, lightly spiced cookies will definitely fill your house with festive smells and holiday cheer!
You are going to need hartshorn, which is also called Baker’s Ammonia. It’s a chemical leavening agent known as Hjortetakksalt.
Besides that, it’s a pretty standard butter cookie recipe. But that hartshorn? It really makes all the difference!
11. Sarah Bernhardt Cookies
This unique meringue dessert is named for the famous French actress and it will totally blow your mind.
It’s simple but flavorful. It’s soft but also crunchy. It is everything you want in a Christmas cookie, and then some!
The meringue gets flavored with almond extract, and the whole thing gets a nice coating of dark chocolate just for good measure. Yum!
12. Norwegian Havrekjeks
These cracker-cookies are pretty unique. They are loaded with nutty oats and are both salty and sweet.
You can serve Havrekjeks with cheese and meats or with sweet jam. That means they’re just as at home on a cookie platter as they are on a charcuterie board!
This is also another recipe that calls for baker’s ammonia. It’s worth grabbing a tub for all these yummy recipes.
13. Bordstabler
Bordstabler (which means board stacks) is a really fun Christmas cookie recipe. It’s almost like you get two cookies in one.
You have a lovely butter cookie base, which is usually shaped like a rectangle. Then you get a macaroon-like topping made of meringue with ground almonds.
Just make sure to grind the almonds as fine as you can. But feel free to make them into different shapes.
14. Fattigman Cookies
Are you looking for a holiday treat that’s bursting with flavor, light, and flaky? I have the perfect thing for you.
This traditional Norwegian recipe has crispy fried dough that gets dusted with cardamom and powdered sugar.
The result is this delicate bite that is just perfect with a hot cup of cocoa.
Serve them on a festive platter or package them up to give as a gift. Either way, you won’t be able to resist these little bites of heaven!
15. Scandinavian Rosette Cookies
Scandinavian rosette cookies are such a delicious treat. You just have to try them!
They’re wonderfully sweet, light, and airy. And they get so crisp after a spin in the hot oil.
Think of them as Scandinavian churros. But they get a coating of powdered sugar instead of cinnamon.
Although, you could always toss them in cinnamon sugar if you want. They’re your cookies, after all!
16. Norweigan Serinakaker (Butter Cookies)
It just doesn’t get any easier or more delicious than a light, buttery sugar cookie.
And these little guys really do melt in your mouth!
They’re the perfect mix of tender and crumbly. It’s like if shortbread and sugar cookies had a baby.
And you will adore that hint of sweet almonds and the crunchy nuts on top.
17. Berlinerkranser (Berlin Wreath Norwegian Christmas Cookies)
When you read the recipe for this one, you might think you’ve read something wrong.
But yes, you really are going to add hard-boiled egg yolks to the dough!
Believe it or not, they will make this cookie so impossibly rich and creamy. One bite is not going to be enough.
18. Mandelflarn (Norweigan Almond Lace Cookies)
Mandelflarn are fun lace cookies that will need a little more TLC than some of the other recipes on this list.
See, you’ll be making caramel with the nuts, and that stuff can go from perfect to burned in a flash.
So if you want to make these tasty cookies, just be sure you have time to watch the pot!
19. Sirupsnipper
The combination of sweet, nutty almonds and that deep, rich sugar syrup makes this sirupsnipper recipe a mouthwatering delight.
They’re really similar to the pepperkaker recipe from earlier. Only, instead of golden syrup, you’re going to need black treacle (which is a dark inverted sugar syrup).
Unfortunately, the dough will not work as well with molasses. So be sure to check online for treacle!
20. Norwegian Kringla Cookies
Soft, buttery, and not too sweet. You will go gaga for these Kringla cookies.
They’re pretty thick and are shaped kind of like a pretzel. And while the original cookies aren’t usually frosted, I think it makes them even better!