Buttery cookies. Flaky festive pastries. Tender morning coffee cakes. Hello, hi, and welcome to the wonderful world of Danish desserts!
These treats are absolutely beating the competition right now. Just close your eyes and imagine a warm kitchen filled with the smell of authentic baking. It is heavenly.
While the Danish approach uses sugar a little differently than we might be used to, the result is a sophisticated flavor profile that you are going to love.
These desserts are easy to make, impossible to stop eating, and offer something for every single craving you have.
1. Brunsviger (Danish Coffee Cake)
This cake is basically a sweet focaccia smothered in caramel, and I am here for it. Once you whip up that brioche-like dough, it just needs a little rest before hitting the baking dish.
You press the dough in just like a pizza or focaccia and let it rise again. Then comes the fun part: pressing into the top to make dents and holes everywhere for that amazing caramel sauce to pour right into.
It all bakes together, letting the caramel seep down into the dough and bubble up on top.
2. Kanelstang (Danish Cinnamon Twist)
Is there a country on this earth that doesn’t have a cinnamon pastry they are proud of? Just the smell of this baking is enough to have me camped out in the kitchen.
I am especially obsessed with this recipe because it uses cardamom in the sweet dough. Plus, there is a layer of vanilla glaze mixed in with the cinnamon that just takes this classic to a totally new level.
3. Chocolate Dipped Danish Butter Cookies
These cookies are so tender that they practically melt in your mouth. While it’s basically a shortbread base, this recipe is way softer than your typical dough.
It is actually so soft that it has to be piped. You want to bake these babies just until they are set—keep a close eye on them and don’t wait for a golden color! Keeping them pale is the secret to that perfectly crumbly texture.
4. Old-fashioned Danish Apple Cake
I know the name says apple cake, but this is really more of a cold apple pie parfait situation. You’ve got layers of cold apple filling made by boiling chopped apples with water, vanilla, and sugar.
The crumb comes from breadcrumbs for a nice crunch, though oats are an option if you want something chewier. The finale? Danish macaroons.
These aren’t the coconut cookies we know; they are light almond cookies similar to French macarons. You could swap in any almond cookie, but making them yourself is a total win.
5. Brunkager (Danish Christmas Cookies)
Christmas is absolutely the season of cookies. I have made every cookie on this list, and I am always ready for more.
The thing I love about European cookies is the spice. They aren’t usually overly sweet, which means I can eat way more of them in one sitting.
Once the dough comes together, you just roll it into a log and slice off the cookies to bake. Keep any extra dough in the fridge or freezer until the craving strikes again.
6. Aebleskiver (Danish Pancake Balls)
If you visit a European Christmas market, you will likely find a stall dedicated to these little bites. They use a large flat top full of holes to pour the batter, churning out hundreds a day.
All you need is one small Aebleskiver pan to bring that experience home. Dust them with powdered sugar and hit them with a drizzle of Nutella for the ultimate Danish adventure.
7. Danish Oatmeal Cookies
Here is another shortbread-style cookie that uses powdered sugar in the dough, along with oatmeal and pecans. Once you get it all combined, just drop the dough onto baking sheets and bake.
While they bake, these cookies spread out to create a wonderfully chewy, nutty cookie with a delightfully crisp edge.
8. Lagkage (Danish Layer Cake)
One thing you will notice about our Scandinavian friends is that they love their cakes! But they don’t typically cover them with frosting.
Instead, they go for pastry cream, various jams, and whipped cream. This cake brings all of that together, plus a wonderfully light yellow cake.
Stick to tradition with apricot and berry jams, or get creative! I think blueberry jam and lemon curd would be a fantastic combo.
9. Risengrød (Danish Rice Pudding)
This creamy dish is usually reserved for the holidays, getting an upgrade on Christmas Eve with extra vanilla, whipped cream, and almonds. The recipe uses short-grain rice boiled with milk, water, and salt.
The sweetness comes from a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar over the top. If you prefer your rice pudding on the sweeter side, feel free to add sugar to the mix, or use evaporated milk for a creamy finish.
10. Traditional Glogg Recipe
It is strange that hot wine is such a wild concept during any other month. But when the cold, wet, dark weather hits, nothing beats a mug of warm, spiced mulled wine to get you through.
I highly recommend following the recipe on this one, because every ingredient adds something to the final result. The cardamom is especially delicious and brings a special something you just can’t get from cinnamon alone.
11. Kransekage (Danish Almond Cake)
This is one of my favorite holiday recipes, and while it takes a little time, it is so worth it. Made with just four ingredients, this almond tower is a total show-stopper.
Since you are already putting in the effort to make this tower, why not go all in and make the marzipan at home? I love the classic white icing finished with gold and silver sprinkles.
12. Almond Shortbread Cookies
Buttery, crisp, crumbly, and packed with almond flavor—you are going to be making these irresistible little cookies often! The secret to the texture is creaming the butter and sugar really well, for at least five minutes.
Add the dry ingredients slowly and stop mixing as soon as it is incorporated. I like mine thick to get that crisp edge with a softer middle, but roll them thinner if you want them crunchy.
13. Rødgrød Med Fløde (Danish Red Berry Pudding)
As I mentioned, the Danish love their sweet treats. But just as they don’t pile on frosting, they also don’t add a ton of sugar.
This recipe uses very tart red berries and potato starch to create an almost pie-like filling. Once it cools, it gets topped with simple whipped cream.
14. Brombærsnitter (Danish Blackberry Cakes)
These beauties are buttery and loaded with tart blackberry jam. The “cake” is actually an enriched shortbread that gets rolled into thin sheets.
After baking, they are sandwiched together with blackberry jam and topped with a thick layer of sweet icing. As they sit, the biscuit softens a bit, making it the perfect texture to cut into slices.
The freeze-dried berries are a lovely topping, though chocolate stripes would be gorgeous too.
