Denmark knows exactly how to handle long and dark winters. Their seasonal traditions focus heavily on warmth, comfort food, and coziness.
Sweets play a massive role in this equation. I gathered 10 traditional Danish Christmas cookie recipes that highlight the very best of these festive customs.
You do not need to speak the language to appreciate every single crumb of these delicious treats.
1. Klejner
These little treats look quite strange with their funky twisted shape. You will have a blast making them and eating them is even better.
The texture sits right between a fried donut and a cookie. A heavy dusting of powdered sugar makes them taste like a cleaner version of funnel cake.
Optional cardamom adds a fresh flavor that balances out the sugar.
2. Danish Brunkager
Fans of rich spice blends will prefer these over standard vanilla treats. The ingredient list includes butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, flour, baking soda, and a mix of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg.
Pistachios and almonds add a nice nutty element. Brown sugar and corn syrup create a distinct caramel note.
Sit down with a hot mug of coffee or tea to enjoy these spicy and crispy cookies.
3. Coffee-Flavored Danish Butter Cookies
These offer a richer and more robust profile than standard chocolate dipped butter cookies. You simply add three teaspoons of instant coffee to achieve that deep flavor and lovely brown color.
Feel free to dip them in chocolate or add your favorite nuts for extra crunch. They look complex but are actually quite simple to prepare.
You can have four dozen ready to go in under 90 minutes.
4. Vaniljekranse (Vanilla Wreath Butter Cookies)
You have likely seen these wreath shaped treats inside store bought cookie tins even if you did not know their name. They offer a crispy and buttery texture with a light vanilla extract flavor.
The shape makes them absolutely perfect for celebrating the holidays. You can now make them at home and save yourself a trip to the store.
5. Smør Bullar
These dome shaped cookies are crunchy and buttery. The combination of nuts and powdered sugar reminds me quite a bit of Italian wedding cookies.
You only need six ingredients including butter, powdered sugar, cake flour, salt, vanilla, and chopped pecans. They are sugary with a light vanilla flavor that is always a hit during the holidays.
6. Honninghjerter, or Honey Hearts
You cannot make these spiced honey cookies the day before you plan to eat them. The dough actually requires at least 5 weeks of prep time.
The batter itself is incredibly simple and starts with just flour and honey. You add the remaining ingredients a few days before serving.
The result is a beautiful golden brown heart that you will love.
7. Jødekager
These thin and round treats are also known as Jewish cookies. They are incredibly simple to make and children in Denmark often help bake them.
The base requires just butter, flour, sugar, and eggs. You finish them with a topping of egg wash, sugar, cinnamon, and almonds.
The chopped almonds provide a nice crunch against the chewy texture.
8. Danish Wedding Cookies
You can probably guess that these also remind me of Italian wedding cookies. The pecans in the batter and powdered sugar topping definitely give off that vibe.
Cinnamon sets these apart from similar recipes like smør bullar. That spice adds a distinct flavor profile.
They are otherwise very similar to their buttery counterparts.
9. Pebernødder
These might look like crumbly brown Nilla Wafers but the taste is totally unique. The texture is chewier than the wafers you know.
You get complex notes of butter, spicy ginger, white pepper, cinnamon, and cardamom. Creamy sugar undertones sit underneath all that spice.
This is the way to go if you want a cookie with a lot of flavor.
10. Chocolate-Dipped Danish Butter Cookies
You will adore the lovely rose appearance of these treats. They smell fantastic and offer a tender texture that melts in your mouth.
The flavor profile is supremely buttery with a hint of vanilla. A dip in chocolate adds a decadent touch.
Toss on some red and green sprinkles to make them as festive as possible.
