Various types of Danish cookies are all united under the name småkager. This broad group incorporates traditional and modern varieties which differ in ingredients, shape, and consistency. Today, they are usually prepared with wheat flour and mostly incorporate ingredients such as chocolate, marzipan, dry fruits, different flavorings, and nuts.
Even though they are enjoyed all year round, they are an indispensable part of Christmas tradition in Denmark. Industrially produced varieties are usually sold in famous round tins which are traditionally gifted as a Christmas present.
VARIATIONS OF Småkager
MOST ICONIC Småkager
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Kammerjunker are popular Danish double-baked cookies. Made with wheat flour and butter, the dough is primarily rolled into a log and baked, then sliced and baked again until crispy. The cookies are usually small in size, typically flavored with cardamom, vanilla, and lemon zest.
Even though they can be eaten plain, they are usually enjoyed alongside koldskål, a creamy and refreshing buttermilk dessert.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Vaniljekranse are one of the most famous Danish cookies. They consist of a simple buttery dough which is extruded into long strips and then formed into small circles. These traditional cookies are distinguished by a light taste of vanilla and the addition of ground almonds, which make them incredibly crispy.
They are usually baked throughout December, and whether enjoyed as a dessert or given as a present, vaniljekranse cookies are one of the favorite Danish Christmas traditions.
Krumkake are traditional Norwegian wafer cookies. The batter is made with a combination of eggs, sugar, vanilla, flour, baking powder, cardamom, and butter. Once prepared, the batter is cooked on a special griddle that imprints the wafers with a visually attractive design.
After they've been baked, these wafer cookies are rolled, then often filled with whipped cream and dusted with powdered sugar. Krumkake are prepared and consumed throughout Scandinavia, and they're especially popular during the festive Christmas season.
Jodekager are Danish cookies that are traditionally made for Christmas. Also known as Jewish cookies, they're made with butter, flour, sugar, and eggs, then brushed with eggwash and topped with a combination of chopped almonds, sugar, and cinnamon.
It is believed that the cookies are called Jewish cookie because they were prepared and sold by Jewish bakeries in the 1700s. In Denmark, no Christmas cookie plate would be complete without these crispy cookies.
Hallongrotta is the name for Swedish cookies which have been prepared and consumed at least since the 1800s, at Swedish coffee parties called kafferep. The cookies are typically made with butter, flour, baking powder, sugar, vanilla, and raspberry jam, which goes in the indentation (usually made with one's thumb) in the middle of each cookie.
The name hallongrotta means raspberry cave, and in the United States, these tiny treats are better known as thumbprint cookies. It is recommended to serve them with tea, coffee, or milk on the side.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Pebernødder cookies are a staple in every Danish household during the Christmas season. They are usually light brown in color, small in size, crispy, and generously seasoned with a variety of spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, clove, and white pepper.
Even though they can be made throughout the year, the cookies are traditionally prepared in the days preceding and following Christmas. They are also the perfect complement to a cup of coffee or tea. Not much is known about the origin of these traditional cookies, but it is believed that they date back to the 1500s.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Chokladbollar, or chocolate balls, are a classic Swedish no-bake treat made primarily from oats, sugar, cocoa powder, and butter. They are often rolled in coconut flakes, sprinkles, or pearl sugar for decoration. The dough is mixed and shaped into small balls before being chilled.
Traditionally, they were known by a controversial name that has since been replaced due to its offensive connotations. In Sweden, these treats are popular year-round, while in Denmark, they are associated with Christmas. Variants include adding coffee or arrack for different flavors.
Havrekjeks are traditional Norwegian oatcakes. The cookies are usually made with a combination of oats, flour, butter, milk, salt, sugar, and baker's ammonia. The butter is creamed with sugar, while the oats are mixed with flour, salt, and baker's ammonia.
Both are mixed with milk in order to make a sticky dough. The dough is rolled out and rounds are then cut out with a cookie cutter. The cookies are baked until they become brown on the edges, and they're then ready to be enjoyed. It's recommended to serve havrekjeks with geitost, a soft and sweet goat's milk cheese.
These Swedish cookies are covered in green marzipan while the inside is filled with a combination of crumbled cookies or cakes, cocoa, and punsch - Swedish liqueur that combines arrack, neutral alcohol, sugar, water, and wine—and which gives the cookies their name.
The cookies are formed into rolls, and each end is dipped in chocolate. Punschrulle goes under various names, the most popular being dammsugare (vacuum cleaner), presumably because of their shape and the fact that the pastry chefs had to collect all the leftover crumbs to create the flavorful center of the cookie.
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.