Hi everyone! Today, we are trying out a new type of blog post instead of our usual recipes. We wanted to talk more about Danish Christmas traditions and holiday treats, as this is genuinely our favorite time of year. But unfortunately, we don’t have time to constantly be cranking out new recipes. So, instead, we thought we would try something a bit different and fun! We’ll be ranking our favorite 5 Danish Christmas cookies, justifying each choice, linking our recipes so that you can make your own, and hopefully getting you all in the holiday spirit!
Number 5: Jødekager
These cookies, translated as “Jewish cookies,” are pretty simple. Don’t get me wrong, even though they come in 5th place in our rankings, they are still delicious. They are made with a basic butter and sugar cookie dough that gets rolled out, cut into shapes, egg washed and then sprinkled with chopped almonds and cinnamon sugar. Once baked, they are beautifully crispy, crunchy, and buttery. The only thing that brings them down the list is that they are a bit boring compared to the other cookies! Our recipe can be found here.
Number 4: Pebernødder
These funny little cookies were definitely one of our favorites to make as children, which gives them a nice boost to number 4 in the rankings. Translated as “peppernuts,” they are these small, super crunchy, spicy cookies that are very popular in Denmark at Christmas. They are probably one of the easiest cookies to make, which is another reason why we love them. The crunchiness is super addicting, and we could easily eat handfuls of them at a time! They come a bit lower in the rankings just because they are so small and if you don’t have a big crew of kids to help you roll them out, they take quite some time to make. Check out our recipe for pebernødder here!
Number 3: Vaniljekranse
Vaniljekranse translates to “vanilla wreaths,” which makes sense when you look at these cookies. In our family, we actually didn’t make these much growing up, but as we’ve gotten older we have really enjoyed how simple they are! The dough is easy to make and then you just pipe them onto a baking sheet and bake them. They have an amazing vanilla flavor and a delicious crunchy texture that is unique compared to the other cookies on this list. And if you’ve ever bought a tin of Danish butter cookies, these ones are undoubtedly the best ones in the tin! Here is our recipe for vaniljekranse so you can try them out yourself!
Number 2: Brunkager
If you love gingerbread, then these are the cookies for you. And, dare I say that they are actually better than gingerbread! These cookies are full of delicious Christmassy spices, as well as molasses and brown sugar, which give them that lovely dark color. They have a great crunch (as long as you roll them out thin enough!) and just taste like Christmas! They come in at number 2 in our rankings only because of how amazing number 1 is. I’m sure that those who love gingerbread above all else would disagree, though! Here is our recipe for brunkager.
Number 1: Finsk Brød
And, number 1 is….drumroll….finsk brød! These cookies are made with very few ingredients – butter, sugar, and flour – that are pressed together into an easy shortbread dough, then brushed with egg wash and sprinkled with sugar and almonds. Once baked, they are just so unbelievably delicious. As long as you don’t overwork the dough, they will turn out buttery, flakey, and should just melt in your mouth. Plus, they are low effort, as you just cut the dough into little rectangles and bake them, as opposed to rolling it out and cutting out shapes. The best of both worlds – simple and delicious! You can find the link here to make finsk brød.
That brings our rankings to an end. If you disagree (which I’m sure you do, as it’s all about preference), please leave a comment down below! We would love to hear your own opinions on the best Danish Christmas cookies.
