Sugar Cookies Scandinavian Food

NORWEGIAN BUTTER COOKIES (SERINAKAKER)

Steps:

• Mix the dry ingredients including flour, powdered sugar, vanilla sugar baking powder, and salt.
• Chop the cold butter into cubes and add it to the dry ingredients. Crumble the mixture with your hands (or a stand mixer) until it forms small crumbs, like coarse sand.
• Beat the egg in a separate bowl for about 30 seconds, and then add it to the butter/flour mixture. Mix until the dough comes together, but don't overwork.
• Roll the dough into a log, wrap and place in the fridge for about an hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350.
• Remove from the refrigerator, slice off small sections of dough and roll them into small balls in your hands (about 1 1/4 inches in diameter).
• Place the dough balls on a prepared cookie sheet and flatten with a fork, the bottom of a glass or your palm.
• Brush with egg white and sprinkle pearl sugar or slivered almonds on top.
• Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 10 minutes, until the bottom is very slightly brown. Do not over bake.
• Remove from the oven and cool completely before storing.

SUGAR COOKIES (SCANDINAVIAN)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Beat the butter until creamy. Beat in the sugar until well blended.
• Stir in the egg, then the salt, cardamom, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
• Slowly add the flour, blending well.
• Refrigerate the dough for 30-90 minutes. Take out only enough to work with at one time.
• Roll to 1/8" thickness on a lightly floured board. (Flour the rolling pin lightly, too, or use a rolling pin cover.) Cut the dough with floured cutters.
• Place cookies on ungreased baking sheets (optional: use parchment paper). Leave a little room between cookies. Dust with the sugar of your choice and bake at 350°F for 11-15 minutes until lightly browned at edges. Remove cookies from baking sheets after 1-2 minutes and let them cool.
• These cookies may be frozen. You can refrigerate the dough or even freeze it for later use.

FATTIGMAN COOKIES

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Cream together eggs, sugar, and brandy, if using.
• Stir in melted butter.
• Gently fold whipped cream into batter.
• Sift together flour, cardamom, baking powder, and salt.
• With a light hand, mix dry ingredients into batter to form a soft dough. You want to avoid handling dough too much. Otherwise, cookies will end up tough.
• Chill dough, covered, for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
• Roll chilled dough out on a floured board to a thickness of 1/8 inch.
• Using a fattigman cutter or a pastry cutter, cut dough into diamond shapes about 1 1/4-inch wide by 3 1/2 inches long. If you're using a pastry cutter, cut dough first into 1 1/4-inch strips and then cut across these diagonally to form diamonds.
• Use a knife to cut a 1/2-inch slash in the middle of each diamond.
• Twist one corner of each diamond up through center slash to make a knot.
• Heat 2 inches of oil in the bottom of a heavy pot to 375 F.
• Drop in pastry knots and fry until golden brown, turning occasionally.
• Remove and drain on paper towels.
• Sprinkle cookies with vanilla sugar or confectioners' sugar and serve immediately.

SWEDISH CHRISTMAS COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk the flour, cardamom, and salt in a bowl.
• Put the butter and confectioners' sugar in a food processor, and process until smooth. Pulse in the egg, vanilla, and lemon zest until combined. Add the flour mixture and process to make a soft buttery dough. Divide the dough in half onto 2 (12-inch long) sheets of plastic wrap. Using the plastic, shape into rough logs. Refrigerate the dough logs for 30 minutes until just firm enough to shape into uniform logs, 8-inches long by 2-inches in diameter. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Scatter either the sanding sugars or toasted nuts on a work surface and roll the logs until completely coated. Cut into 1/4-inch thick cookies and space about 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until golden around the edges, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool cookies on the pan on wire racks. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

SWEDISH SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream together sugars, margarine and oil.
• Add eggs and vanilla.
• Blend thoroughly.
• Sift together flour, soda, cream of tartar, salt, and spices.
• Mix flour and creamed mixtures well. Chill at least 1 hour, but overnight is better.
• Pinch off bits and roll into balls the size of small walnuts.
• Roll in sugar.
• Place on lightly oiled cookie sheet.
• Flatten with bottom of glass.
• Bake at 375°F until lightly browned, 10 minutes or so.
• Do not over bake.

PEPPARKAKOR - TRADITIONAL SCANDINAVIAN SUGAR AND SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar.
• Add eggs and molasses and beat well.
• Mix all dry ingredients in separate bowl.
• Add dry mix to wet 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition to make a stiff dough.
• Roll dough into teaspoon size balls and roll in more granulated sugar.
• Bake on greased baking sheet at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cream butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and baking soda; gradually beat into creamed mixture., Shape into 1-in. balls. Roll in additional sugar. Place on greased baking sheets; flatten with a glass. Bake until set, 10-12 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.

SWEDISH BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add syrup. Combine flour and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. , Divide dough into eight portions. Roll each portion into a 9-in. log. Place 3 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cut into 1-in. slices. Remove to wire racks. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

SWEDISH SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350.
• Cream sugar, shortning, butter and sugar.
• Add flour, baking soda and baking powder.
• Mix well.
• Add vanilla and coconut.
• Drop on cookie sheet.
• Flatten with sugared cup bottom.
• Bake 10-15 minutes.