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Norwegian kringla is a Christmas tradition in my family. I remember my Grandma Anderson making it every holiday season and several years ago, I decided it should be one of my traditions too. (Note – some websites also and mistakenly call this ‘kringle’ which is more of a Danish pastry.)
A couple of years ago, I posted one of our family recipes for this treat, but it was always a really finicky combination of ingredients. I could never quite get the dough to roll easily without using too much flour. And as any self-respecting Norwegian knows, too much flour will ruin a good kringla.
My Uncle Allan in New York posted his recipe from Grandma Anderson (his mom) a couple of years ago on Facebook and I saved it. This year, I decided to give this version a whirl to see if I would have more success.
Behold … I am happy to report this recipe yields a more perfect kringla!!
What is kringla?
It’s complicated. 😉
I suppose it’s considered a cookie – but it’s definitely more pillowy and cake-like in texture and just slightly sweet. Kringla is shaped like the letter “B” (that’s how my Grandma described it) although sometimes it turns out closer to a figure-eight – think pretzel shape. It’s light and a little fluffy and magnificent!
I love my kringla with a swipe of butter on the top but you can enjoy them plain too.
Is kringla Norwegian?
Kringla definitely has Scandinavian roots. And as I mentioned above, there is a difference between kringla and kringle, which you can see here.
How many recipes for kringla are there?
Like any good traditional family recipe, probably way too many to count! My mom said Grandma Anderson had several different kringla recipes because she was always trying to perfect the cookie for Grandpa Anderson, who was very picky about his kringla!
Is making kringla difficult?
It is definitely not that complicated – the dough is easy to put together and you let it sit in the refrigerator overnight. Once you get the hang of handling the doll, rolling out the pieces in the shape of a pencil, and making the “B” shape, you’ll get into a groove. And kringla only take 5-7 minutes to bake!
How many kringla does this kringla recipe make?
Good question! To be honest, I’ve never counted, which is weird, now that I think of it. I would guess at least 3 dozen – this makes a big batch and I always have enough to take to both sides of the family plus extra in my freezer. I will count the next time I make a batch and update here!
What tools do I need to make kringla?
- Parchment paper
- Cookie sheets or baking pans (2)
- Hand mixer or Kitchenaid mixer with paddle attachment
- Measuring cups (this copper set is gorgeous – and includes the measuring spoons too!)
- Measuring spoons
- Silicone baking mat (my favorite is from Pampered Chef!)
The best cookies during the holiday season always have family traditions tied to them, don’t you think? If you try this kringla recipe, let me know what you think! (And if you want to save the recipe, be sure to Pin the graphic below to Pinterest.)
Norwegian Kringla
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar (210 grams)
- 1.5 cups sour cream (about 355 grams – I use full fat)
- 3 egg yolks (50 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 cups flour (410 grams)
- Extra flour for rolling
Instructions
- Mix the egg yolks, sugar, sour cream and salt with a hand mixer on medium speed.
- Add the baking soda, baking powder and vanilla and continue to beat on low speed until combined.
- Add 3 cups of flower and continue to beat on low speed until incorporated.
- Cover bowl and put in refrigerator and chill the dough overnight (or at least 8 hours)
- When you are ready to make the kringla, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and move a rack to the top shelf.
- Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- On a clean, flat surface, cover your work area with a silicone baking mat if you have one and then dust that with a bit of flour. (You can also use a large cutting board, clean countertop, or pastry board as your work surface.)
- Take the cookie dough out of the refrigerator and spoon out a heaping tablespoon of dough. Roll this in flour on all sides to form a ball, then cut it into 3 equal pieces with a sharp paring knife.
- Roll out each section with your hands into a strip in the shape and thickness of a pencil. If the dough sticks to the surface, add a tiny bit of flour until it doesn't stick anymore. Don’t roll the strip too thin or they won’t raise. Place the strip onto the cookie sheet and form into a shape like the letter "B".
- Bake at 350 degrees F. on the top rack in the oven. (This is so the bottoms won’t over-bake and get hard.)
- Bake until just a very small hint of browning shows on top. (This was about 7 minutes in my oven, but watch your first batch closely to get a feel for timing as this could be as little as 5 minutes depending on your oven!)
Notes
- You may need to experiment a little with this process. Don’t get too hung up on the shape … if you get something close to a “B” or even a figure eight/pretzel shape, you are doing great!
18 Comments on Norwegian Kringla Recipe – Updated
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Kringle is indeed the right way of spelling it in Norway.
Thank you for confirming! 🙂
Lara
Kringle is something entirely different in Norway. It is a flaky pastry similar to a coffee cake or strudel. Kringle and kringlas are not the same thing. The above comment is incorrect.
Hi Melinda,
Thanks for clarifying feedback! I’ve been doing some research as well and it seems kringle is more of a Danish pastry. I’ve seen the two get mixed up in various blogs/websites so I’m glad I can update my post to more accurately reflect kringla, which is what this post is all about. 🙂
Happy Holidays!
Lara
I am Norwegian, and live in Norway, I should know how we spell the name for this cookie in my own country;-).
«Kringle» is not a specific kind of cake/cookie, it can be many different kind of pastries. In my region we have small ones called «Totenkringle». There’s also big ones that will be cut in individual portions before serving. They are all sweet and made with yeast. Some are filled with almond paste and chopped almonds on top.
Danish and Norwegians spell it «kringle», the word «kringla» is swedish.
Also, this American «kringla» is not that well known in Norway, so it’s a bit of a mystery how it’s a «Norwegian» cookie.
Well, my maternal grandfather’s family all hail from the Bergen area and this is a recipe (with the spelling “Kringla”) that has been passed down for generations. So, it’s definitely not an American thing.
So interesting! I am using a version of my grandma Anderson’s recipe for kringla. Her parents emigrated from Norway to America, and members of my extended family also make kringla. Perhaps it has evolved over many decades. I wish my grandma was still alive so I could ask her all about this. Either way, thank you for sharing your comments and insight!
My great grandmother is from Bokn, Norway. We have all enjoyed her Kringla recipe. Yum yum…
I am making another batch tomorrow and I can’t wait – so delicious!!
Lara
Any idea how many this recipe is supposed to make?
Hi Hannah,
Great question! I’ve never counted but it makes a big batch – probably 3 dozen for sure – maybe even up to 4 dozen. I’m baking this recipe in the next couple of days so I’ll make a point to count and update the post!
Lara
I am looking forward to making these. My Grandma always made these. They are my Favorite! We used to go to the freezer my cousins and I and fight over them. Lol
I love it! I remember my cousin and I would sneak into Grandma’s freezer too – I hope you enjoy!
Lara