About This Recipe
This Kringla recipe comes from Norway. It is a Norwegian “cookie” that is traditionally made at Christmas time. It may not look very special, but you must remember that long ago, anything made with sugar was a real treat. And amidst all the candy and fancy cookies sprinkled with edible gold dust, this simple cookie really stands out.
Kringla is not the same as Kringle, which is a Scandinavian coffee cake made with ground almonds and a powdered sugar frosting. Kringla (with an “A”) is a soft cookie that is almost like a sweet bread. It is made in a figure eight shape and is meant to be very plain.
I have never made this recipe before I developed this one, although my paternal grandmother used to make it a lot. I always thought it was kind of boring when I was young, but I have come to appreciate the simplicity and flavor of this traditional cookie.
A cream cheese frosting would take this recipe to the next level. You can also toast these cookies and spread them with butter. They are great for a snack with coffee. Make them for Christmas breakfast!
Tips for the best Kringla recipe:
- Measure the flour correctly. Spoon the flour lightly into the cup and level it off. Each cup of flour should weigh 125 grams if you are into that sort of thing.
- Don’t handle the dough too much. Even though it’s rich, you can still overwork it, which will make the cookies tougher. This is basically a quick bread recipe and must be handled gently.
Why this recipe works:
- The dough is rich with sour cream, heavy cream, and melted butter, which interferes with the gluten in the flour to make a very tender cookie.
- Lots of sugar also tenderizes the dough. Sugar is hydroscopic, which means it attracts water. That also makes the finished cookie moist.
- To add a bit of sparkle, brush the cookies after they are formed, but before you bake them, with some melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. You can use plain granulated sugar, or Demerara sugar, which is made up of coarser grains so they will show up well against the smooth cookie.
Steps
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1
Done
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It's easiest to use a stand mixer with this recipe, because it makes a lot of dough. Put the sour cream, heavy cream, melted butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla into the stand mixer bowl and beat for 1 minute. |
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2
Done
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Add the flour, about a cup at a time, along with the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. The dough will be quite soft. |
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3
Done
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Cover the dough and chill it overnight. |
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4
Done
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When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400°F. |
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5
Done
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Divide the dough into four pieces. Divide each piece into 8 small balls. |
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6
Done
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Roll each ball on a lightly floured surface to an 8" rope, making sure it's as even as possible. Form the rope into a figure eight and seal the ends. |
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7
Done
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Put eight Kringlas on one cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes or until the cookies are light brown. Remove immediately to a wire rack to cool. |
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8
Done
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Store the Kringla in an airtight container at room temperature. |
