You’ll notice that if you search for Swedish cookie recipes, you’ll get results that range from spritz to thumbprint cookies and everything in between. Our Swedish cookies are reminiscent of a recipe called brunscrackers or bruna kakor. They’re simple to make, and a nice change from the typical butter or shortbread cookie. Flavored with maple syrup, these turn golden-brown in the oven. They’re rectangular or diamond-shaped, and are perfect for slowly nibbling on as you sip coffee or tea. Don’t be surprised if you want to make the cookies over and over.
Swedish Cookies Ingredients
- Butter: Softened butter is easier to cream with sugar to get the fluffy dough you want.
- Sugar: Sugar helps add air into the dough when mixed with butter.
- Maple syrup: This ingredient adds moisture and a lot of flavor.
- All-purpose flour: All-purpose is the best flour for these cookies. Even though they turn out relatively flat, they still have some structure to them that you can’t get with flours that have less protein.
- Baking soda: This reacts with the maple syrup to give the cookies a little lift. Yes, the maple syrup is slightly acidic and activates the baking soda.
- Confectioners’ sugar: You’ll dust the cookies with this, so be sure you have confectioners’ sugar that contains cornstarch and not plain powdered sugar. That can dissolve too easily on cookies.
Directions
Step 1: Make the cookie dough
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, which should take about five to seven minutes. Add the maple syrup to the mixture. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking soda. Add the dry mixture to the creamed mixture gradually. Mix everything well.
Step 2: Shape and bake the cookies
Divide the dough into eight portions and shape each portion into a 9-inch log. Put the logs on ungreased baking sheets with about 3 inches of space between each log. Bake for about 25 minutes until the logs are lightly browned. Cut each log into 1-inch pieces, and place each piece on a wire rack to cool. Dust the cooled cookies with confectioners’ sugar.
Swedish Cookies Variations
- Swap golden syrup: If you can get your hands on golden syrup, a thick sugar syrup that’s popular in the U.K. (check import and international-foods stores), try using that instead of the maple syrup. The texture of the cookies will be a bit different because golden syrup is thicker than maple syrup. The color will be a bit lighter, too. By the way, golden syrup is slightly on the acidic side, so it will activate the baking soda in the recipe.
How to Store Swedish Cookies
Place the cookies in an airtight container and store them at room temperature for up to five days. You can also freeze cookies for up to three months in a freezer-safe, airtight container. To thaw the cookies, place them in a clean container in the refrigerator for a day.
Can you make Swedish cookies ahead of time?
You can make the dough for these cookies two to four days before you’re ready to bake it. Mix the dough and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You don’t have to separate the dough yet into portions, but it’s better to store the dough in smaller containers. You can also form the portions and shape them into logs, and then wrap each tightly in plastic wrap. Again, use these within four days.
Swedish Cookies Tips
Can these cookies be used for the Swedish seven-cookie tradition?
If you’re planning to make seven cookie recipes for Sju Sorters Kakor, or “seven kinds of cookies,” you can certainly include this. It doesn’t use the classic cookie dough associated with this Swedish tradition, but if you’re just looking for another cookie to add to the platter, Swedish butter cookies work well. Normally, you’d make one basic cookie dough from flour, butter, sugar, egg and water, and produce seven different types of cookies for this coffee-break treat. But you can also just make seven different types of cookies if you prefer. Seven is supposed to be the perfect number that shows you’re offering enough variety but aren’t going overboard. Take a look at these Swedish gingerbread cookies and these Scandinavian pecan cookies for additional ideas.
Can you use honey in this recipe instead?
Honey and maple syrup are interchangeable in terms of amount and purpose, and honey also functions as an acidic ingredient that activates baking soda. The taste of the cookies will be different, but that may be worth it to you if it means you don’t have to make an extra trip to the store to buy maple syrup. Learn more about sugar substitutes to see how honey and maple syrup compare.
What can you serve with Swedish cookies?
A warm or hot drink is the best accompaniment for these cookies. Tea is one option, or you could choose from one of several homemade coffee drinks.
