Our Favorite Danish Christmas Cookie Recipe: Jens Hansen

Brunkager
Delicious Traditional Danish Christmas Cookies.

Enjoy these crisp spiced cookies any time of the day, or as an after-dinner treat with coffee or a glass of dessert wine.

1 cup or 250 grams butter
1 scant cup or 200 grams sugar
¾ cup or 300 grams golden syrup
2 teaspoons potash (substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda)
2 tablespoons cold water
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon cardamom
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup or 80 grams candied peel, chopped
1 1/3 cup or 150 grams blanched almonds, roughly chopped
4 cups or 500 grams flour (divided)

Heat butter, sugar and syrup in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until melted and combined. Cool to lukewarm.

Stir potash (or baking soda) into the water and add to butter mixture with ground cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, candied peel and almonds. Stir in 2 cups of flour. Turn mixture out onto a floured board and knead in remaining 2 cups flour.

Divide mixture into 4 and roll each into a 4 cm thick roll. Cool the rolls in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours. Remove from fridge. Using a sharp knife cut each roll into very thin slices, approx. 3 mm (⅛ inch), place on lined baking trays and bake 5-7 minutes at 200 celsius until quite browned. Cool them on the tray until they can be transferred to a wire rack. Store in an airtight container.

Makes approx. 300. Recipe can be halved.

* Note: The pre-baked rolls can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, so you can slice and bake at short notice.

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