Krumkake Norwegian Cookie: Embracing the Joy of Family Traditions

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Krumkake is the ESSENTIAL Christmas cookie in my family. We have been making these my entire life, and my mom and grandma also grew up making them. My great-grandparents were Norwegian, so this traditional recipe has been passed down (and so has the iron!).

These buttery cookies are so delightful. They’re perfect on their own or with whipped cream, ice cream, or coffee. They’re not really cookies like we think of them; they’re more of a type of wafer or waffle, similar to a pizzelle.

Although I couldn’t pinpoint this cookie’s exact origins, Krumkake cookies seem to be a long-standing tradition, sometimes thought to be 1,000 years old.

You will need a special krumkake iron to make these crispy cones, but otherwise, they’re pretty quick and easy to make! The irons used for cooking Krumkake are very ornate with beautiful designs, sometimes unique to different regions in Norway. These cookies are as beautiful as they are tasty.

Many older irons make one at a time and are used over a burner or stove. Luckily, we have a krumkake iron that is electric and can make two at a time. You do need a wooden cone form to roll the cones into their classic shape.

The batter is most often made with eggs, sugar, vanilla, flour, baking powder, and butter. Many times, cardamom or nutmeg are used for flavor, but our family has our own take on this: we like to make them cinnamon, peppermint, or chocolate!

You might also enjoy some of our other cookie recipes like Sourdough Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Toffee, or Snickerdoodles.

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Essential Krumkake Equipment and Tools

• Electric Krumkake Iron
• Wooden Cone Roller
• Grain Mill for Whole Wheat version
• Mixing Bowls
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Sifter
• Spatula
• Whisk
• Cookie scoop
• Metal fork
• High Heat Cooking Spray

Krumkake Ingredients

• 4 Eggs, room temperature
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, melted
• 2 TBSP Cornstarch
• 1.25-1.5 Cups Flour*
• 1 tsp Vanilla, Cinnamon, or Peppermint Extract

Step-by-Step Batter Krumkake Preparation

1. Melt butter and let it cool to room temperature
2. In another bowl, whisk eggs lightly
3. Add sugar to melted butter, stirring just until combined
4. Slowly pour eggs into the sugar and butter mixture and stir together
5. Add Vanilla, or extract of choice
6. Sift flour and cornstarch together into wet ingredients
7. Fold in dry ingredients until well combined, but don’t over mix
8. Preheat Krumkake Iron
9. Once iron is hot, spray with high heat cooking spray
10. Using a small cookie scoop or heaping tablespoon, drop batter onto iron
11. Close iron slowly and gently squeeze handles together and hold for 45-60 seconds, or until cookies are a light golden brown
12. Quickly remove cookies from iron with a metal fork and lay on counter or cutting board
13. Using wooden form, roll cookies tightly into the traditional cone shape
14. Let cones harden and cool on the form while pouring the next round into the iron, removing the wooden form before the next ones are done
15. Eat them as-is or fill with your favorite whipped cream or ice cream!

Notes:

• *We have used regular AP flour, gluten-free flour, and freshly milled soft white wheat in this recipe, and it has worked great using all types
• We recommend sifting any type of flour to fluff it up (I just add the bran back in after sifting if using whole wheat, but you can leave out if desired)
• We always do one cookie first as a test to make sure the iron is hot enough and batter tastes good before we make the whole batch
• You can leave the cookies flat if you want, you don’t have to roll them
• If any batter seeps out of the sides of the iron while cooking, just scrape it off with a fork
• The cookies harden up pretty quickly, so you do have to work fast
• Don’t wash the iron in the sink, just wipe it clean before putting away
• Makes approx. 32 cookies

Instructions for Making Krumkake

Melt butter and let it cool to room temperature. In another bowl, whisk eggs lightly.

Add sugar to melted butter, stirring just until combined.

Slowly pour eggs into the sugar and butter mixture and stir together. Add Vanilla, or extract of choice.

Sift flour and cornstarch together into wet ingredients.

Fold in dry ingredients until well combined, but don’t over mix.

Preheat Krumkake iron. Once iron is hot, spray with high heat cooking spray.

Using a small cookie scoop or heaping tablespoon, drop batter onto iron.

Close iron slowly and gently squeeze handles together and hold for 45-60 seconds, or until cookies are a light golden brown.

Quickly remove cookies from iron with a metal fork and lay on counter or cutting board.

Using a wooden form, roll cookies tightly into the traditional cone shape (see more on the rolling technique below). Let cones harden and cool on the form while pouring the next round into the iron, removing the wooden form before the next ones are done.

Eat them as-is or fill with your favorite whipped cream or ice cream!

Krumkake Rolling Technique

This step is always the toughest for me. My mom has been doing it so long that I joke she doesn’t have nerves in her fingers anymore because she can grab the hot cookie and roll it super quick. I’m still in the process of “dulling my nerves”.

The cookies will be HOT when you remove them from the iron, so do be careful rolling, especially your first few times. If you need a little heat protection you can lay the krumkake on a towel and roll them up using that as a little barrier to the heat. You can also use some Ove Gloves if you have a pair.

Speed is your friend in this case as the cookies will harden up pretty quickly and if you don’t roll them right away you may miss the chance. Get someone to help you, it’s much easier with two people! Here is how to roll the classic shape:

1. Remove the cookie from the iron place it flat on your surface
2. Using the wooden form, press down with the tip at the left edge of the krumkake
3. Lift up the left side of the cookie and hold it against the form as you roll it to the right into the cone shape
4. Lightly press down a bit at the end to kind of seal the shape
5. You can leave the form inside the krumkake until your next one is done cooking

Creative Filling and Serving Ideas

Although our family doesn’t often fill our Krumkake, as they disappear quickly, they are often stuffed with sweet fillings like:

• Whipped cream
• Cannoli filling
• Ice cream
• Berries

Krumkake Flavor Variations

Cardamom or vanilla are most often used, but you can try making your own varieties like:

• Adding in red or green colored sanding sugar sprinkles for a fun firework effect
• Almond extract
• Toss in 1-2 tsp of cocoa powder for a chocolate version
• Seal the ends by dipping in melted chocolate for a mock “drumstick”

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

Krumkake last a long time! We store fully cooled cookies in an airtight container on the counter or in the garage (the great thing about Midwest winters, you get an extra fridge) for 1-2 weeks. You want to keep moisture away or they will become soggy.

Krumkake fit into each other pretty well, so you can stack a few together for storing. Krumkake also makes the perfect treat for a cookie exchange, potluck, or as a hostess gift.

I hope these fun Norwegian cookies will become your family’s new favorite tradition! And remember, practice makes perfect – don’t get discouraged if your first few aren’t picture-perfect (although they’ll probably still taste great).

Share your krumkake creations with us in the comments below!