Best 7 Finnish Christmas Cookies Recipes

FINNISH SPOON COOKIES (BROWN BUTTER COOKIES)

Steps:

• Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until it starts to brown. You want to smell a bit of a nutty flavor, but you do not want this butter to burn! This will take about 15 minutes.
• Remove the butter from heat and put it in a separate bowl to cool. If you don't let it cool, when you add it to the dough it will cook your egg yolk and the cookies won't bind. Do not skip this step! I just put mine right into the stand mixer and put the mixing bowl into the fridge for a few minutes.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the flour and baking powder.
• Add the egg yolk, sugar, and vanilla into the browned butter and whisk. I do this in the stand mixer.
• Add the dry ingredients to the butter and egg mixture and mix until crumbly. This mixture should resemble wet sand- you need to be able to form it into the spoon cookies next. If it's too wet then add some flour a tablespoon at a time.
• Now you can heat your oven to about 325 Fahrenheit. You will need two baking sheets with parchment paper or reusable silicone liners - or you can spray them with vegetable oil.
• Using a large tablespoon/soup spoon, place the dough into the indented part and flatted it against your palm until you have a half-moon shape.
• Place the cookies onto the baking sheet. They won't expand so you can place them as close together as you need to.
• Bake for 11-16 minutes- until just brown. Cool on the baking sheet and then remove.
• To serve you can spread the flat side with jam or make a sandwich between two halves. For a sweeter taste, dust them with powdered sugar.

FINNISH CHRISTMAS COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Gradually beat in flour and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. , Roll out onto a well-floured surface to 1/4-in. thickness. Brush lightly with egg. Sprinkle with almonds and sugar if desired. Using a fluted pastry cutter or knife, cut into 2x1-in. strips. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. , Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire racks.

SPOON COOKIES: LUSIKKALEIVAT (FINLAND)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
• Melt the butter in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Continue to cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter browns lightly and smells slightly nutty, about 15 minutes. Transfer the butter to a medium bowl -- be sure to get all the tasty brown bits -- and cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in another medium bowl.
• Whisk the egg yolk, sugar and vanilla into the cooled browned butter.
• Stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture to make a uniform but crumbly dough that looks like wet sand.
• Scoop out dough with a small teaspoon (the kind you set the table with, not the ones you measure with). Rock spoon gently back and forth against the side of the bowl, packing the dough into the spoon, then scrape/slide the spoon against the inside of the bowl to make spoon-shaped cookies. Trim excess dough with your fingers and slide out onto the prepared pans, preserving their shape. (Try to make sure you form an even number of cookies, since these sandwich together.)
• Bake cookies until just browned, about 12 to 15 minutes. Cool almost completely on the baking sheets, and then transfer cookies to a rack to cool.
• When cool, spread 1/2 teaspoon jam on the flat side of a cookie, and then sandwich together with a second cookie. Repeat until all cookies have met their match. Lightly dust the cookies with the confectioners' sugar. Serve.
• Busy baker's tips: The dough can be prepared several hours ahead and stored at room temperature. Freeze baked cookie halves wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, followed by aluminum foil for up to 2 weeks. When ready to serve, defrost at room temperature and assemble as desired. Store sandwiches in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Do not store with crisp cookies, as moisture from the jam will soften the texture of other crisp cookies.
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FINNISH BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in extract. Gradually add 1-1/4 cups flour. Knead in remaining flour. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours. , On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4 in. thickness. Cut with a 1-1/2 to 2-in. cookie cutter; place on ungreased baking sheets. Beat egg white until foamy; brush over cutouts. Sprinkle with sugar and almonds. , Bake at 350° for 7-8 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Cool on wire racks.

FINNISH CARDAMOM COOKIES

Steps:

• In large bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and cardamon.
• In another bowl, beat egg until frothy.
• Beat sugar and butter into egg. Mix well.
• Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Mix until batter is smooth.
• Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased and floured cookie sheet.
• Bake in 350° oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until brown.

FINNISH STAR COOKIES (JOULUTORTTU)

Steps:

• Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and cream cheese on medium speed until well combined, about 1 minute. Add sugar and lemon zest and continue to beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add 1 egg and beat until combined. Beat in flour mixture on low speed until combined. Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a square, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, 1 to 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Remove one-half of dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured sheet of parchment, roll out dough into a square about 1/8 inch thick. Cut out squares using a 3 1/2-inch square cutter, then carefully transfer to prepared baking sheets, spaced about 1 1/2 inches apart. If dough becomes too soft, transfer parchment with dough to a baking sheet and refrigerate until firm.
• Place 1 teaspoon preserves in the center of each square. Using a small paring knife, cut 1 1/4-inch slits diagonally from each corner toward the filling. Fold every other tip over to cover filling, forming a pinwheel. Press lightly to seal. If dough becomes soft, refrigerate until firm.
• Lightly beat remaining egg with remaining pinch of salt. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush tops of cookies with egg wash. Bake until edges are golden and cookies are slightly puffed, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool on sheets 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.

FINNISH CHRISTMAS COOKIES WITH ALMONDS

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in flour.
• Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Roll out onto a well-floured surface to 1/4-in. thickness.
• Brush lightly with egg. Sprinkle with almonds and sugar if desired.
• Using a fluted pastry cutter or knife, cut into 2-in. x 1-in. strips.
• Place 1 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minute or until lightly browned.
• Cool on wire racks.