Serinakaker ~ a popular Scandinavian Christmas biscuit

December 4th 2018

Serinakaker:  If you really want uniform cookies,
then each dough ball should weigh 15g

Along with pepperkaker , serinakaker are my favourite Christmas cookie.  Scandinavians like to add spice to their cookies and this one uses vanilla.  Although we only bake these at Christmas, they are really perfect for any time of the year, they truly are scrumptious.  Very quick to make and melt in the mouth, what is not to like?


Not only is this a favourite in our household but throughout Scandinavia too.  I blogged about these cookies exactly four years ago to the day, see the post here.  I possess 10 slightly different variations of this cookie recipe but my latest find may possibly be my favourite.  Written by the talented Dane, Brontë Aurell and featured in her latest book  Scandinavian Christmas, a book whose introduction pulled at my heartstrings and made me shed a tear has not been far away from me in the kitchen since I purchased it back in October.  If you are keen on trying new foods and are interested in Scandinavian Christmas food, then this is a book for you.

Serinakaker:  Bakers sugar compromises of very large sugar grains
that do not melt entirely when baked, if unavailable, use chopped almonds

Serinakaker


You will need:

300 g plain flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
pinch of salt
200g of cold butter, cubed
125g icing sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla sugar or 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
1 egg
1 egg white
bakers sugar or chopped almonds

Lined baking trays

Serinakaker:  Brush with egg whites
and sprinkle with Bakers sugar

♥  Mixing flour, baking powder and salt add the cubed butter and mix until breadcrumb like.

♥  Next, mix in the icing sugar and vanilla sugar/extract.

♥  Add the whole egg and mix until the dough just comes together.

♥  Wrap the dough in cling film and leave in the fridge for minimum an hour, I left it overnight.

♥  Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celcius.

♥  Divide dough into quarters, leaving 3/4 in the fridge and working with a quarter at a time, the dough softens fairly quickly. Each quarter should make about 10 cookies.  Roll each quarter into 10 balls of similar size.  If you want the cookies to be exact then measure each ball on scales at 15g each.

Serinaker:  Flaten the cookies
with the bottom of a flat glass

♥  Place the balls evenly spaced on the lined baking trays, remembering they will spread a little in the oven.  Press each ball gently to squash it a bit, I used the base of a drinking glass to go this to produce a level surface.


♥  Brush each cookie with egg white and sprinkle with either the bakers' sugar or chopped almonds, don't be shy give a good sprinkling.

♥  Bake for about 10 minutes or until just golden.

♥  Cool on a wire rack and then store in an airtight container.

These cookies will last for several days but do occasionally become a tad soft, if this is the case, I often pop them in a preheated oven of 150 degrees Celcius again for about 5 minutes making sure to allow them to cool completely to crisp up before eating.

♥ These are Moorishly delicious, you have been warned ♥

Do let me know if you bake them and thank you to everyone who has commented here, on Facebook, on Instagram, emailed me directly and to those silent readers too.  

It's lovely having you back my friends.

Serinakaker