• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Ramshackle Pantry
  • About Me
  • Recipe Index
  • Culinary History
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • About Me
  • Recipe Index
  • Culinary History
  • Contact
×

Home » dishes » Classic Norwegian Recipes » Krumkake Recipe - Traditional Norwegian Christmas Cookie

Krumkake Recipe - Traditional Norwegian Christmas Cookie

Published on October 23, 2020 by Ben · Updated on May 26, 2021 · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 5 Comments

Jump to Recipe
Three Krumkake with the text overlay "Traditional Norwegian Krumkake"

Krumkake is a delicious Norwegian dessert that is half cookie, half-waffle, and all tasty. Today, I am going to share my Norwegian Krumkake recipe. Take a look at this beautiful cone treat that has art designs cooked right into it! Whether this is a part of your holiday tradition you just are hungry for a beautiful dessert, this Krumkake recipe is for you!

Three Krumkake filled with whipped cream, blueberries, and raspberries that are laying on top of several unfilled ones that have been sprinkled with powdered sugar.

What Are Krumkake?

You probably already looked at the picture. Those are Krumkake. The word literally translates into ‘Curved Cake’, although I am not sure I would really classify this as a cake. They are crumbly like wafer cookies, but they are cooked like a waffle. It can be served alone, but it is often filled with whipped cream and topped with fruit or maybe even chocolate.

Like a waffle, it has a specialty iron that you need in order to make it. If you are reading this, there is a reasonable chance that you already have a krumkake iron or one was gifted to you. Today hopefully we will put it to good use! 

If you don’t have one, now is a great time to buy a krumkake iron (AFFILIATE LINK) or maybe you just want to learn about this Norwegian heritage recipe. Whatever your reason, today we are going to celebrate this delicious Norwegian dessert!

Krumkake Irons

As stated, you do need a special iron to make these cookies. That said, it is a gorgeous little cookie that is really fun to bring out during the Christmas season and share these treats with your friends and family. I feel that Krumkake can be part of a tradition and having an iron just means you are able to help build or carry on that tradition.

Originally, they were irons that were placed on the stovetop and you had to flip it over to cook both sides. Perhaps you have one of those, but there are modern Krumkake Irons that can be plugged right in, have automatic preheat and timers, and best of all, non-stick. I used a Cucina Krumkake Iron (Affiliate Link) in making our Krumkake.

Irons could be different sizes, different designs, different heating capabilities. That is ok. 

The thing about your equipment is that you have to get to know it. Today, I am providing a recipe and process for you to make this delicious recipe, but part of making Krumkake is knowing and learning about your equipment. 

Every krumkake iron is going to have differences that can affect your cook, so if your first cookies are not perfect, that is ok. For example, some recipes call for cooking just a few seconds on each side. For my iron, I don’t need to flip anything, but it takes a full minute and thirty seconds to get a desireable golden brown crisp on my krumkake.

On my Krumkake Iron, I clocked the surface temperature anywhere between 330° Fahrenheit and 360°. My experience was that the hotter the iron was, the better. Allowing the iron to heat up by closing it between cooks really helped make sure I got that golden brown color I look for. 

You should adapt to make sure your Krumkake is best for you and adapt your process so that you can best use your special snowflake of a krumkake iron.

Should you Purchase a Krumkake Iron?

This delicious Norwegian treat comes with a little bit of an investment in purchasing the iron. The case I would make for purchasing one of these Krumkake irons is that you are investing in tradition.

Perhaps it is a tradition from your family, but maybe it is a tradition you are trying to create. Whether you are Norwegian or not, these are beautiful little cookies and making them can be a fun exercise in cooking and enjoying the treats with your family or friends. 

This is the krumkake iron I am using and it has worked very well, but find what you want to use and go with that. If you prefer the old style (that probably has some issues like sticking and heating), I commend you. For this recipe, I am using this new style iron to get the job done.

Batter sitting in the iron before we press it down to make our Krumkake cakes.
Depending on your equipment, each krumkake should be about one and a half tablespoons of batter.

Batter Recipe

This batter is really simple. Just a few ingredients and once it is mixed together, the batter should be a consistency that might resemble creamy peanut butter. I mix the wet ingredients in one dish, then mix the dry in another, and then combine. There is nothing all that unique about this batter, except maybe cardamom.

Stirring dry batter ingredients with wet ingredients in a large glass bowl.
The batter should be almost the consistency of a creamy peanut butter.

Do You Have Two Spots For Cooking?

The iron I use has two places for cooking Krumkake, but I would advocate using one until you feel very comfortable with your equipment. Yes, it is a time saver to cook two at a time! With your first batch or two on a new pice of equipment, I recommend using one.

This allows you to get to know the process and also to help you find your process in making these cookies. Once you have that down, perhaps you prefer to use both sides. It really is a time-saver, particularly if you are doubling or tripling the recipe for a large family event.

Shaping These Cookies

Once the krumkake are cooked, you then shape them into cones. Your iron should have come with a cone-maker, but you can order them separately online. All it is is a device that is cone-shaped and we wrap our waffles around.

After several seconds, the cookie will turn from something pliable and shapable to a hard cone. Your goal in that limited time is to wrap it around the cone device and make a krumkake! While you do have some time once they are cooked to get everything squared away, you also want to move quickly.

A note of caution that these cones can be hot during this time. The waffles right off of the iron can be a bit of a challenge if you are sensitive to heat. Perhaps you have a set of food safe gloves that can help. I had a friend recommend wrapping a few finger tips with tinfoil. You could keep a dish of cool water close to your station to cool down your fingers.

I do not need any of these things, but rest assured, it isn't because I am a tough guy. I have played a bit of hot potato a few times with these, but generally I have felt that the hot cookies were still able to be handled. If you feel otherwise, hopefully those tips can help make the heat a bit more bearable.

Do These Need To Be Cones?

No. If you want them flat, make them flat! It is that simple. I could see the case for leaving these flat, but the traditional way to make these is to turn them into cones. It does make them more portable and it has a holder for any filling you might want to add.

Cardamom in Krumkake

Cardamom is prominent in Norwegian baking and I find it so interesting, as it is not native to the region. I previously included cardamom in my Holiday Glogg Recipe and explored the connection in that recipe. Cardamom is related to ginger and has its origins in India.

Most likely because of historical trading routes, it found its way to the northern regions and they must have loved it. Supposedly, Norwegians consume 30 times more the amount of cardamom than an average person.

My Krumkake recipe has cardamom in it. If it is not a flavor you like, it can be something you can omit. That said, I feel like it adds a beautiful touch of flavor that helps make this already unique dessert just a tad bit more special. If you don’t know where to find cardamom, check out your local grocery story (mine has it), or order some cardamom online(AFFILIATE LINK).

Fillings and Toppings

These cookies can stand on their own, but cones are just begging to be filled. So, we filled them and this is a great opportunity to make this recipe your own. We use whipped cream, fresh raspberries, and fresh blueberries for our krumkake, but you don’t have to stop there.

Chocolate might make for a great topping along with whipped cream, as well. Perhaps you could mix fruit preserves into your whipped cream and use that for your filling. I do have a homemade Whipped Cream recipe, but one that I think would work really good for this is the Kahlua Whipped Cream we used in our White Russian Coffee Recipe.

Really, there are many opportunities here and if you can fit some kind of sweet goodness in the cone or dip the cone in it, it will probably work. 

Origin and History of Krumkake

I had a tough time finding information on where this originated, but the one marker that really makes this recipe stand out is that it has a specialized iron. So, at whatever point in history that this started being made, they would have had the tools, free time, and resources to utilize and make these specialty items. 

I did find this piece that The Smithsonian has record of , which is a krumkake iron from 1946. I was made in Minneapolis, MN by the company Nordic Ware, where you still can purchase old fashioned krumkake irons.

Krumkake certainly goes back farther than that, however. 

I also found a recipe from the 1920s in an old cookbook, which dates it back a bit earlier. We know, however, that the krumkake goes back further than that.

Wikipedia has a picture of a krumkake iron from the 1800s, which brings us back a bit further. While I could not find much more prior to this, I think the 1800s seems like a reasonable time when treats like this became more common, as stovetops were becoming more commonplace inside the home. 

If you have any information about the history of Krumkake, I would love to hear about it in the comments section below!

Krumkake Tips

  • Learn your equipment. Different Krumkake irons require different cook times.
  • Close your iron between each krumkake to help it heat back up.
  • Those krumkakes can be fairly hot when they are just off the iron. Just know that. It is like playing a bit of hot potato… or hot krumkake I suppose
  • While I filled with whipped cream and topped with fruit, explore your toppings!
  • These do get crumbly when eating. Enjoy the crumble.
  • These surely won’t last long, but you can keep in a tight plastic container for several days.
Holding four krumkakke in my hands over a cooling tray of unfilled krumkakke cones.

Products I Used In This Recipe

  • Krumkake Iron
  • Cardamom Pods

Did You Make This Recipe?

First, congratulations! You are embarking on a great Norwegian cookie tradition. Second, thank you so much for giving my recipe a try. If you could let me know how it went in the comment area below, it would be greatly appreciated. It helps let me know how I am doing. Also, share this on Facebook and Pinterest to help other people find this delicious and special cookie!

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Three Krumkake filled with whipped cream, blueberries, and raspberries that are laying on top of several unfilled ones that have been sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Norwegian Krumkake

★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Ben Myhre
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 14 Krumkake 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Iron
  • Cuisine: Norwegian
Save Recipe Recipe Saved
Print Recipe

Description

The Krumkake is a delicious holiday treat that is versatile, tasty, and a great way to celebrate Norwegian heritage. Great for Christmas, Thanksgiving, or just a fun treat for your family.


Ingredients

Scale

  • ¾ cup of sifted all purpose flour
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 tbsp corn starch
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed cardamom
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 Tablespoon heavy whipping cream
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 tbsp melted butter, but not hot 

Instructions

  1. Add flour, sugar, corn starch, cardamom to large bowl. Mix well.
  2. In smaller bowl, beat eggs and then add cream, vanilla, and butter. Mix well
  3. Add liquid mixture into dry mixture and combined until a smooth peanut butter like consistency
  4. Preheat krumkake grill
  5. Each Krumkake will require about 1 ½ tablespoons of batter. Add one to your Krumkake maker and cook until golden brown. For my tool, this is about 1:30 seconds.
  6. Remove with fork and use Krumkake tool to form into cone before it cools down
  7. Allow grill to heat back up, repeat until batter is gone
  8. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Fill with whipped cream and fruit. Eat! 

Notes

  • Each Krumkake grill is going to be slightly different and can dramatically impact the cooking times. While for my tool it is 1:30 seconds, yours may be just 10 seconds needed on each side. Learn your Krumkake tools
  • While traditionally this is served as a cone, you can also allow them to be just flat.
  • You don’t need whipped cream, powdered sugar, or fruit, but these do make them a tad bit more special.  
  • The calorie count does NOT account for toppings.
  • If you are using cardamom, as the recipe calls for, and you are working with full pods, break each open individually and crush the seeds with a roller. 

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cone
  • Calories: 100 Caloreis
  • Sugar: 7 g
  • Sodium: 11 mg
  • Fat: 5 g
  • Saturated Fat: 3 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
  • Carbohydrates: 13 g
  • Fiber: 0 g
  • Protein: 2 g
  • Cholesterol: 38 mg

Keywords: Krumkakke

Did you make this recipe?

Rate this recipe in the comment section below,  sign up to get updates by email, and share this recipe on Pinterest.

Related Posts

  • Maultaschen in two bowls of soup
    Traditional German Maultaschen Recipe

    Ravioli isn't reserved just for Italy. Germany has its own delicious ravioli, but they call…

  • Traditional Old Fashioned recipe
    Traditional bourbon old fashioned recipe

    Americana in a cocktail glass. This traditional bourbon Old Fashioned Recipe is everything you need…

  • Rømmegrøt in a white bowl that is on a wicker platter with a white cloth to the side.
    Rømmegrøt Recipe - Norwegian Comfort Food

    Today we are exploring a Norwegian comfort recipe, Rømmegrøt. If you haven’t heard of it…

« Homemade Sour Cream
Glogg Recipe - A Traditional Scandinavian Holiday Drink »
  • Facebook2120
  • Twitter
  • Mix

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Scarlet

    November 03, 2020 at 10:54 am

    Those krumkakes look so good. I love the decorative irons used to make them too.

    Reply
  2. Emma

    December 04, 2020 at 3:19 pm

    I finally went ahead and bought an iron. Best decision! First year making this and look forward to making this a family tradition.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  3. Elena

    August 02, 2021 at 2:46 pm

    I purchased the Iron on Amazon and made them. Sooooo very good with whipcream and berries or just plain!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Ben

      August 02, 2021 at 4:35 pm

      Glad you gave them a try and liked them! They are a favorite in our house and our irons get plenty of use around Christmas time (or sometimes just because)

  4. Wendy Collins

    December 26, 2021 at 4:03 pm

    My mom made many Norwegian pastries at Christmas time. Krumkake was and will always be my favorite. I have continued to make Krumkake for many Christmas. I am so happy and excited as my granddaughters 7 and 8 years old asked to help me next time I make them. The tradition will continue with my children.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Benjamin Myhre wearing sunglasses, a hat, and smiling at you.

Hi, I am Ben Myhre! Ramshackle Pantry is about the most decadent classics and the history behind them! We explore delicious recipes, the history behind them, and find ways to make the recipes our own! Then, I share my recipes with you. Find out more about me and Ramshackle Pantry in the About page.

More about me →

Recent Recipes

  • Easy Sangria Recipe
  • Grilled Chicken Legs with Yogurt Mint Marinade
  • Lemon Rhubarb Bars
  • Homemade Rhubarb Pie
Subscribe Click Here Emails - Updates

Popular Recipes

Footer

↑ back to top

"Featured In - msn.com, SheKnows, Mix.com, yummly, High Plains Reader, and Food Gawker" with logos

About

  • Privacy Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact

Copyright © 2020 - Ramshackle Pantry

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter