Berlin Wreath Norwegian Christmas Cookies Recipe (2024)

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Need an addition to your Christmas cookie plate? Berlinerkranser (a.k.a. Berlin Wreaths) cookies are a sweet and buttery delight that always brings holiday cheer. This ribbon-shaped Norwegian Christmas cookies recipe is a favorite for people both young and old. Craft the perfect edible wreath with this easy holiday cookie recipe.

What’s the best part about Christmas? Of course, it’s the cookies! Nearly every corner of the world has a famous holiday cookie, including Norway. Cookie plates are a huge part of Christmas in Norway, and they are filled with different types of holiday cookies. There are the cone-shaped Krumkaker cookies, the thin, cracker-like Goro cookies, the dry Sandbakkelse or “sand tarts,” and more.

One of the best tasting and most famous Norwegian Christmas cookies is the Berlinerkranser (a.k.a. the Berlin Wreath). These ribbon-shaped cookies are said to have been created in Berlin, where they got their unique name. These sweet, buttery cookies are so popular that no Christmas cookie plate is complete without them.

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What You Need to Make Berlinerkranser

For the Norwegian Cookies

• 1 hard-boiled egg yolk (without the whites), crumbled
• 1raw eggs yolk
• 1/2cupgranulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4cupsall-purpose flour
• 1 stick(4 ounces)cold unsalted butter, preferably European-style and cut into 1/2-inch slices

For the Egg Wash

• 1 raw egg white
• 1 tablespoon milk, regular or plant-based
• extra sugar, to garnish

How to Make Berlin Wreath Norwegian Christmas Cookies

1. In a large bowl, mix together the crumbled hard-boiled egg yolk, raw egg yolk, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract.
2. Sift in the flour and mix until just combined with a spatula.
3. Add in the cold butter and use a pastry cutter to cut in the dough until well-combined.
4. Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 45 minutes, or preferably 2 hours.
5. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheetwith parchment paper or silicone baking sheet.
6. Take the cookie dough out from the fridge and divide them into small tablespoon-size chunks. Roll each piece into a thin log, about 1/4 inch in diameter. Cross the ends of the logs to create a Berlin wreath shape.
7. Place the wreath-shaped cookie dough on the prepared baking sheet. Meanwhile, mix the milk and eggs whites in a small bowl to create the egg wash mixture. Use a silicone brush to brush on the egg wash. Sprinkle with extra sugar, if you’d like.
8. Bake for 9-12 minutes, until the cookies are golden. Once done, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool, then enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container.

Cookie Baking Tips and Tricks

Norwegian Christmas cookies can be a little tricky, but not with the tips and tricks that I’ve provided below. For perfect Berling wreaths, always make sure to…

Wait for the oven to preheat

Many people skip the preheating process to save time. Well, they might save time, but they end up losing soft, tasty cookies. To make sure your cookies bake properly, always wait for your oven to preheat to the desired temperature.

Keep the oven door closed while baking

An obvious but often forgotten trick is to keep the oven door closed while the cookies are baking. Many amateur bakers check their cookies often, but they let all of the heat out when they open the door, and the cookies don’t bake properly. Keep your hands off the oven door until the time is up.

Use light-colored pans

Many people don’t know this, but dark-colored pans bake cookies unevenly. They bake this way because the dark color soaks in the heat, which heats the pan and burns the bottom of the cookies. Light-colored pans tend to reflect heat, which is perfect for Berlin wreaths.

Let your butter sit

While some recipes may call for refrigerated butter, it’s almost always best to let your butter sit out until it reaches room temperature. Using softened butter makes for easier mixing and melting, saving you both time and effort.

Use a cooling rack

Did you know that cookies continue to cook even when they’re out of the oven? The longer your cookies are on the tray, the more they will cook. For perfect cookies, remove the cookies from the tray as soon as possible, and place them on a cooling rack.

Can Berlin wreath cookies be frozen?

Yes – this Berlin wreath recipe gives you the option to freeze and thaw the dough. Before freezing it, you must double wrap the dough in plastic or an airtight container to prevent ice build-up and freezer burn. Even though you’re freezing the dough, it will not last forever, so use it within six weeks. When you’re ready, safely thaw the dough, either in the refrigerator or in the oven, until it is solid but moldable so that you can shape it into wreaths.

What do Norwegian Christmas cookies taste like?

The main ingredients of Berlin Wreaths are butter and sugar, which is why they are so delicious and beloved. When your teeth break through the crunchy yet soft surface, the sweet yet buttery flavor touches your tongue, and you are hooked on these traditional Norwegian Christmas cookies.

Are you interested in More Christmas Dessert Recipes?

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• Homemade Peanut Butter Cups
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• Quick Cinnamon Swirl Pound Cake
• Ridiculously Easy Maple Cinnamon Rolls
• Best Peach Cobbler Pound Cake
• Grandma’s Best Old-Fashioned Apple Crisp
• The BEST Copycat Chick Fil A Cookie Recipe
• Easy Sweet Potato Pone

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If you make this Norwegian Christmas Cookie recipe, please drop a comment below! I’d LOVE to know what you think! Or take a picture and share it on Instagram by tagging @dwellbymichelle so I can repost it on my stories!

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