Written By Bethany Glosser
I’d like to introduce you to my sweet friend I am so honored to know, Bethany Glosser. We both fellowship at the same church and have started a small homeschool group for our kids. Please welcome her as this is her first post to write on a blog. I’m sure once you get to know her gentle spirit you’ll be just as excited as I am to see more posts written by her. Thanks Bethany, I love ya!!
I love the holidays, especially Christmas. It is a season steeped in traditions, sprinkled with sweet memories, and filled with good things like family, festive music, and, (of course) delicious food.
One of my favorite traditions that I am a part of at home is an annual Christmas cookie exchange. I look forward to it every year. A couple friends and I gather together with recipes and ingredients in hand to spend the day baking, listening to Christmas tunes, and enjoying each others company. At the end of the day, we divide our goodies with one another and each go home with an assortment of Christmas cookies. Well, sadly, the timing didn’t work out for me this year to participate in our little tradition.
Thankfully, this year I had the amazing opportunity to travel to the west coast with my mom and baby girl to visit my mom’s cousins in Washington State. It had been fourteen years since my last visit, so you can imagine how thrilled I was to reconnect with our extended family. Oh, and did I mention that our trip just happened to coincide with a family Christmas cookie exchange?
It was a fantastic trip full of firsts. Ellie’s first plane ride, her first time collapsing asleep in my arms (I know, at 6 1/2 months old you’d think she’d have that down by now!), her first time crawling (It’s more like creeping like an inch worm but it’s still WAY cool!), and my first helicopter ride (cross one off my bucket list!). All of these events were hugely memorable and wonderful to experience. I was truly blessed. And did I mention there were cookies?
The Cookie Exchange, Norske Style
After my mom, baby, and I settled in at our cousin’s house, we got busy baking. For our family cookie exchange we were partnered up with a relative to pick out a couple recipes to prepare and bake together. Fun idea, right?
I was partnered up with cousin Linda and my mom was partnered up with cousin Elaine, our ever-so-gracious hostess, and lucky us we all did our baking together. After brief discussion we landed on biscotti, Rolo turtles, and a traditional Norwegian cookie called Kringla. A soft, fragile cookie with a rich buttery flavor and a hint of sweetness.
They’re a lot like a sugar cookie, but with way less “sugar” and a lot more better-ness. (Yes, I did just make up that word.)
To make, the Kringla ingredients get mixed up. You then take small pieces of dough and roll them into long ropes about 1/2” in diameter and about 6-7” long. Then you make a figure-eight or pretzel shape and bake for about 5 minutes. It’s pretty simple once you get the hang of the rolling and pretzel shaping. And the fruit of your labor is so worth it. It was my first time to make these little gems, and I’m so glad I tried it out.
Kringla – A Traditional Norwegian Cookie
Kringla - a traditional Norwegian cookie. A soft, fragile cookie with a rich buttery flavor and a hint of sweetness.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2 cups sour cream
- 3 1/2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 cups organic sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 tsp. vanilla
Method:
- In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients, set aside.
- In a mixer, cream the butter and sugar.
- Mix in the sour cream and egg yolks.
- A tablespoon at a time, add the dry ingredients until it's all incorporated.
- Cover, and refrigerate the dough overnight.
Once chilled overnight
- Break off a piece of dough to roll into a rope about 14” long and form into figure eight shapes. Bake @ 400F for 5 min. (Do not allow to brown, they will end up being dry and overdone.)
https://www.myhumblekitchen.com/2012/12/a-christmas-tradition-a-cookie-exchange-and-recipe-for-kringla-a-traditional-norwegian-cookie/
©Copyright, A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa
What traditions do you have for the holidays? How do you incorporate your family’s heritage into your holidays? Do you have any traditional cookie favorites? I’d love to hear how you and your family celebrate!
FAQs
One of my favorites, and probably one of the simplest dessert recipes I know, is for Norwegian Kringle. The origin of the Kringle is in Scandinavia in the 13th century, and the word itself originates from the word “Kringla,” which means a ring or circle.
What is the Christmas cookie tradition? ›
The practice of putting out cookies for Santa began in the 1930s during the Great Depression, when parents were trying to instill a sense of thankfulness in their children. Leaving goodies, perhaps in a sweet cookie jar, continues to be a way of sharing the holiday bounty.
How to do a Christmas cookie exchange? ›
The idea is simple: Everyone brings a big batch of (hopefully homemade) cookies and distributes roughly 6 - 12 cookies each to the other attendees. So at the end of the event, you and your guests will each have your own delectable assortment.
What are the rules for a cookie exchange? ›
The Etiquette Of The Cookie Swap
- Remember: It's not a competition. ...
- Coordinate ahead of time. ...
- Make enough for everyone. ...
- Bring something homemade. ...
- Yes, you should still bring a host gift. ...
- Label your cookies for allergens. ...
- Bring cookies and a story. ...
- Hold off on seconds.
The Danish serve Kringle at room temperature or warmed, cut into slices, and usually with a glass of milk or a coffee. Of course, whether you warm it or not, and how you slice it, may depend on how hungry you are or what company you keep.
What is the origin of the Kringle cookie? ›
Kringle was originally brought to Racine in the late 1800's by Danish immigrants. This unique pastry quickly became popular in southeastern Wisconsin and while almond is the original time-honored filling, there are so many other flavors you can enjoy.
What is the history of the cookie exchange? ›
The first recorded modern mention of cookie exchanges can be found in a 1936 article in a Syracuse, New York, newspaper. Robin Olson, in her “History of The Cookie Exchange and the Cookie Party Cookbook,” believes modern cookie swapping in the U.S. has been around since the1800s.
What is the name of the Christmas man cookie? ›
Gingerbread Men Cookies
No Christmas treat is complete without at least a couple of these fellas smiling up at you from your plate! An all-time classic, at Christmas parties.
Where did Leaving Cookies for Santa originate? ›
The Great Depression Connection
In a time when many families struggled, Christmas was a bright spot. The families would ask their children to leave out milk and cookies for Santa to thank him for bringing gifts.
How many people do you need for a cookie exchange? ›
How Many Cookies Each Person Should Make
| Number of Guests | Quantity of Cookies Each Guest Brings |
|---|
| Intimate Party | 5 to 10 | 2.5 to 5 dozen each (30-60 cookies) |
| Medium Party | 10 to 15 | 5 to 7.5 dozen each (60-90 cookies) |
Nov 19, 2019
How many cookies should you gift?
| Party size | Number of guests | Number of cookies |
|---|
| Little party | 5 to 10 | 15-30 cookies |
| Medium party | 10 to 15 | 30 – 45 |
| Big party | 20 – 50 | 75 – 150 |
Stack up several cookies right in the center of a sheet of wax or parchment paper. Fold the paper around your cookies like a gift package and tie it with a colorful ribbon. It's a festive way to wrap your cookies as gifts or to store them neatly in a container.
What is the ideal number for a cookie exchange? ›
Generally, cookie swaps work out best when you plan for a maximum of 7 to 10 guests. When sending out invites, prioritize those who enjoy baking to get an ideal guest list.
What is the most popular cookie in America? ›
Nearly 93% of all American households serve and enjoy cookies as treats or after meals. However, it's the chocolate chip cookie that's the most popular in the U.S. and around the world.
What are the new cookies rules? ›
If a technology is caught by the cookie rule, then the company deploying that technology must obtain prior, opt-in consent before accessing or storing the information, unless the company can demonstrate that the storage of, or access to, the information is strictly necessary for the purpose of delivering the digital ...
Where did the Kringle come from? ›
Kringle (/ˈkrɪŋɡəl/,) is a Northern European pastry, a variety of pretzel. Pretzels were introduced by Roman Catholic monks in the 13th century in Denmark, and from there they spread throughout Scandinavia and evolved into several kinds of sweet, salty or filled pastries, all in the shape of kringle.
Is Kringle a Christmas thing? ›
This Kringle was inspired by Risalamande, a very popular Christmas dessert in Denmark. We make this holiday treat by layering our flaky pastry with incredibly smooth, homemade almond filling and deliciously tart Wisconsin Montmorency cherries.
How many calories in a Kringla? ›
1 piece of original kringla (Norman's Nordic) contains 120 Calories. The macronutrient breakdown is 65% carbs, 26% fat, and 10% protein. This is a good source of vitamin a (13% of your Daily Value).
How many cookies did Santa eat? ›
(If we're talking about just the U.S., it's approximated that of the 100 million households, about 1 million are serving sweets to St. Nick.) According to An Idea, If Santa takes two bites of each cookie served around the world, he consumes roughly 336,150,386 cookies.
