KrumkakeKrumkake is a Christmas favorite for Norwegians the world over. Thin, crispy cookies shaped into a cone, they easily brake into crumbs, thus their name. Krumkake means “crumb cake.” Some fill them with cream and fruit, but they are just as delightful by themselves.

Making these cookies requires special equipment. You need a krumkake iron and a form for rolling the cones. The irons have a decorative pattern etched in the cooking surface. Nordic Ware makes cast aluminum stove-top models. There are also electric irons available, but I have never used one. It takes a few cookies to figure out the right temperature and time on your stove. But, as my mom reminded me, you get to eat those. They work best if you can make them with a regular rhythm, so that the heat of the iron and the time is consistent. The cookies set fairly quickly, so roll them on the cone form when they come off the iron.

Recipe below.

Krumkake

  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ cup butter, melted and cooled
  • 5 tablespoons cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  1. Beat together the eggs and sugar.
  2. Add the butter, cream, and vanilla.
  3. Mix the flour and cornstarch together.
  4. Stir into the egg mixture and beat until smooth.
  5. Heat the krumkake iron over medium heat. Do not use too high a temperature of the krumkake will burn.
  6. Test the krumkake iron with a few drops of water. They will sizzle and jump when the iron is ready.
  7. Wipe a small amount of shortening on the cooking surfaces with a paper towel.
  8. Deposit approximately a tablespoon of batter on the hot iron and close.
  9. Cook for 15-20 seconds and turn the iron over.  Cook for another 15-20 seconds. The cooked cookie should be lightly golden brown. The first few might be too dark. Adjust temperature if necessary after you cook a few and the iron cools slightly from the cooking.
  10. Carefully remove the soft cookie with a table knife or small mettle spatula. (I use a small offset spatula that one might use for frosting.)
  11. Place the cookie on a clean cotton towel and immediately roll around the wooden cone form.  Allow to sit for a few seconds to set while you cook your next cookie.

—Recipe adapted from the Betty Crocker Cooky Book

krumkake