13 norwegian recipes

Norwegian heart-shaped waffles (vafler): cardamom-spiced buttermilk waffles served Scandinavian-style as dessert with berry jam, whipped cream, and fresh strawberries.

Norwegian sandbakkels are delicate almond shortbread tarts pressed into fluted tins. Traditional Scandinavian Christmas cookies with buttery, sand-textured crumbs.

Norwegian cookies (biscotti-style) with chocolate chips and a cinnamon sugar topping. Dough baked in long rolls, then sliced diagonally into crisp strips. One batch makes four dozen.

Norwegian kringla cookies shaped into figure-eights with a tender buttermilk dough. Chilled overnight, baked fast at high heat for a light, slightly sweet pastry.

Norwegian blueberry soup made with fresh blueberries, orange juice, lemon juice, and gelatin. A chilled Scandinavian fruit soup served cold in bouillon cups with fresh mint.

Norwegian kringla are soft pretzel-shaped buttermilk cookies twisted into figure-eights. A traditional Scandinavian coffee-time treat that needs an overnight chill for flavor.

A hearty beef chili soup enriched with melted Jarlsberg cheese, kidney beans, tomatoes, and bell peppers. Served with garlic-chili butter crispbreads topped with more melted Jarlsberg.

Norwegian sandbakkels rolled-out sugar cookies with a buttery, sandy crumb. A traditional Scandinavian holiday cookie that bakes up crisp and tender.

Traditional Norwegian anise syrup cookies made with honey, dark corn syrup, and star anise, finished with a warm powdered sugar glaze. Soft, fragrant, and sweetly spiced. Makes 4 dozen.

Julekage, the traditional Norwegian Christmas bread scented with cardamom and studded with dark raisins and candied citron. Made fast with a food processor instead of hours of hand-kneading.

A smooth, puréed Norwegian cauliflower soup thickened with a light roux and skim milk, finished with white pepper and a dusting of nutmeg. Cozy, low-calorie comfort in a bowl.

Fattigmands bakkelese are traditional Norwegian deep-fried pastry cookies with cardamom, citron, and lemon juice. Rich egg yolk dough rolled thin, cut into diamond shapes, and fried until golden and crisp.

Lefse is a traditional Norwegian soft flatbread made from scalded milk, lard, and flour, rolled paper-thin and cooked on a griddle. Served warm with butter and sugar for a simple, authentic Scandinavian treat.