Grove Family Recipes

Holiday traditions are a meaningful way for families to celebrate the season. My sweetest memories of unforgettable desserts include Norwegian Christmas treats passed down for generations to my grandmother and mom. Here are some recipes that continue to be part of our family's holiday celebrations.

Happy Holidays!

Paul Grove,

WEDU PBS President and CEO

Sandbakkels (Norwegian Sugar Cookies)  

Sandbakkels are traditional Norwegian holiday sugar cookies. The dough of these crumbly cookies resembles "sand," - which is how these cookies got their name. They are also often called sandbakelse or sandkaker, translating to sand cookies.  

These cookies are made in traditional sandbakkel molds, which help to create their decorative shape.  

What you will need:  

Sandbakkel molds 

1 cup of butter 

1 cup of sugar 

1 egg, beaten 

1/4 tsp vanilla extract 

3 cups of flour 

1 pinch of salt 

Instructions:  

Preheat oven to 375 Degrees F 

Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy 

Add the Egg and Vanilla extract and mix to combine 

Add the flour and salt, stirring until combined 

Form dough into balls and place in sandbakkel tins. Press with your thumb until the dough is spread in the tin 

Bake at 375 F for 12 to 15 minutes 

Krumkake (Norwegian Waffle Cookies) 

Krumkake is a delicate Norwegian waffle cookie. Krumkake means "curved cake," and it is shaped like a cone. You can serve Krumkake as-is or you can fill it with cream. It's delicious either way!  

What you will need:  

1 cup of white sugar 

1/2 cup of unsalted butter 

2 large eggs 

1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour 

1 cup of milk 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Krumkake Iron 

Instructions: 

Beat sugar and butter in a large bowl 

Add eggs one at a time and mix well 

Add flour, milk, and vanilla, and blend the batter until smooth 

Heat the Krumkake iron and lightly grease both sides 

Spoon one tablespoon of batter onto the center of the iron. Cook until golden brown on one side (about 30 seconds), and then flip to the other side 

Remove Krumkake from the iron and quickly roll it up around a wooden spoon to form a cone 

Repeat with the remaining batter 

Cool Krumkake on a wire rack before storing in an airtight container 

Egg Pancakes 

Egg pancakes make for a quick and delicious breakfast! You can eat these pancakes plain or spread your favorite topping on top.  

What you will need:  

4 eggs 

2 cups of flour 

1 heaping tsp of salt 

3 cups of milk 

Confectioner's sugar 

Instructions:  

Heat a small frying pan (6-8 inches) over medium heat 

Mix together the eggs, flour, salt, and milk 

When the pan is hot, pour enough batter to cover the bottom of the pan 

Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side or until lightly browned 

Serve with confectioner's sugar or favorite topping and serve hot