Norwegian Krumkake Recipe
Posted by Grandma Jeanne on December 22, 2005
Krumkake (pronounced KROOM-ka-ka) is by far my favorite Norwegian Christmas pastry. I think I have made it every year since I was about 10 years old. I have several recipes, but I always come back to this one. Once in a while I decide that I don’t feel like making it, but that never flies with my kids! They love it, and so does my husband! In fact, I am in the process of making it right now. I am waiting for the butter to cool so that I can finish making the batter.
This recipe really needs to be made when it is cold outside and the humidity low. When I lived in Minnesota, this was never a probably. However, I now live in Texas. It is cool this morning, so I have to get this made real soon. It is supposed to be in the 70s later today, and that just won’t work!
When my kids were smaller, our family tradition was to leave a couple of krumkake and a glass of homemade eggnog on the kitchen table for Santa while we went to Christmas Eve service. When we returned home, they were always excited to see the treats missing and only a few krumkake crumbs left on the plate! No wonder Santa was so chubby…
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cold water
1/2 cup melted and cooled butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
Beat eggs with sugar until light.
Add cold water, cooled butter, vanilla, and flour.
Stir until smooth.
Brush the krumkake iron lightly with melted butter.
Heat the krumkake iron on the range-top on medium high heat.
Pour a generous tablespoon of batter on the iron. Brown on one side, and flip the iron over to brown the other side. When the krumkake is evenly browned, quickly roll it into a cylinder shape and place on paper toweling until cool. I just use a knife to roll the krumkake, but a cylinder-shaped tool is usually included with a krumkake set.
These can be filled with whipping cream or just left plain. I usually serve mine plain.
Makes approximately 38.
Don’t be concerned if they crumble when you eat them – that is exactly what they are supposed to do!
To keep them crisp, store them in an airtight container.
ann said,
was here to check out your krumkake recipe, can’t wait to try it. thank you much for passing your recipes out to all…have a great day..
Grandma Jeanne said,
I just finished making krumkake. I only made a double batch this year, but it still takes quite a while to make. I normally have people in the house when I make them, and we take turns. Today I was the only person around, so I ended up making all of them. I am tired of standing… I just happened to try a couple that didn’t look as good as the others, and they were great. I don’t know why I don’t make these at other times of the year. We all like them so much, but I always make them once a year – at Christmas time.
Gail said,
Your krumkake recipe was wonderful. All my inlaws are sitting around the table munching away. They have more Scandinavian heritage than I and the recipe met they’re approval. You’re right. It is time consuming to make them when you’re by yourself! Oh- my boss said she and her family use a clothes pin to roll theirs. Have you heard of that? Thank you! Gail
Grandma Jeanne said,
I am glad you and your in-laws enjoyed the krumkake. My krumkake weren’t nearly as crispy as when it is cold outside when I make them. They tasted good, and my kids and grandkids enjoyed them, but they weren’t as crispy as they should have been. It had also been raining outside… They were good but not great this year.
I have never heard of using a clothes pin to roll them. I have been using a knife for over 40 years, so I probably will continue…
Hope you had a wonderful Christmas!
Jeanne
KC said,
Wow! This was so easy! True, it was time intensive, and you have to pay close attention while they’re cooking to avoid overdoing them, but I am really impressed. Well done! Thanks for the recipe!
KC
dan said,
My Polish grandma got a recipie from a Norwegian friend of hers. It is very similar to yours and also only made for Christmas. Here’s the difference. First, we use a small amout of cardamom, about a quarter teaspoon. Second, while they are still made on the irons, we rolled them into tight little “cigars”, not cones. You are right about the humidity, though. With the right humidity, the crumbled in your hands if you weren’t careful when you bit it. I was just wondering if you have ever heard of my variations? Thank you for posting your recipe.
Grandma Jeanne said,
Thanks for your comment. The ones I have seen with cardamom in them were much smaller than the ones I make. I think it would be very difficult to roll mine into little cigars. The ones I have tasted were very good! Grandma Jeanne
C Reaves said,
I have moved from the north western part of Minnesota to the south eastern part of the state. My krumkake recipe is a wonderful recipe handed down through the generations. SE MN has more humidity and so my krumkake does not crisp up, but gets soft and soggy. Any ideas on how I can change my recipe to avoid that? Some have told me to use less eggs, others said less milk. Has anyone else had this problem?
Grandma Jeanne said,
Well, I moved from SE Minnesota to central Texas, and it is very difficult for me to make krumkake here. I have to find a day when it is relatively cold and not humid – that is not easy to find in Texas. My only advice is make the krumkakes on a day with low temperatures AND low humidity. Good luck to you!
Sharman said,
yes the recipe should contain cardamom. A cone shaped utensil comes with the grill or you can purchase a teflon type utensil in a scandinavian import store. The authenic shape is a cone. Store in tin boxes to retain the crispness.
Grandma Jeanne said,
I have never made my krumkake recipe with cardamom, and none of my friends or relatives have either. Obviously some people do, but I never have. A cone came with my krumkake iron, but I just use a table knife. That is the way my grandma made them, and that is what I do! Works great…
Cynthia said,
I live in Northwestern British Columbia (Pacific Coast Rainforest!) and our solution to the dampness problem is dehumidifiers.
I use cardamom in my krumkake, while others in my area don’t. The biggest difference I can see is that most of us use milk or cream instead of water…..
I love seeing the different variations of such a delicious treat! We make it only at Christmastime because it is such a labour of love….
Gussie said,
I go to the lumber yard and have a round dowel cut into six and twelve inch lengths for rolling, then you can roll them like cigars.
Grandma Jeanne said,
Never thought of that – sounds like a good idea!
Mrs Malt said,
My husband’s family lives in Bergen, NO and there is no cardamom in their recipe!! Mormor would be dead against it :-) I’m sure cardamom crept in when so many Indian folks moved to Norway (second biggest ethnic population)and brought with them so many yummy spices! I’m sure it’s delicious, but authentic it is not! :-D
Mirror, Mirror « Poached Kumquats for Dinner said,
[...] in the back of an annual diary. Lists of card games won (or lost). Recipes for things such as “krumkaka” and “lutefisk” – the mealtime memories of a homeland left behind generations [...]
Colleen from Edmonton, AB said,
Can the Krumkake be frozen? I am thinking of making them for a cookie exchange but it is a month away.
Grandma Jeanne said,
I have never tried it, but I don’t see why they couldn’t be. If you try it, let us know how it works.
Mrs. K said,
It is nice to see so many Minnesotans here. I live in a suburb of Minneapolis and have for my whole life. I am going to try the recipe tomorrow and use my husbands Krumkake iron that was handed down to him from his grandma. I am not sure if we still have the roller, but will try the knife method if I can’t find it. Thanks for the recipe, I’ll let you know how it turns out…plenty of cold and snow here so they should be crispy! :)
Lori said,
Merry Christmas…
I too have been making Krumkake for 25 years and
my bestemor had been making them prior to landing on
Ellis island from Norway. Not speaking a word of english.
he always added cardamon. Going back 70 years.A few times she added almond,good but not the favorite. She always make whipping on the side for all to add.I now have an electric iron that makes 2 at a time and the
cone shaper.I have my old iron hanging on the wall. So many wonderful memories.I have enjoyed this site and will be back. Blessings to all.
Lori Jorgensen
Sheila said,
Yes, my grandmother’s recipes all have cardamon and they are at least 70 years old. She was from northern Norway.
Rebecca Grace said,
I love the internet! I see that you wrote this post in 2005, and here it is waiting to come to my krumkake rescue six years later!
I’m also a former Minnesotan now living in the South (North Carolina) and I’m trying to bake krumkake like I remember it from my childhood. The recipe that came with my Villaware electric krumkake iron had cardamom, and the krumkake didn’t taste right to me. I’m going to try another batch using your recipe with vanilla.
The cold temperature and humidity thing is interesting. It’s 68 degrees in Charlotte today. I wonder if putting the finished krumkake in a warm oven for a few minutes might help crisp them up if humidity is the problem?
Grandma Jeanne said,
I grew up in Faribault, MN, and moved to Rochester once we got married. We lived in Brooklyn Center for less than a year. We have been in Texas for 30 years, so this is now home.
I have never tried using cardamon – I have never even tasted krumkake with cardamon! My grandma never used cardamon, so I guess that is why I haven’t!
I bought an electric krumkake maker this year and will use it tomorrow for the first time. I moved last year and now have a gas stove. My krumkake maker no longer fits on my new stove…
It has been raining here for a few days so I didn’t dare make krumkake. It is supposed to be clear tomorrow and in the 40s and 50s, so I will give it a try.
I have never tried putting them in a warm oven. If you try it, let me know how it works out.
Thanks for your comment!
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