What is a recipe for Norwegian kringle cookies?

A recipe for Norwegian kringle, or kringla, cookies combines flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices with beaten butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and buttermilk before chilling overnight. The cookie dough is then halved, rolled and cut into strips, which are twisted into the traditional pretzel shape, before baking.

Norwegian Kringla

This treat is a Nordic version of the pretzel, and it originates from Scandinavia. This recipe yields 40 cookies, baked in two batches.

Prep time: 45 min.

Cook time: 14 min.

Ready in: 5 hr. 59 min.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg or cardamom, if using
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup buttermilk

1. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl. If using nutmeg or cardamom, sift this too.
2. Beat the butter and sugar to a light and fluffy consistency. Beat in the egg and vanilla, and then add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately, beating until thoroughly combined each time. Cover the dough and place it into the refrigerator overnight.
3. Remove half of the dough from the refrigerator and place it onto a floured surface. Roll it out into a 10-by-5-inch rectangle, and cut across it to create 20 5-inch strips. Return 10 strips to the refrigerator. Roll the remaining 10 strips into ropes, each 10 inches in length, and shape them into a pretzel shape, sealing the ends.
4. Bake the cookies spaced at least 2 inches apart from each other on ungreased cookie sheets at 425 F. Remove them from the oven, and cool them on wire racks after 5 to 7 minutes, or when the bases of the cookies have turned a light brown color. Repeat this process with the rest of the dough.