Serinakaker — Norwegian Pearl Sugar Butter Cookies
Serinakaker are classic Norwegian butter cookies — crisp at the edges, tender inside, and finished with the traditional fork pattern, pearl sugar and chopped almonds. They’re one of the seven Christmas cookies (syv slag) baked in Norwegian homes every December, and the dough takes just six ingredients. Here’s how we make them.
Serinakaker — Norwegian Pearl Sugar Butter Cookies
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Rub the butter into the flour, baking powder and vanilla sugar until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Use your fingertips or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on low speed.
- Add the sugar and beaten egg. Mix just until the dough comes together — don’t overwork it.
- Wrap the dough and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C), conventional setting. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll the dough into a long log and cut it into about 25 even pieces. Roll each piece into a ball.
- Place the balls on the baking sheet with room to spread. Press each one down lightly with a fork.
- Brush with egg white and sprinkle with pearl sugar and chopped almonds.
- Bake in the middle of the oven for 10–12 minutes, until golden at the edges. Cool on a wire rack.
Notes
- No pearl sugar? Coarse sanding sugar is the closest substitute.
- Storage: keep in an airtight tin or jar at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 3 months.
How to make serinakaker
The dough is quick: rub the butter into the flour, then add sugar and egg. We use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment — it works the butter in evenly in a minute or two and keeps warm hands off the dough. By hand works just as well; just move quickly so the butter stays cool.
Once chilled, roll the dough into a log and cut it into equal pieces rather than scooping. Even pieces bake evenly, so the whole tray is done at the same time.
Roll each piece into a ball, then press it down with a fork. One firm press is enough — the ridges catch the egg white and pearl sugar and give serinakaker their signature look.
Tips for the best serinakaker
Keep the dough cold. Warm dough spreads in the oven and loses the fork pattern. If it softens while you work, put it back in the fridge for a few minutes.
Don’t overbake. Take them out when the edges are golden and the centers still look pale. They firm up as they cool.
Use pearl sugar. It stays white and crunchy through baking, which is what gives serinakaker their sparkle — and the reason we name them after it. If you like the almond topping best, our brune pinner put it front and center.
Serinakaker and the Norwegian syv slag
In Norway, it’s tradition to bake at least seven kinds of cookies for Christmas. Serinakaker sit alongside classics like sandnøtter and brune pinner — simple butter cookies that keep well, so they’re often baked early in December and stored in tins until the holidays.
Make it your own
Skip the almonds for a simpler cookie, or add a pinch of ground cardamom to the dough for a warmer Nordic spice note.
More Nordic bakes you’ll love
- Pepperkaker — Crisp Norwegian Gingerbread Cookies — thin, dark and spiced, the opposite of a pale butter cookie
- Norwegian Coconut Macaroons (Kokosmakroner) — the easiest of the syv slag, with no rolling at all
- Krumkake — Norwegian Waffle Cookies — crisp, patterned and rolled while hot
