Brune Pinner — Norwegian Almond Christmas Cookies

Brune pinner are one of Norway’s classic Christmas cookies — thin, crisp and buttery, topped with almonds and a little sugar. They’re part of the traditional syv slag (“seven sorts”) of Scandinavian holiday baking, and they come together from one simple dough with no special equipment. Here’s how I make them from scratch.

Brune Pinner — Norwegian Almond Christmas Cookies

Brune pinner are crisp, buttery Norwegian Christmas cookies topped with almonds and sugar — one of the traditional "seven sorts.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 14 minutes mins

Chilling 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 4 minutes mins

Servings: 40 cookies

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: Norwegian, Scandinavian

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Dough

• 200 g | butter, softened | 1¾ US sticks ¾ cup + 2 tbsp
• 200 g granulated sugar 1 cup
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp light golden syrup or light corn syrup
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 300 g all-purpose flour 2½ cups, hold back a little for adjusting

Topping

• 90 g granulated sugar scant ½ cup
• 90 g chopped almonds scant ½ cup

Equipment

• Stand mixer or hand mixer | Creams the butter and sugar light and pale — the base of the whole cookie.
• Digital kitchen scale | I bake by weight for consistent dough every time.
• 2 Baking sheets | You'll bake the logs 2–3 to a tray.
• Roll of parchment paper | Keeps the logs from sticking and spreading into the tray.
• Pastry brush | For an even egg wash so the almonds and sugar stick.

Method

 

1. Cream the softened butter and sugar in a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer) until light and pale.
2. Beat in the egg yolk and syrup.
3. Fold in the flour, cinnamon, vanilla sugar and baking soda, holding back a little flour to adjust — mix just until it comes together.
4. Knead the dough together quickly, then chill 30 minutes (or longer). It's much easier to shape cold.
5. Divide the dough into 6 pieces. Roll each into a thin log and lift onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 2–3 logs per sheet.
6. Press each log flat with your fingers to 4–5 mm (about ¼ inch) thick.
7. Brush with beaten egg, then sprinkle with sugar and chopped almonds. Bake high in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 12–14 minutes.
8. While still warm, cut on the diagonal into sticks 1.5–2 cm (¾ inch) wide. Cool completely on a rack, then store airtight.

Notes

cut the strips while they’re still warm and soft — wait until they cool and they’ll shatter instead of slicing cleanly. That diagonal cut is what gives brune pinner their signature look. Don’t overbake either; they firm up and crisp as they cool.

Tips for perfect brune pinner

Two things make or break these cookies. First, press the logs to an even 4–5 mm thickness. Thin and even is what gives you that snappy crunch all the way through. Second, and this is the one people get wrong: cut the strips on the diagonal while they’re still warm. The moment they cool they turn brittle, and a knife will crack them apart instead of slicing clean sticks.

If the dough feels soft and hard to handle, don’t fight it — give it longer in the fridge. A cold dough rolls into neat logs; a warm one spreads.

Make it your own

Swap the chopped almonds for pearl sugar or a pinch of cardamom in the dough for a slightly different Nordic twist. They keep beautifully airtight for a couple of weeks, so they’re a great early bake to get ahead of the Christmas rush.