Norwegian Sandbakkels : Savor the Tradition

Sandbakkels (or Sun Buckles) are a Norwegian buttery sugar cookie.

Welcome to a delightful journey into the heart of Norwegian baking traditions! Today, we embark on a sweet exploration of a beloved classic – the Norwegian Sandbakkels. These delicate and buttery treats have been a staple in Norwegian households for generations, embodying the warmth and coziness of Scandinavian hospitality.

I have learned to make these cookies from my Husband’s Grandma Lil right before she passed away in November 2013. After her passing my husband and I have decided to keep her tradition alive. For the past 10 years we made a date night of making her cookies together so we can pass them out to the family during the holidays. Funny story it wasn’t until this year that I didn’t notice that she didn’t have sun buckles written on her recipe. Which is what my husband has called them his whole life he said. The traditional name is Sandbakkels. So to our family we call them sun buckles.

You will need to make your own Sandbakkels:

For this recipe you will need these tins to make Sandbakkels. When we make ours we use two sets because we make so much and it makes it go faster. If it’s just you pressing the dough in the tins one set is perfect!

Here are some tins that I have on Amazon so you don’t have to worry if they are the right ones. I personally love the round shape tins when I make them. Easier to press the dough into.

Fun shape tins

Round shape tins

How to serve:

As you can see the cookies look like little bowls. There are so many ways to eat these. Our favorite is just plain. However, some other ways that we have seen are sprinkle powdered sugar on the top of them or use it as a bowl with some fruit cut up in them. 

Just a few tips to the best Sandbakkels

After making them for the past 10 years I have some tips to share to make the process easy

• Butter and eggs need to be at room temperature
• Let the cookie cool down in the mold for about 5 minutes before unmolding them
• When pressing the dough in the tins. You want it to be thin but not too thin. I like to start on the bottom and press my way up. Grandma always said, “like making a pie crust”.

Let’s get to baking!

If you make these I would love to see yours. Snap a picture and tag us in it over on Instagram.

Grandma Lil’s Sandbakkels

Norwegian sugar cookies

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Course cookies

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 4 cups flour
• 2 whole eggs
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

 

• In a bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy
• Add eggs, oil and extracts. Mix well
• Mix in flour. Use your hands for this step!
• Cover and chill for 1 hour
• Preheat oven at 375 degrees
• Using ungreased sandbakkels molds, press 1 tablespoon dough into each mold. Start at the bottom of the mold and press up. Not to thick.
• Bake cookies in molds for 8-10 Minutes. Until they appear set and just begin to brown around the edges.
• Cool cookies for 2-3 minutes in molds. When cool to the touch , remove cookie from molds.

  If they get stuck in the mold squeeze the sides of the mold or tap gently with a knife.
• Let cool on a cookie rack. Don't stack until fully cooled. I line up racks and towels and let them cool for 20 min after last set comes out of the oven before stacking.

Notes

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Make sure to come back tomorrow for a new cookie recipe as we continue our 12 days of cookie recipes! Missed yesterday recipe check it out here!