Sandbakkels

By Dorothy Haberlock

Minot, North Dakota

One of my favorite recipes to make around Christmas is sandbakkels, a traditional Norweigan cookie.  I started making them with a friend more than 60 years ago, and it has become a Christmas tradition. About 40 years ago, my daughter, Coni Jo and granddaughter, Melanie, lived up the street from me in Minot, and always seemed to know when I was baking, especially sandbakkels. They would always head down to my house and search high and low for the sandbakkels I had put away for Christmas day. They were even on their stomach looking for sandbakkels in the lowest cupboards!

I was blessed to spend last Christmas in Arizona passing along the tradition of making sandbakkels with Melanie and her three kids, my beautiful great-grandchildren.

Recipe

You will need a sandbakkel tin.

1 cup shortening (½ butter)

1 cup sugar

1 egg, unbeaten

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 ½ cups flour

Cream shortening, add sugar and cream together well. Add egg and almond extract. Add flour to make a stiff dough. Chill dough (even overnight if you want).

Spray tins lightly with cooking spray. Press into tins as thin as possible and put onto cookie sheet to bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly before turning over. Tap out lightly with a spoon if they are stuck.

Eat as they are, but you can also fill them with whipped cream, berries, fruit or gelatin.