Have you ever had homemade Danish wedding cookies before? Well, let me tell you these little bite-sized cookies are deliciously buttery, lightly flavored with cinnamon, and, of course, in wedding cookie tradition, smothered in powder sugar!
These aren’t like the Kebbler Danish wedding cookies you can buy at the market. Instead, they’re authentically flavored with good butter, pecans, and as I mentioned above, a hint of cinnamon.
These are great during the holidays! The delightful flavor of cinnamon really separates them from all of the other wedding cookies! If you’re making these for a cookie tray, why not check out a few more delicious recipes to fill it out nicely, with a list of my tried and true, family favorite Christmas cookie recipes.
You better believe my super popular Italian wedding cookies, Italian Christmas cookies and frosted sour cream cookies are on that list and sooo many more!
Let’s bake some cookies! ♥
What I Love About This Danish Wedding Cookies Recipe
- Easy to make
- Butter + Powdered Sugar = YUM
- Quick! Done in less than 30 minutes!
What Are Danish Wedding Cookies?
Wedding cookies are also know as tea cakes, butterballs, snowballs, and sometimes, cocoons. They are made in many countries throughout the world and have subtle flavor nuances. They’re a shortbread style cookie and are comprised of lots of butter, ground nuts, and powder sugar. Keebler popularized the Danish version here in America. In Denmark, they are called Kransekage. They are served at weddings and other very special occasions. The Danish version is believed to have been created by a Danish baker back in the eighteenth century.
What Are The Origins Of Danish Wedding Cookies?
Wedding cookies are believed to have originated in medieval Arabia. The cookies, like everything else, spread along the trade routes and gained popularity in other countries. Eventually they made their way to Denmark in the late 18th century.
Danish Wedding Cookies Ingredients
- Butter: Real, high quality butter is a must. This isn’t a time for margarine.
- Confectioners’ Sugar: Simple powdered sugar. It’s best to always sift powdered sugar before using for best results. This is used in the cookie batter and then again to roll the baked cookies in.
- Cinnamon: Dried ground cinnamon, according to Mrs. Fields, should be used with 1-2 years after opening for best taste.
- Salt: Enhances the sweetness of these cookies.
- Pecans: I like to dry toast the pecans before grinding them.
- Vanilla Extract: Since this recipe is so simple, it’s important to get the best of each ingredient. Make sure you use pure vanilla extract — not imitation vanilla.
- All-Purpose Flour: I use Gold Medal all-purpose flour.
Tips For Making Wedding Cookies
Toasting Pecans: Toasting the pecans boosts the flavor significantly. Simple spread the whole nuts out on a rimmed baking sheet and bake, in a preheated 350 degree oven, until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Keep a close eye on them, and shake the baking pan a few times, to ensure they don’t burn.
Use High Quality Butter: American style butter contains a minimum of 80% butterfat. If you’re able to find Cabot unsalted butter that would be my first choice. If not, I would suggest Challenge unsalted butter as my second choice.
Storing + Freezing + Make-Ahead
- How To Store: This Danish wedding cookies recipe will do well at room temp for up to a few days. Keep them in an airtight container to maintain freshness.
- Can These Be Frozen? These cookies freeze very nicely! Store in an airtight container and be sure to get a good, tight seal on your container or bag. They should last about 3 months.
- Make Ahead Tips: These cookies recipe comes together very quickly once you start, so I’m afraid there isn’t a whole lot you can do to cut the (already minimal) time.
Recipe Variations
Use almonds instead. Replace the pecans with almonds. The taste will be similar to my vanillekipferl or almond crescent cookies. Both of these cookies are crescent shaped shortbread cookies.
How To Make Danish Wedding Cookies
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In a large mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer set on medium speed, cream together butter and confectioners’ sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in cinnamon, salt, pecans, and vanilla. Gradually mix in flour and combine well.
- Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes. Cookies do not brown.
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Let cookies cool for a couple of minutes then roll warm cookies in remaining confectioners’ sugar and place on a wire rack to cool completely. When cool, dust with extra powdered sugar.
***See Full Instruction Below.
More Christmas Cookies Recipes
- Cinnamon Sugar Cookies
- Double Chocolate Snowballs
- Linzer Cookies
- Christmas Sugar Cookies
- Italian Christmas Cookies
- Christmas Butter Cookies
- Chocolate Christmas Cookies
- Christmas Crack
Danish Wedding Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cups unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cups pecans finely ground
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup - plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cups confectioners sugar for rolling or more as needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer set on medium speed, cream together butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in cinnamon, salt, pecans, and vanilla. Gradually mix in flour and combine well.
- Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes. Cookies do not brown.
- Let cookies cool for a couple of minutes then roll warm cookies in remaining confectioners' sugar and place on a wire rack to cool completely. When cool, dust with extra powdered sugar.
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