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Home » Recipes

Scandinavian Almond Tarts (Swedish Mandelmusslor/Norwegian Sandbakkels)

Published: Nov 2, 2021 · Modified: Jun 20, 2022 by Kristi · This post may contain affiliate links.

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Easy to make with just the right amount of almond flavor, these little almond tarts are not only delicious, they are exceptionally versatile. You can serve them plain, perhaps with a cup of coffee. Or fill them with a myriad of sweet things such as jam, fruit compote, fresh fruit, lemon curd, pastry cream, whipped cream or cloudberry cream. The options are endless!

I know they look kind of fussy and complicated, but the process for making these little Scandinavian Almond Tarts is really simple. Just press the dough evenly into each tart pan and bake. Done! And for your efforts you are rewarded with these intricate, stunning little cookies that double as mini pastry tarts. It's a great project for kids, too!

And did I mention that they freeze nicely? Whether they are served plain on the afternoon fika tray or filled and served for dessert, it's great to have a batch of these tarts ready and waiting in the freezer.

Scandinavian Almond Tarts on a white marble surface next to coffee and tart tins.

Why This Recipe Works

  • This simple tart dough is rich with butter and ground almonds and contains just the right amount of almond extract to really accentuate the almond flavor.
  • The dough is easy to work with and the process of pressing the dough into the molds is simple and yields beautifully intricate and delicious cookies. Involve your kiddos in the process if you have some!
  • These tarts are so versatile! Fill them or don't fill them with something sweet. They are wonderful either way.

The Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for Scandinavian Almond Tarts

Talk about simple! These wholesome tarts contain just the basics. If you don't like the flavor of almond extract or want to switch things up a bit, you can use vanilla extract instead.

Special Equipment Needed

Scandinavian almond tart pans on a white surface.

You will need:

  • A set of these of these cute little almond tart pans. If you are of Scandinavian heritage, perhaps someone in your family already owns a set. They can be found on Amazon and Scandinavian specialty stores and are relatively inexpensive.
  • A food processor for grinding the almonds. You can also use pre-ground almonds (also known as almond flour), but the flavor of the freshly ground almonds is much better.

What Makes This Recipe Nordic/Scandinavian?

Mandelmusslor/Sandbakkels are classic Scandinavian cookies that are often served as part of the selection of sweets at holiday gatherings alongside a bowl of whipped cream and berries or preserves. Both ground almonds and almond extract are very common ingredients in both Swedish and Norwegian baking recipes.

How to Make This Recipe

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a couple of rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Finely grind the almonds in a food processor.
Blanched almonds in the work bowl of a food processor.
Ground up almonds in the work bowl of a food processor.
  • Combine the butter and sugar in the work bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix until light and fluffy. Add the egg, ground almonds, almond extract and salt. Continue to mix until everything is fully incorporated.
  • Add the flour and mix on low until everything just comes together.
  • Knead the dough inside the bowl with your hand briefly to form the dough into a rough ball. Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap and wrap tightly. Place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes (or up to 24 hours).
  • Remove the dough from the refrigerator and, working with one walnut-sized piece of dough at a time, press evenly into each tart pan. The dough inside the tart pan should be about ⅛ inch thick. Be sure to even out the top edges of each tart as you finish.
Thumb pressing dough into an almond tart pan.
  • Transfer 8-10 filled tart pans to one of the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the are beginning to turn golden brown in color, about 12-15 minutes.
Unbaked Scandinavian Almond Tarts on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
  • Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the tarts to cool before handling.  Once they are cool enough to touch, tip them upside down and remove the tart shell from the pan.  This may require a little help from your fingers or by tapping and/or wiggling the pan a little to loosen the tart shell from the sides.
  • Let the tarts cool on a wire baking rack. Repeat with remaining tart pans.  Fill (or don't fill) as desired.
Scandinavian Almond Tarts on a wire cooling rack.

Expert Tips

  • Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours prior to working with it. Not only does this make the dough easier to press into the tart pans, it also gives the final product a more uniform surface. If the dough has been in the refrigerator for longer than a couple of hours, you may need to let it warm up slightly before working with it.
  • Don't bother greasing the tart pans. I used to do this and it was a big extra step that I didn't enjoy. When I was developing this recipe, I tried buttering the pans, using a baking spray (like Pam for Baking) and leaving them alone. All the tarts came out of the pan with the same relative ease. That said, if your set of tart pans is different than mine, it's possible that greasing the tins might be necessary. Try a small batch without greasing first and see how it goes. You can always adjust the process and grease the pans for the next go around.
  • Press the dough into the tart pans thinly and evenly. That said, don't drive yourself crazy trying to get them REALLY thin. I promise they will be tasty whether they are thin or a little on the thicker side. And another bonus...they don't break as easily.
  • Once you are done pressing, Finish off the top edge of the tart with your fingers. Just make sure the edge is even with the top of the tart pan for an attractive final product. See the video above for a helpful visual example of this process.
  • Once the tarts are baked and have cooled enough so that you can handle them, gently release them from the tart pans. This might take a little practice, but they should release pretty easily with a little wiggling and help from your fingers.
A close up of an almond tart filled with cloudberry cream.

What to Put In Sandbakkels/Mandelmusslor

As I mentioned above, these tarts are often served plain but can also be filled with something sweet and delicious. Give some of these ideas a try or come up with your own! The options are endless.

  • Whipped cream and fresh berries
  • Whipped Vanilla Skyr Cream
  • Jam, preserves or homemade fruit compote (try strawberry-rhubarb, apple, pear cardamom, blueberry or peach depending on the season)
  • Cloudberry Cream (that lovely image above)
  • Lemon curd (homemade or store-bought)
  • Chocolate or vanilla pudding or pastry cream and a dollop of whipped cream (like an individual cream pie)!

It's best not to fill the tarts too far ahead of time as they will get soggy. Either fill just before serving or serve the fillings in bowls alongside the tarts and let your guests fill the tarts themselves.

FAQs

What does "Sandbakkel" mean in Norwegian?

Sandbakkel means "sand tart" in Norwegian which is a reference to the ground almonds in the dough having the appearance of sand.

What does "Mandelmussla" mean in Swedish?

Mandelmussla means "almond mussel" or "almond shell" in Swedish.

How do I store these almond tarts?

Store the baked tarts in an air tight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze the tarts in an air tight freezer safe container or freezer bag.

Related Recipes

Looking for more classic Scandinavian cookie recipes? Here are a few blog favorites to get you started:

  • Raspberry Hazelnut Thumbprint Cookies (Hallongrottor)
  • No Bake Swedish Chocolate Oat Balls (Chokladbollar)
  • Norwegian Krumkake
  • Brown Butter Swedish Oat Crisps (Havreflarn)
Scandinavian Almond Tarts on a marble surface next to a cup of coffee.

Scandinavian Almond Tarts (Swedish Mandelmusslor/Norwegian Sandbakkels

Crisp, buttery, almond flavored tarts that are delicious plain or filled with something sweet!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert, Fika
Cuisine: Nordic, Norwegian, Scandinavian, Swedish
Keyword: almond tart recipe, fika, mandelmusslor, sandbakkels
Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 25 -30 tarts
Calories: 117kcal
Author: Kristi

Ingredients

  • ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup blanched slivered almonds, finely ground in a food processor
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

Special Equipment Needed:

  • Scandinavian tart pans
  • Food processor

Instructions

  • 1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar together until fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
  • 2.  Add the egg, followed by the ground almonds, salt and almond extract. Mix until incorporated.
  • 3.  Add the flour and mix on low until just combined.
  • 4.  Remove the bowl from the mixer and knead the dough gently with your hands inside the bowl for a minute or two until it all comes together into a cohesive whole.  Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a large sheet of plastic wrap. Wrap tightly and chill dough for at least 30 minutes.
  • 5.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper and have 25 or so tart pans ready to go.  Remove chilled dough from the refrigerator and tear off a piece that is approximately the size of a walnut.  Pat the small piece of dough into the tart pan using your thumbs and fingers. The dough should be uniformly about ⅛th inch thick across the surface of the tart pan.  Create a nice even edge at the top of the pan (see video for a visual demonstration).
  • 6.  Place 8-10 filled tart pans on a rimmed baking sheet lined with a piece of parchment paper and slide them in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until they are light golden brown in color.
  • 7.  Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow tart shells to cool before handling.  Once they are cool enough to touch, tip them upside down and remove the tart shell from the pan.  This may require a little help from your fingers or by tapping and/or wiggling the pan a little to loosen the tart shell from the sides.  This may take a little practice. Let the tart shells cool on a wire baking rack. Repeat with remaining tart pans, baking 8-10 on a baking sheet at a time.  Fill (or don't fill) as desired.

Video

Notes

  • Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours prior to working with it. Not only does this make the dough easier to press into the tart pans, it also gives the final product a more uniform surface. If the dough has been in the refrigerator for longer than a couple of hours, you may need to let it warm up slightly before working with it.
  • Don't bother greasing the tart pans. I used to do this and it was a big extra step that I didn't enjoy. When I was developing this recipe, I tried buttering the pans, using a baking spray (like Pam for Baking) and leaving them alone. All the tarts came out of the pan with the same relative ease. That said, if your set of tart pans is different than mine, it's possible that greasing the tins might be necessary. Try a small batch without greasing first and see how it goes. You can always adjust the process and grease the pans for the next go around.
  • Press the dough into the tart pans thinly and evenly. That said, don't drive yourself crazy trying to get them REALLY thin. I promise they will be tasty whether they are thin or a little on the thicker side. And another bonus...they don't break as easily.
  • Once you are done pressing, Finish off the top edge of the tart with your fingers. Just make sure the edge is even with the top of the tart pan for an attractive final product. See the video above for a helpful visual example of this process.
  • Once the tarts are baked and have cooled enough so that you can handle them, gently release them from the tart pans. This might take a little practice, but they should release pretty easily with a little wiggling and help from your fingers.
  • These tarts freeze beautifully.  Put any tarts that you are not immediately eating into freezer bag or other tightly sealed freezer-safe container and consume at your leisure.
These tart shells freeze beautifully.  Put any tart shells that you are not immediately eating or filling in a freezer bag and consume at your leisure.

Nutrition

Calories: 117kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 51mg | Potassium: 46mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 123IU | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg

If you loved this recipe, give it a star review! Also, snap a picture of your Madelmusslor/Sandbakkels and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #truenorthkitchen and tagging me @true_north_kitchen.

More Nordic/Scandinavian Recipes

  • Vanilla Overnight Oats with Cinnamon
  • White Swedish Glögg with Elderflower Liqueur (Mulled White Wine)
  • Homemade Pickled Mustard Seeds
  • Danish Apple Trifle

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Hyacinth Winter

    December 12, 2020 at 5:47 am

    I usually do these cookies using cookie cutters.
    I have tart pans now I will be using fill with almond butter that should be heavenly.

    Reply
    • Kristi

      December 12, 2020 at 10:41 am

      Hi,

      Thanks for your comment! That sounds amazing!

      Happy Holiday Baking,
      Kristi

      Reply
  2. Kathy Bruss

    December 12, 2020 at 11:57 am

    Can these be made using something other than almonds? My husband is allergic to almonds.

    Reply
    • Kristi

      December 12, 2020 at 12:27 pm

      I think hazelnuts would be wonderful! Can he have those?

      Reply
  3. Kimberly R McGhee

    December 19, 2020 at 12:06 pm

    This is almost identical to my mother's recipe. She used canned almond paste instead of grinding her own almonds, and did not add the additional almond extract. I love the extra hit of almond flavor it adds! One of her favorite fillings was whipped cream with brandy. Mmmmmm!

    Reply
    • Kristi

      December 19, 2020 at 2:07 pm

      Hi Kimberly,
      Thanks for your comment! Whipped cream and brandy sounds divine.....I’ve got to try it!
      Kristi

      Reply
  4. Victoria Cresswell

    January 06, 2021 at 10:49 am

    I was given cookies such as these by a neighbor during Christmas and they are the most delicious things I’ve ever eaten. The big difference is they baked their Sandbakkels/Mandelmusslors with the compote filling baked inside of the cookie - instead of the cookie acting as a cup with the filling added afterwards. So is there an alternative Sandbakkel/Mandelmusslors recipe to create the baked compote filled version and could you post it? Thank you.

    Reply
    • Kristi

      January 06, 2021 at 10:52 am

      Hi Victoria,
      Can you describe what the filling was like?
      Thanks!
      Kristi

      Reply
      • Victoria Cresswell

        January 06, 2021 at 10:37 pm

        It was like a dark brown fruit based compote, it looked like a fig or soft dark caramel but it was neither. It def tasted like a fruit jam - such as strawberry or blueberry..

        Reply
      • Victoria Cresswell

        January 07, 2021 at 11:13 am

        Hi Kristi,

        I just found out that it was a raspberry Jam on the inside. Thanks again.

        Best Wishes,
        Victoria

        Reply
        • Kristi

          January 08, 2021 at 3:45 pm

          Thanks for clarifying, Victoria! I'll do some research and see what I can find. It sounds delicious AND has me thinking about other baked filling possibilities.

          Kristi

          Reply
  5. Louanne Yanko

    June 20, 2021 at 7:15 pm

    What can I use instead of tin tart pans?

    Reply
    • Kristi

      June 21, 2021 at 10:51 am

      Hi Louanne,

      I think a muffin tin would work as long as you don't go more than 3/4 of an inch up the sides.

      Kristi

      Reply
  6. Sarah

    September 30, 2021 at 1:33 pm

    Hello,
    I just found a bunch of these moulds, and would like to make these! I have ground almonds, my question is how much ground almonds do the slivered almonds make? I.E. can I substitute 1 cup of ground almonds for the 1 cup of slivered?? (Almonds are so expensive, I don't want to mess up this measurement and end up with a big mess on my hands!!)

    Reply
    • Kristi

      October 04, 2021 at 3:36 pm

      Hi Sarah,
      1 cup of slivered almonds will make 1 1/4 cup ground almonds. I've never tried it but I think it would work to use the pre-ground almonds. I don't see why not! Thanks for your question!
      Kristi

      Reply
  7. Genelle

    November 19, 2022 at 11:40 am

    5 stars
    Love these!! How much almond flour do I use to substitute for the ground almonds?

    Reply
    • Kristi

      November 22, 2022 at 8:46 pm

      I use the same amount!

      Reply

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