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Close up of a pile of krumkaker.

Krumkake (Norwegian Waffle Cookies)

A buttery and delicately beautiful cone-shaped cookie.
5 from 7 votes
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Course: Cookies, Dessert, Fika
Cuisine: Nordic, Norwegian, Scandinavian
Keyword: cookie cones, Krumkake, vanilla cookies
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Rest Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 30 cookies
Calories: 81kcal
Author: Kristi

Equipment

  • Krumkake iron
  • Cone form

Ingredients

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Whisk salt, cornstarch and flour together in a medium bowl.  Set aside.
  • Combine granulated sugar and eggs in a large bowl and whisk until fully combined and no lumps of sugar remain.  Slowly whisk in cooled butter and vanilla extract. Keep whisking until the mixture is emulsified and cohesive.
  • Add milk and water and whisk until fully combined.  Add flour mixture and whisk until batter is smooth and no lumps remain.  Rest batter for 30-45 minutes at room temperature.
  • Working with 1 tablespoon of batter at a time, bake cookies on a krumkake iron, either an electric model or one that goes on the stove, according to manufacturer’s instructions.  It may take a few tries to get the hang of how your iron works so be patient. I like to err on the side of a cookie that is darker in color. They are more crisp and have better flavor.
  • Remove the hot cookie from iron and place it on a clean kitchen towel.  Quickly, while the cookie is still hot, carefully roll the krumkake around a cone-shaped form.  Use the towel to help start the rolling process if the cookies are too hot for your fingers. The sooner you begin rolling the better.  The cookies will almost immediately start to harden as they cool and become difficult or impossible to roll into a cone shape. Let the rolled cookie rest with the form inside, seam side down on the clean towel, while the next cookie is baking.  Remove the cone form and transfer krumkake to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve.

Video

Notes

Expert Tips:
  • Bake each krumkake until nicely browned. If your cookies are pale in color, it's possible that they haven't baked long enough and are still retaining moisture. Brown is better.
  • Cool completely on a wire rack before storing. Warm cookies haven't completely dried out and may still contain moisture. Wait until they are completely cool to seal them in an airtight container.
  • Choose the right storage container. Plastic is not the choice for krumkake. An old-fashioned cookie tin or a sealed glass container lined on the bottom with paper towels is the way to go.
  • Fill them immediately before serving. Filling krumkake with whipped cream or some other delightful filling will eventually lead to sogginess over time. It's best to wait until the last minute to fill them if you want them to retain a crispy texture.
Variations:
Brown Butter: My favorite variation! Rather than simply melting the butter in this recipe, brown it in a skillet first for toasty, caramel notes in the cookies. To brown butter, place the butter in a medium skillet (preferably not nonstick or cast iron so that you can more easily see the color change) and heat over medium low heat, swirling the pan frequently.  Once the butter has melted, continue to cook over medium low, swirling the pan frequently, until the butter has a nutty aroma and is golden brown in color.  Transfer to a bowl to cool before proceeding with the recipe.
Nutmeg: Add a ½ teaspoon of ground nutmeg to the dry ingredients.
Cardamom: Add ¾ teaspoon of ground cardamom to the dry ingredients.
Almond: Omit the vanilla extract and add ½ teaspoon almond extract instead.
Lemon: Omit the vanilla extract and add 1 teaspoon of finely grated lemon zest and 1 teaspoon of lemon extract instead.

Nutrition

Calories: 81kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 66mg | Potassium: 21mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 123IU | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg