Sukkerkringler – Danish pretzel cookies

The pretzel is the traditional sign for the Danish baker, and these pretty little cookies are easily formed into pretzel shapes by helpful little hands! Softer than a “proper” biscuit, they are not too sweet and taste delicious with a strong black coffee. 

Ingredients

For the cookies

200g self-raising flour

100g salted butter at room temperature

50g caster sugar

1 egg

3tbsp double cream

For the topping

Double cream

Pearl sugar (or granulated will do as well!)

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees, and line two baking sheets with greaseproof paper.
2. Rub together the flour and butter until it resembles rough breadcrumbs.
3. Tip in the sugar and stir in the milk until the mixture forms a smooth dough.
4. Wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
5. Weigh the dough into pieces of about 7 or 8 grams, then roll each one into a sausage roughly 18 centimetres long.
6. Fold both ends until they cross over the middle and gently push them down on to the main “sausage” so they are secure.
7. Once you have made all the shapes, brush the top of each one with double cream then dip the painted side face down into the pearl sugar to coat it.
8. Place the cookies face up on your baking tray (they shouldn’t spread too much so can fit in quite close together) and bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.
9. Leave to cool on the tray before packing into biscuits tins.