Holiday Danish Wedding Cookies are the PERFECT Christmas gift cookie. Sweet, buttery and full of pecans, you can’t go wrong with this recipe!
Not so Danish…
So the name of these cookies is a bit, well, odd. They don’t actually come from Denmark, and it doesn’t really seem to be apparent how they actually got their names. The wedding bit, however, is a little more interesting! The pecans are thought to represent the bumps in the road of life, but coated by the sweetness of marriage–the powdered sugar. I know what you’re thinking and yes, that is super weird. BUT, I also kind of love it. Either way you are going to LOVE these cookies.
why i love danish wedding cookies
I have been eating these FOR-EV-ER! My mom introduced them to me, what seems like decades ago (because it was), and I’ve been obsessed with them ever since. They come in a bright pink box from the grocery store, so you can’t miss them. To me, they resemble a shortbread cookie, but better. Super buttery and crunchy, with a very strong pecan flavor, and covered in powdered sugar. Sign me up!
ingredients you’ll need
- All Purpose Flour
- Salted Butter
- Powdered Sugar
- Pecans
- Vanilla Extract
- Heavy Cream
- Salt
how to make holiday danish wedding cookies
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cover 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Use a food processor or blender to finely grind the pecans. Set aside.
Mix butter and sugar with handheld mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually mix in flour and salt. Add vanilla, heavy cream, and pecans and combine well.
Your dough is going to be crumbly. Shape the dough into 2 inch balls and place on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until they slightly brown on bottoms. These cookies won’t change color much.
Let cool for a couple minutes, then roll warm cookies in remaining powdered sugar and place on a wire cooling rack. When they are cool, dust them with extra sugar.
tips for making danish wedding cookies
When forming the cookies squeeze the dough into your fist, using the heat from your hand to make it more pliable and less crumbly.
Add chocolate chips! The ones I have always gotten from the store have chocolate chips in them, so I threw some mini chocolate chips into the last batch I made and YUM! SOOO GOOD!
Store in an airtight container on your counter. They will last for up to a week!
These make GREAT gifts. Toss some in a cute little Christmas tin and boom, you have yourself an adorable and personal present!
Some other recipes you’ll love!
Holiday Danish Wedding Cookie
Equipment
- food processor/blender
- electric hand mixer
- baking sheet
- cooling rack
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons powdered sugar plus extra*
- 1 cup salted butter softened
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups pecans finely chopped**
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Use a food processor or blender to finely grind the pecans. Set aside.
- Mix butter and sugar with handheld mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually mix in flour and salt. Add vanilla, heavy cream, and pecans and combine well.
- Shape the dough into 2 inch balls and place on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until they slightly brown on bottoms. ***
- Let cool for a couple minutes, then roll warm cookies in remaining powdered sugar and place on a wire cooling rack. When they are cool, dust them with extra sugar.
Notes
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