Sju sorters kakor facts for kids

Assortment of Swedish cookies typically served during the holiday season

Sju sorters kakor (Norwegian: Syv slags kaker) is a Swedish and Norwegian Christmas tradition where hosts typically prepare seven different kinds of cookies for their guests. While the specific type of cookie varies from household to household, the number of types is consistently seven, as less than seven would indicate an insufficient host, while over seven would indicate a pretentious host. While the tradition started in Sweden, it has since spread to Norwegian and Scandinavian-American households.

History

Swedish custom of fika, featuring coffee and kanelbullar, a Swedish cinnamon roll

In 1823, Sweden lifted its ban on coffee consumption, leading to more coffee being drank around the country. This led to an increase in 'kaffehuses'--small cafes that would typically serve coffee and småkakor (little cookies). As cafes became more popular and fika became more common, competition for the highest quality cookies became rampant, and hosts were pressured to create varieties of different cookies for guests to enjoy.

In 1945, following the lifting of rationing caused by World War II, cookies and their ingredients were easier to come by, and much cheaper to make. The cookbook Swedish Cakes and Cookies by Märta Holmgren was published, selling over 3.8 million copies and being Sweden's best-selling cookbook to date. This spread the tradition further and increased its popularity through the 20th century.

Types of cookies

• Finska pinnar, or Finnish sticks--a crispy almond cookie topped with pearl sugar
• Schackrutor--a shortbread cookie split between vanilla and cocoa-flavored dough
• Kardemumma Skorpor--a sugar cookie topped with crushed cardamom seeds
• Brysselkex, or Brussels cookie--a sugar cookie topped with red-colored sugar
• Muskotsnittar--a stick-shaped cookie coated in cinnamon and ginger
• Drömmar, or dream cookies--a vanilla cookie characterized by its light and airy texture
• Havreflarn--a chewy, flat oatmeal cookie
• Hallongrottor--a thumbprint cookie typically filled with various jams, specifically raspberry
• Mandelkubb--an almond cookie with a signature bitter taste
• Pepparkakor--a gingerbread cookie

Gallery

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  Various cookies on a tray

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  Typical fika spread

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  Tray of mandelkubb cookies

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  Drömmar cookies being baked

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  Prepared drömmar cookies

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  Tray of decorated pepparkakor cookies

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  Tray of havreflarn cookies