These Finnish Christmas Cookies (Joulutorttu) are a traditional favorite, known for their pinwheel shape. They're piled with delicious prune jam and make a big batch, so bake them for Christmas and freeze any leftovers.
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Why This Recipe Stands Out
These Finnish Christmas cookies are a holiday favorite and for good reason. They're:
- Very Crispy: The combination of butter and the baking method gives these cookies a wonderfully crisp texture.
- Easy to Make: The simple ingredients and the straightforward recipe make these cookies easy to prepare. Our Vegan Blueberry Cookies are super easy also!
- Tangy Prune Filling: The puree prunes give the cookies a slightly tangy and fruity flavor that perfectly complements the buttery, crispy exterior.
- Look Great: The unique pinwheel shape and the dust of powdered sugar on top make these cookies a standout on your holiday dessert table.
- Traditional: These cookies are a traditional Finnish Christmas treat that your family and friends are sure to love. Try our German Stollen and Danish Risalamande for another traditional dessert recipes.
- Perfect for Sharing: This recipe makes a batch of 24 cookies, making it perfect for sharing at holiday gatherings.
Key Ingredients
- Butter – The softened butter adds a rich, buttery flavor and a soft, tender texture to our cookies.
- Eggs – These bind the ingredients together and add moisture for a soft, chewy texture.
- Orange Zest – The orange zest adds a bright, citrusy flavor that pairs beautifully with the prunes.
- Prunes – Prunes are the star of these cookies, adding a sweet, slightly tart flavor and a chewy texture.
Substitutions and Variations
These Finnish Christmas Cookies are a classic holiday treat. Here's how you can put your own spin on this traditional recipe:
- Spices: The dough for these cookies is beautifully scented with orange zest, but you can definitely get creative with your spices. Try adding a touch of cinnamon or cardamom to the dough for a warm, cozy flavor. You can also use lemon zest instead of the orange zest for a different citrusy twist.
- Jam: Instead of prunes, you can use any other dried fruit of your choice. Dried apricots or figs would be delicious in these cookies. If you're feeling adventurous, try spreading a thin layer of your favorite jam on the dough before baking for a fruity, sweet surprise.
- Glaze: These cookies are delicious as is, but if you want to dress them up a bit, you can make a simple glaze with powdered sugar and orange juice. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cookies for an extra touch of sweetness and a burst of citrus.
How to Make Finnish Christmas Cookies (Joulutorttu)
Step 1: Whisk butter, orange zest, salt, sugar, and egg in a bowl.
Step 2: Add sifted flour and baking powder, knead into dough, wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.
Step 3: Puree prunes until smooth.
Step 4: Roll dough to ⅛-1/16 inch thick, cut into 2.5 x 2.5 in squares.
Step 5: Place squares on parchment-lined sheets, make diagonal cuts from corners toward the center.
Step 6: Fold corners to form pinwheels.
Step 7: Press the center, add 1 teaspoon prune jam, and brush with beaten egg.
Step 8: Bake at 390°F for 9-10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
Step 9: Sprinkle with icing sugar before serving.
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.g.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can use store-bought prune jam if you prefer. However, making your own prune puree is quite simple and allows you to control the texture and sweetness of the filling.
The cookies are done when they turn a light golden brown color. This usually takes about 9-10 minutes in a preheated 390 F oven.
How should I store the finished cookies?
These Finnish Christmas cookies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
More Recipes You'll Enjoy
- Vegan Pumpkin Cookies - These Vegan Pumpkin Cookies feature the perfect blend of sweet, savory, and spicy flavors.
- Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies - These holiday treats are made with almond flour, vegan chocolate as well as peppermint flavored candy canes.
- Vegan Trail Mix Cookies - Are you ready to discover your new favorite sweet treat? These vegan trail mix cookies are a perfect blend of crunchy nuts, chewy dried fruits, and sweet chocolate gems.
- Moroccan Cookies - These Moroccan cookies are the healthier, vegan versions of traditional Ghriba cookies, made with almond and semolina flours.
Recipe
Finnish Christmas Cookies With Prune Jam (Joulutorttu)
Ingredients
- 4.5 ounces softened butter
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 ⅞ cup flour
- 2 eggs
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 orange zested
- a pinch of salt
- ¾ cup pitted prunes
Instructions
- Start off with the dough. In a large bowl whisk together softened butter, orange zest, salt and sugar. Add one egg and whisk again.
- Sift together flour and baking powder and add them into the butter and egg mixture. Knead the dough until all ingredients are combined, wrap it in a plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, puree the prunes until smooth.
- On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough to ⅛-1/16 inch thick. If it's too thick, the dough may break during shaping. Using a ruler as a helper, cut out squares 2.5 х 2.5 in.
- Transfer the squares on the 2 parchment lined baking sheets. Make diagonal cuts in each corner of every square about 2 inches to the centre.
- Lift one corner of a square and fold it into the middle. Fold the next corner onto the previous one. Continue folding 2 more corners until your cookies have a pinwheel shape.
- Lightly press in the center of the cookies and place there about a teaspoon of prune jam.
- Brush cookies with a beaten egg and bake in a preheated to 390 F oven for 9-10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- Just before serving sprinkle with an icing sugar.
Notes
Iryna Bychkiv is the founder and writer of the culinary website Lavender & Macarons, where she shares clean, European-inspired recipes that are delicious, easy to prepare, and made with wholesome ingredients. Iryna loves creating meals that are simple yet healthy and unique, including vegan and vegetarian recipes.
Iryna is also a freelance writer for MSN and Associated Press Wire.
Petro says
Delicious!
Victoria Irene Karpiak says
Loved the Ukrainian Cottage cheese pancakes ( Syrniki ). Also learned that I could freeze them which makes the extra effort worth while. I added Haskap berries ( superberries ) to the sour cream at the end and they were delicious and nutritious. These pancakes are a crowd-pleaser. Dyakyu!
Iryna Bychkiv says
Victoria, thank you for your comment and 5-star rating! I'm happy you enjoyed this recipe! Adding Haskap berries sounds like a delicious addition:)
Tia says
The "Joulutorttu" is not a cookie, never has been. It's a pastry because it is always made from the puff pastry dough, not from a cookie dough, and definitely no orange zest. No Finnish person would ever make it from cookie dough, myself included. Also, it a way easier to just buy the prune jam from the store, than make it from scratch. Hardly anyone here makes it themselves and the same goes for the the puff pastry dough. The Joulutorttu is definitely traditional christmas delicacy in Finland but the only thing this recipe has gotten right is the star shape. :/
Lynn VanNatter says
I plan to make these this Christmas season but I am not the most experienced baker so I'm wondering, after I've pureed the prunes, what do I do with them? I see no further mention of them in the instructions.
Iryna says
Hi Lynn! Sorry for the confusion. You puree the prunes until you have a jam consistency. Then, set prune jam aside and work with the dough. After you shaped the dough into pinwheels (as per my photo instructions), place about a teaspoon of pureed prunes (jam) in the centre of a cookie, brush cookies with an egg and bake. I hope this helps and your cookies come out wonderful!
Lumi says
Hello, hello! Finnish person talking here! So um, I'm not too sure about this, but actually they aren't traditiditionally cookies. They are supposed to be sort of crispy but still soft, and flaky, and a lot puffier than your recipe seems to make them.
Nina says
Another Finn here! I agree, they’re supposed to be a lot puffier ?
Mashka says
So beautiful!
Iryna says
Thank you!:)