Is it too late for holiday baking? Given the activity on our Instagram feed and in our own household (Charlotte’s got Wool Roll Bread in the oven as we speak), we think not!

As we close out 2021, we’re sharing one last holiday recipe: Jødekager, a very special Danish butter cookie brought to us by our friends Jennifer and Hans at Six Dutchess Farm. I spent a charming evening last week on Zoom with Jennifer’s mom Vivian, a force-of-nature kind of a woman with her warm, bright smile, elegant caftan and impeccably coiffed hair, who showed us fortunate attendees how to make this time honored holiday favorite.

A real low-fuss cookie, Jødekager can be mixed all in one go with just your hands and a bowl, relishing the feel of the dough coming together manually as Vivian has always done. Or get out your mixer if you like, and use the paddle attachment for equally good results. Either way, the dough needs a good chilling before being rolled out and cut into circles or hearts, Jennifer’s non-traditional variation. Re-chill the dough if it gets too difficult to work with (ours did)—it’s absolutely worth the few extra minutes of your time. Vivian says parchment lined baking sheets work fine, though she prefers to bake directly on buttered pans for extra-crisp cookie bases. And do not skip the egg wash. Its crackle and shine atop the cookies is delightful.

Our household is divided on desserts with nuts, so we left the almonds off some of our cookies. I personally feel they are an important player in this recipe, though the cinnamon sugar topping isn’t half bad all alone! Guests at The Civic Kitchen cookie swap last weekend proclaimed them all delectable, kind of like a pie dough crossed with a shortbread cookie, with a tender, buttery crumb. We think they will earn a spot in many a future cookie tin!