Sju slag, seven kinds, is the old Norwegian Christmas tradition many remember from childhood: there should be at least seven sorts of biscuits in the house. Today most people choose their own seven. Here are the classics, and a list you can bake without special irons.
Black Month pack The classic kinds
| Kind | What they are like | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| Gingerbread biscuits | Crisp | Biscuit cutters |
| Krumkaker (rolled wafers) | Crisp | Krumkake iron |
| Goro (cardamom wafers) | Crisp | Goro iron |
| Sandkaker (almond tartlets) | Tender | Small tartlet tins |
| Serina biscuits | Tender | Nothing extra |
| Berlinerkranser (butter wreaths) | Tender | Nothing extra |
| Syrup diamonds | Soft | Nothing extra |
| Fattigmann (fried diamonds) | Deep-fried | Pot for frying |
| Smultringer (doughnut rings) | Deep-fried | Pot for frying |
Seven kinds without special irons
If you have no krumkake or goro iron, a baking tray will do fine:
- Gingerbread biscuits
- Serina biscuits
- Berlinerkranser (butter wreaths)
- Syrup diamonds
- Brown sticks (syrup fingers)
- Coconut macaroons
- Oat lace biscuits
How to put your seven together
- Mix the textures: Some crisp, some tender and some soft make a fine plate.
- Halve the recipes: Seven full recipes give more than most people can eat.
- Start with the ones that can wait: Gingerbread biscuits and syrup diamonds can be baked early. Bake the butter biscuits closer to Christmas, or freeze them.
The whole calendar is in Christmas baking ahead of time.
Seven kinds need several tins
Crisp and soft biscuits must each have their own tin, or everything ends up equally soft. Our guide to Christmas biscuit tins shows which tin suits each kind. Crisp biscuits like as little air around them as possible, and that is where our food container fits in: it is transparent, so you can see which kind you have, and the pump draws out the air.
Food Container 2,800 ml679 NOKContainer, lid and pump in the same pack. The pump draws out the air and charges with the included USB-C cable.
Frequently asked questions
Does it have to be exactly seven?
No. Seven is the tradition, not a rule. Bake the kinds you like best.
When should I start baking?
Gingerbread biscuits can be baked in November. Butter biscuits are best baked in December, or frozen.
Can the Christmas biscuits be frozen?
Yes, most of them. Freeze them in an airtight tin. Thaw crisp biscuits with the lid off.
Which kinds are easiest?
Oat lace biscuits, Serina biscuits and brown sticks need neither irons nor tins.
Want to know how long the biscuits keep? See storing Christmas biscuits.
One tin for each kind
The food container shows which kind you have, without you opening the lid.
See the food container →- Pump included
- ·
- Lid with clips
- ·
- Transparent container




