Kolakakor (Swedish Caramel Slices)

Kolakakor (also called kolasnittar) are rich and buttery with a touch of caramel flavor. They’re chewy in the middle and crispy on the edges. These classic Swedish cookies are easy to make using ingredients you already have in your pantry. Cutting the cookies on the bias gives these cookies their unique and traditional shape. Enjoy them for dessert, during your fika break, or as part of your holiday cookie assortment!

Want more cookie recipes? You’ll love my Bondkakor (Swedish Farmer Cookies), Hindbærsnitter (Danish Raspberry Bars), and Hallongrottor (Swedish Thumbprint Cookies) recipes!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• They have a rich, buttery and caramel-like flavor.
• There’s no fancy ingredients, just simple items you already have in your pantry.
• They’re super easy to make! Just mix, shape, bake and cut!
• You can enjoy them for dessert and they’re also perfect with a cup of coffee or tea.

Read my article on Sju Sorters Kakor (7 Kinds of Cookies) for more cookie recipes!

Ingredients

• Butter: I use unsalted butter when baking. Different brands of butter use varying amounts of salt in salted butter. Using unsalted butter will help give uniform results when baking. If you’re using salted butter, reduce or eliminate any additional salt.
• Corn syrup: Gives the cookies a slightly chewy texture. I use light corn syrup, but you can use dark corn syrup for a deeper flavor.

See recipe card below for full ingredient measurements.

Variations

• Spices: Adding spices like cinnamon, cardamom, or nutmeg can add warmth and depth to the cookies.
• Chopped Nuts: You can sprinkle some chopped nuts like almonds, pecans on top of the cookies before baking for added texture.
• Flavored Extracts: Experiment with different extracts like almond, maple, or coconut to add different flavors to your cookies.
• Sea Salt: A pinch of flaky sea salt on top of the cookies just before baking gives them a sweet-savory contrast.
• Glaze: After baking, drizzle the cookies with a simple glaze made from powdered sugar and milk, or even a citrus-flavored glaze for an extra layer of sweetness.

This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!

Step by Step Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour and baking soda. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment), cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until it’s a pale-yellow color and fluffy in texture, about 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Add the corn syrup and vanilla and mix to combine.
• With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, scraping the sides down to incorporate the dry ingredients.

• Divide the dough in half. Roll each half into roughly 12″ lengths. You can see from the photo above how long I rolled out mine. Make sure to leave a couple inches of space between each roll as the dough will spread when baking.
• Press down lightly and very slightly flatten the top of each roll.
• After they’ve cooled a bit, but while still warm, cut the cookies on the bias into about 1″ wide diagonal strips.

Expert Tips

• Butter temperature: The butter should be at room temperature which is about 65°. You’ll know it’s room temperature when you gently press it with your finger, and it will indent slightly. The butter will feel cool to the touch, not warm.
• Avoid overmixing: Once you start adding the dry ingredients, be careful not to overmix the dough. Overmixing can make the cookies tough. Mix only until the ingredients are combined.
• Parchment paper or Silpat: Line your baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat. This prevents the cookies from sticking to the pan and ensures easy removal.
• Cooling rack: Once the cookies are out of the oven, transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely. This prevents them from becoming soggy on the bottom.
• Cut while warm: Cut the cookies while they’re still warm so they easily cut without crumbling.

Storage

To store: Once the cookies have cooled completely, store them in an air-tight container or a zip top bag at room temperature for up to a week.

To freeze: Once cooled, store the cookies in a freezer-safe container or zip top bag and freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, simply let them sit out at room temperature.

More Recipes You’ll Love

• Swedish Cardamom Rusks
• Kokostoppar (Swedish Coconut Macaroons)
• Swedish Oatmeal Lace Cookies (Havreflarn)
• Finska Pinnar (Finnish Sticks)
• Brysselkex (Swedish Brussels Cookies)

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