Berlinerkranser (Norwegian Butter Cookies) Recipe

Gather the ingredients.

Separate the egg whites from the yolks of the hard-boiled eggs and discard the whites.

Crumble the egg yolks into a large mixing bowl.

Separate the yolks from the whites of the 2 fresh eggs. Reserve the whites for an egg wash.

Beat the raw yolks into the hard-boiled yolks.

Vigorously whisk the sugar and the vanilla sugar into the combined yolks.

Stir the flour into the yolks to form a soft dough.

Cut the chilled butter into 1/2-inch chunks. Use a pastry cutter or 2 knives to cut it into the dough, as you would for a pastry crust.

Pat the dough into a ball and cover it completely with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 375 F and place 2 uninsulated baking sheets in your freezer to chill for 15 minutes.

Pinch off walnut-sized pieces of dough and roll them into 6-inch long "snakes" about the thickness of a pencil. Fold the ends over one another into a wreath shape.

Line the chilled baking sheets with parchment paper and place the wreaths on them, leaving at least an inch of space around each cookie.

Beat the reserved egg whites with a tablespoon of water. Brush each wreath evenly with the egg wash.

Sprinkle generously with sparkling or pearl sugar.

Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake the cookies for 10 minutes, or until they turn golden. Watch closely to make sure they don't burn, as oven temperatures can vary.

Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack.

Gently press candied fruit into the top of the cookies for decoration, if desired.

Cool cookies completely and serve or store in an airtight container.