Traditional Danish Fedtebrød – Coconut Cookie Slices with Rum Glaze – beautifully short buttery cookies packed with desiccated coconut and topped with a rum glaze.
I’m so excited to share these Danish Fedtebrød – Coconut Cookie Slices with Rum Glaze with you today!
My mum found my Danish grandmother’s Saffir Mel (flour) collection of cookie recipes down the back of a shelf the other day.
The recipes were printed on thin magazine paper, A5 in size and very faded so I borrowed the booklet and scanned it in to my computer.
On flicking through all the recipes one stood out to my mum, Danish Fedtebrød.
After school mum said she’d often pop into the local bakery and put one or two of these Coconut Cookie Slices on her mum’s tab. I can imagine what a fabulous treat this was for a hungry school girl!
So I set about making the Danish Fedtebrød with pretty scant instructions but imagined the size I was aiming for would be quite big if they were sold in a store.
I also had to improvise with the hjørtetaksalt as it translates as bicarbonate ammonium which we don’t have in the UK so mum said to use bicarbonate of soda.
The original recipe used a specific brand of margarine but I changed that to butter and it also called for rum essence but I only had real rum and couldn’t find any rum essence in my local supermarket.
Mum had never made these Danish Fedtebrød but her mother made them for her as a child so I was really intrigued to try them. I’m not the biggest fan of desiccated coconut but I really like these cookies and the rum flavoured glaze was subtle and not overpowering.
My family loved the cookies and I ended up making a couple of batches over 2 days.
I mixed my first batch of Danish Fedtebrød by hand and made them a bit too big. On day 2 I made them a bit smaller and as I had a cut finger I decided to use my food processor which made the rubbing in and mixing last a couple of minutes rather than ten or so.
However after tasting both batches I think the hand mixed cookies with their course short texture had more character than the machine mixed ones where the desiccated coconut was ground down further.
However opinion was divided in the family over which was best so if you’re pushed for time or find rubbing in difficult then do use your food processor.
Do you have to use rum in the glaze?
If you don’t like the idea of rum then you can substitute if for lemon juice instead and not need to add any water.
More Scandinavian or Coconut Bakes
Here are some more recipes I’m sure you’ll love!
- Finsk Brød – Fab Food 4 All
- Easy Slow Cooker Sourdough Danish Rye Bread – Fab Food 4 All
- Danish Vanilla Wreaths – Fab Food 4 All
- Marzipan Macaroons – Tin & Thyme
- Chocolate & Vanilla Coconut Butter Cookies – Family Friends Food
- 4 Ingredient Hazelnut Cookies – Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary
I hope you try these Danish Fedtebrød as they’re perfect with an afternoon cup of tea or entertaining!
They are incredibly short and buttery with just the right amount of added sweetness from the rum glaze.
Pin for later!
Danish Fedtebrød – Coconut Cookie Slices with Rum Glaze
Ingredients
- 125 g plain flour
- ¼ tsp hjørtetaksalt or bicarbonate of soda
- 125 g unsalted butter cut into cubes
- 65 g dessicated coconut
- 65 g granulated sugar
- For Rum glaze:
- 150 g icing sugar
- 2 tsp rum* or rum essence to taste
- 2 – 3 tsp water or enough to form a glaze if using essence
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC.
- Line a large baking sheet with baking paper.
- Sift the flour and bicarbonate or soda into a bowl.
- Rub in the butter until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Add the sugar and dessicated coconut and mix well.
- Use your hands to form a dough.
- Divide mixture into 3 equal portions.
- Take one portion and squeeze into a long sausage shape and place on baking paper.
- Use your hands to shape into a long rectangle about 5.5 cm by 27 cm.
- Then repeat with the other 2 portions and space apart well on baking sheet as they will spread.
- Bake on middle shelf of oven for 10 minutes (or until golden).
- Make up the glaze by mixing the icing sugar with the rum and water.
- When the cookies are ready and whilst still warm, spoon the glaze down the middle of each length and then make diagonal cuts.
- Transfer to a cooling rack.
- Store in an air tight container.
Andrew
Thank you for sharing this recipe. My mom made a very similar recipe and it was my favorite Christmas cookie every year. She passed a while ago and I couldn’t find the recipe. This is as close it could be. Thanks for helping me recreate this so I could share it with family and friends.
Camilla
Aww Andrew, I’m so sorry to hear about your mother passing but happy that I could help connect you to happy Christmas baking memories. Wishing you a Happy Christmas. x
Karen
These Danish cookies are new to me – thanks for sharing the recipe!
Camilla
Excellent Karen:-)
Chandice Probst
What a delicious bar it’s unique and fun! Easy to follow recipe, thank you so much!
Camilla
Thank you so much Chandice:-)
Holly
I am so happy to find this recipe! My mother and I used to frequent a little Danish village in California in th U.S.A. (I am now 60). There was one small bakery that had these delights, and I got them every time we went. A late night trip down memory lane led me to you – thank you!
Camilla
Aaw, that’s such a lovely story. So glad this recipe brought you joy:-) I hope you get to make them now:-)
Lori
These look good! Just thinking I might have seen some in the supermarket the other day!
Camilla
Thank you. Are you in Denmark? I’ve never seen these in any supermarket.
Beks
These cookies look yummy and I’m equally excited that Christmas is just around the corner!
Camilla
Thanks Beks:-)
Malissa
These were delicious and easy. My family loved them! Thanks for the great recipe.
Camilla
Excellent, so glad you liked them:-)
Sophie Anderson
yummy for my tummy! : )
Whits@amusebouche
Just this side of heaven.
Camilla
Thank you:-)
Anthony Allen
Excellent, simple recipe that yields delicious results
Camilla
Glad you like them:-)
Richard Tunner
Everyone love these and they are very easy.
Camilla
So glad you like them:-)
Susan Dubose
Delicious cookies. They have a rich, buttery taste. The only thing I would change the next time I make them would be to add more coconut.
Camilla
Thank you, glad you enjoyed them:-)
Rimmy
COCONUT COOKIE SLICES WITH RUM GLAZE so easy to try. Coconut is a fruit associated with my childhood
Camilla
I’m sure you’ll love them then:-)
Kara Mathys @Wellnessgrit
I love these awesomeness coconut cookie slices! This look so great, especially with that rum
Camilla
Thanks they are rather good:-)
Reva Lang
Camilla, Thanks for the recipe. Delicious!
Julia Kruz
Looks delicious! Do you know the alternative to rum? Our family has a negative attitude towards alcohol. Or rum will not be felt in cookies? Thx for sharing.
Camilla
Hi, you can use Rum flavouring, I’m pretty sure there is no rum in that.
Richard Eldred Hawes
The rum glaze on these makes them delicious
Camilla
It certainly does Richard:-)
Margaret gallagher
Never had these before -certainly a recipe I’d try -the combination of favours is ENOUGH to win me over
Camilla
Thanks Margaret, they are yummy:-)
April J Harris
These look wonderful, Camilla. I love old family recipes! I love the coconut/rum flavour combination. And I always change margarine to butter from my old family recipes as well.
Camilla
Thanks April, yes butter is always better:-)
kellie@foodtoglow
I love looking through old cookbooks, but even better if they have resonance with childhood memories. Most of my old American ones are a bit unlike anything I would now use, but they are interesting to read. I have been to Denmark a few times and will be going back sometime this year with a friend. We stupidly don’t tend to go into bakeries (I know, what’s wrong with us!) but if I see these long glazed bakes I will know what they are. Not sure I can pronounce them though. As for the hjørtetaksalt, I’m wondering if Bronte at Scandinavian Kitchen has some in stock? I’m sure she could get it for you if she doesn’t.
Camilla
I never saw these biscuits in any Danish Bakeries as a kid so I think it must have just been during my mum’s childhood. You must try an authentic Danish pastry Kellie! I can live without the hjørtetaksalt as the bicarb seemed to do the job, but thanks for the idea of contacting Bronte:-)
Margot
Those cookie slices look and sound amazing, especially the rum glaze part 🙂 Thank you for sharing with #InheritanceReciepes.
Camilla
Thank you Margot:-)
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche
How amazing that you found your grandmother’s cookbook! So precious. These look yummy, I love how they’re cut into those thick diagonal slices – so much more interesting than a simple circle!
Camilla
Thanks Becca, it was actually just a flimsy magazine like booklet, so faded and not easy to read.
Steve
If a food is made out of coconut, then I my taste buds will be the slave for it. 🙂 Even my favorite chocolate is Bounty. I will make my wife to have a glance at this recipe and ask her to prepare it for me.
Camilla
Great Steve, I hope she makes them for you:-)
pebble soup
This is right exciting, a long lost recipe book, wowee thanks for sharing with #InheritanceRecipes
Camilla
Thank you Solange:-)
joanne casey
These looks so delicious, coconut & rum is such a delicious combination
Camilla
Thank you, they really are:-)
Stuart
Gorgeous looking Camilla, I can just imagine the taste- must give them a try.
Camilla
Thanks Stuart, hope you do manage to try them:-)
Renée
These look amazing! I am also a fan of anything coconut. Speaking of coconut, is the desiccated coconut spoken of in the recipe sweetened or unsweetened?
Camilla
Thank you! I didn’t know you could buy sweetened desiccated coconut, this was just plain desiccated coconut, I got mine in the World Food aisle made by Eastend:-)
Tess D
Coconut & Rum 2 of my favourite ingredients! will have to try this one x
Camilla
Great Tess, do let me know what you think if you do try them:-)
Fiona jk42
it’s always nice to find old recipes that have a family connection. I’m going to give these a go as I love pretty much anything with coconut
Camilla
Excellent Fiona, do let me know what you think:-)
Sandra Jo Siddall
Oh these look so tasty think I will definitely have to try this recipe!
Alica
These look delicious!!
Alison
How lovely to find your grans book down the back of a shelf. I love finding memories like that. These look delicious
Camilla
Thanks Alison, they are fab and I shall be exploring more of the recipes:-)
Heather Haigh
Mmmm, I am a big fan of coconut and rum
Camilla
Thanks, you’d love them then:-)
Laura@howtocookgoodfood
What a treat these must be and even better that these slices have memories attached to them. I especially like the sound of a rum glaze!
Camilla
Thanks Laura, they are fab-)
Julia @ HappyFoods Tube
These cookie slices look soo good. Granmothers’ recipes are always the best, aren’t they? 🙂
Camilla
Thanks Julia, yes they really are:-)
Katie Crenshaw
These look so cute and sweet. My mother would love these cookie slices. Can’t wait to make a batch for her.
Camilla
Thank you Katie, that’s wonderful, hope your mother enjoys them:-)
Kavey
Something so wonderful about sharing family recipes, isn’t there? My mum has shared many from her father on Mamta’s Kitchen and now I share some of them too via my blog. It’s a connection through the ages, a sense of nostalgia and continuation and legacy! And they look delicious!
Camilla
Thank Kavey, yes there’s something very special about reliving a recipe from your family’s past:-)
Elizabeth @ SugarHero.com
These look great! I love trying new-to-me recipes–it’s one of the greatest joys of baking.
Camilla
Thanks Elizabeth, I love trying new recipes too:-)
Meg | Meg is Well
That’s so amazing that you found those recipes! It’s hard to translate old recipes but you also had to deal with being in a different country too. They look buttery, flakey, and super delicious!
Camilla
Thanks Meg, yes my Danish isn’t too hot these days but between my mum and Google translate I got there:-)
Michelle @ Greedy Gourmet
This remind me of my childhood memories. How I was so eager to eat cookie slices all the time. Thank you for the recipe.
Camilla
Thanks Michelle, I must post the one’s that my mum used to make for us:-)
lisa
I love a good family recipe, and coconut and rum are two of my favourite things!! Can’t wait to try these Camilla xxx
Camilla
Thanks Lisa, do let me know what you think:-)
Amy Fidler
Bet these are delicious xx
Camilla
Thanks, they certainly are:-)
Helen @ Fuss Free Flavours
That advertisement is so funny. I love that your Grandmother had a tab at the bakers and your mother could put snacks on it. The cookies look lovely too.
Camilla
Thanks! Yes the add is funny:-) I don’t think mum was meant to put personal purchases on the tab LOL:-)
Munchies and munchkins
Oh Camilla, these look delicious. Coconut and Rum is a winning combo in my book!
Camilla
Thank you Becky, they are lush:-)
William Gould
I’m a big fan of anything with coconut – I’ll definitely be having a go at these after our next big supermarket trip!
Camilla
Great William, do let me know what you think! If you’re buying desiccated coconut it’s probably cheaper in the world food aisle (that’s where I buy mine)!
Richard Eldred Hawes
These sound lovely, have not heard of them but may well give them a try
Camilla
Thanks Richard, so easy and delicious:-)
Corina
These look lovely – I do like cookies flavoured with coconut and so does my little girl, although I’d have to miss out the rum for hers!
Camilla
You could use essence instead but it’s so watered down it’s not strong at all, it’s just a hint of flavour.
Helen Moulden
These are really different! Look forward to trying making these!
Camilla
Great Helen, glad you like them:-)
Janice
They sound heavenly, Camilla. I loved to hear the story from your Mum’s childhood, makes the cookies even more enticing!
Camilla
Thank you Janice, yes it was lovely to learn about these cookies and the memories my mum had with them:-)
Helen @ family-friends-food.com
Those look and sound delicious, and what great memories from your Mum!
Camilla
Thanks Helen, and don’t forget the telephone exchange:-)