Learn to make these simple and elegant Fattigmann cookies for the holiday season! Flavored with cardamom and gently fried, these cookies are the perfect accompaniment to a hot cup of coffee or hot cocoa.
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When December rolls around, my husband always has a “Christmas cookie list”, of cookies he enjoys around the Christmas season. This is one of his favorite recipes from his grandma, and has become one of my favorite to make as well.
Fattigmann is simple to make, and doesn’t require any extra steps from me.
And unlike a lot of sugary cookies, Fattigmann is not very sweet and makes for delightful treat to enjoy with my coffee.
Where is Fattigmann from?
The Fattigman cookie has it’s origins from Norway.
Even though my husband’s family is Swedish, this is one cookie he loves that’s Norwegian! Recipes like this one in his family have been handed down since his great-great grandma who was a cook to a Norwegian king.
It could be her recipe for Fattigman is one that got preserved for this Swedish family, while it goes by Klenät for other Swedes.
How do you pronounce Fattigman?
Fott-tea-man is how you pronounce this delicious cookie.
Although I have trouble with some pronunciations still with recipes I learn from my husband, this one isn’t too bad. It also helps that Fattigmann is one of the easiest and simplest treats to make!
Why is it called the poor man’s cookie?
Fattigmann has simple ingredients that most people would have had. Ingredients for Fattigmann include flour, sugar, cream, egg yolks, cardamom and a fat for frying.
As I said before, this recipe is very simple! Some Swedish or Norwegian recipes can be quite expensive with their ingredients. Others need special tools.
Fattigmann uses basic ingredients and a basic method of cooking. It was easily done for anyone, and could make a big batch for a number of people to enjoy.
What do Fattigmann taste like?
Fattigmann cookies taste like a crisp, wafer cookie. It is not super sweet or heavily flavored, with cardamom being the only spice in the cookie itself.
Why is it on our Christmas list each year if it doesn’t have that much flavor?
Balance, is my answer. I like a balance between sweet, and not so sweet cookies. Ones I can enjoy by themselves, and ones I can enjoy with other things like coffee or hot cocoa.
For my husband, these cookies can withstand the cold without turning into rocks. They make a nice grab and go treat as he’s outside doing chores.
Some recipes suggest Fattigmann is more of a donut, and they use a leavening agent like baking powder to make it puffy. Others add cognac or brandy to help with flavor.
If you are trying to create an authentic poor man’s cookie though, keep it as simple as possible. Sometimes we do just need simple.
What do you need to make Fattigmann?
You will need:
- A Mixing Bowl
- Dry Measuring Cups
- Liquid Measuring Cup
- Measuring Spoons
- Rolling Pin
- Pizza cutter (you could also use a Pastry Cutter or a specific Fattigman Cutter, if you wish)
Ingredients to make Fattigmann Cookies
- Powdered Sugar (extra is optional for sprinkling on top)
- Heavy Cream
- Egg Yolks
- Cardamon
- Flour
How to make Fattigmann Cookies
In a mixing bowl, beat egg yolks well.
Gradually add in sugar and heavy cream together with egg yolks, and beat in.
Add cardamom and flour; mix well to combine.
Form dough into a ball, and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll dough very thin (the original recipe I have says to roll it 1/16 inch).
Cut the dough into strips using a pizza or pastry cutter 1 1/2 inches wide x 4 inches long. (I like to square it off a little first with the pizza cutter, and then use a measuring tape for the strips).
Make a gash lengthwise in the center of each strip. I make my gashes around an inch long.
Slip one end through the gash, so the middle becomes twisted. Repeat for all the strips.
Place 3 c. of oil in a pan on medium heat, until oil is hot. Place the cookie strips in the hot oil and fry until lightly brown on one side.
Flip to the other side and brown. (This should only take a 1 1/2 – 2 minutes).
Remove cookies from the oil onto a paper towel and let them cool.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar before storing or eating, if you want.
Enjoy!
Notes
- Instead of cutting the dough into strips, you can cut them into diamond shapes.
- I prefer to use coconut oil for frying, but you can use another type of oil for frying if you prefer.
Fattigmann Cookie
Ingredients
- 6 T. powdered sugar + extra for sprinkling
- 6 T. heavy cream
- 6 egg yolks
- 1 1/2 tsp. cardamom
- 3 c. flour
- 3 c. oil for frying
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, beat egg yolks well.
- Gradually add in sugar and heavy cream together with egg yolks, and beat in.
- Add cardamom and flour; mix well to combine.
- Form dough into a ball and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll the fattigmann cookie dough very thin.
- Cut the dough into strips using a pizza or pastry cutter 1 1/2 inches wide x 4 inches long.
- Make a gash lengthwise in the center of each strip and slip one end through the gash, to twist the middle of the cookie. Repeat for all the strips.
- Place 3 c. of oil in a pan on medium heat, until oil is hot. Place the cookie strips in the hot oil and fry until lightly brown. Flip to the other side and brown. (This should only take a 1 1/2 – 2 minutes).
- Remove cookies from the oil onto a paper towel and let them cool.
- Optional: Sprinkle with powdered sugar before storing or eating. Enjoy!
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