Danish butter cookies or Scottish shortbread?

[bcla]

I grew up on Danish butter cookies. We could typically find Kjeldsens when I was a kid at various places including drug stores. They were especially popular around Christmas time. I remember there were some variations where the assortment might have some with different shapes. Maybe some brands had variations with coconut, ground nuts, or currants. Maybe some with coarse sugar crystals. But the vanilla ring and sugar crusted pretzel shape were always there in every brand.

It is a bit weird in that there are a few similar ones these days labelled as "Danish style" that might be made in Indonesia or Malaysia. Maybe even other parts of Asia such as Hong Kong, Singapore, or South Korea. I've noticed that these are common in Asian grocery stores and supermarkets.

Later I found out about Scottish shortbread which is a little bit different, but the same basic ingredients. Maybe more butter and not baked at as high a temperature. I like them too but butter cookies are a bit different. A little bit drier and less sweet. Maybe a little bit more crumbly. Not necessarily better or worse, but just different. I think Walkers is the big name, but it's gotten to the point where I've seen imitations from Asia.

I just found a 5 lb tin of Kelsens Danish butter cookies at Grocery Outlet for $5.99 in Christmas pattern tins. I picked up one with a Christmas tree on it, although there was another with Christmas carolers. They say that it's comparable retail at $19.99. My family is just pounding them down now. I know it's not particularly healthy, but as a kid I remember going through an entire 1 lb tin by myself. When I went to summer camp, a tin was in my care package from my parents, although I had to share with my cabin mates.

Anyone grew up with these? Not even sure I've ever met anyone from Denmark in my life, but my youth involved Kjeldsens cookies and Dak canned ham. Heard somewhere that Denmark is per capita the largest consumer or pork in the world, and of course they seem to have brought us canned ham as well as baby back ribs, which were apparently a byproduct of Danish ham production.

 

[luvthatduke]

I just got 2 small cans of them - we love them!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

If I see the ones with the Scottie dogs they’re hard to resist because we have a similar type of dog so we get a kick out of them. You don’t always see them around, though, and the packages are usually fairly small. This year DH got two packages in his stocking - after I’d already bought a small package (that was bent, but it was the last one so I bought it anyway) I saw some in a cute little tin that I knew he would save for his fishing do-dads, so I bought that one, too. (I don’t think he even shared, but I may have managed to steal one or two.)



My mother used to buy the tins of Danish cookies, but she would eat a few and then give us the rest. We of course love them but they’re rich, and there are a lot in each tin, so I don’t usually buy them myself. Patients give them to us in the hospital sometimes and I like to enjoy a few.

This is a little OT but this year I also bought a Walker’s Christmas Pudding to try. It was interesting! It had to be steamed for an hour before being served, and a little vanilla ice cream on the side helped it go down, lol. But I was assured that Walker’s made a good product because “that’s mainly what they make”. (Not sure if that’s true, but it’s what I was told in the store.) DD had done a project in a culinary class in HS on Christmas foods in England so when we saw it, we thought it would be fun to try. I think it’s one of those things that you probably like best if you grew up with it, but I won’t rule out buying another one sometime. DS liked it the most of all of us.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I remember my grandmother buying them! - I liked the coconut ones.

 

[MamaMermaid]

I prefer the shortbread but I won't say no to any cookie.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I prefer Walkers shortbread, any shape.

 

[Schneewittchen37]

Team Walkers! So good with a cup of Irish Breakfast tea. Wonderful crumbly, buttery goodness.

I don't love the Danish cookies though. My parents always bought them, but I hated them. And DH loves them too. Tastes like sawdust to me.

 

[RedAngie]

I like both. I too have been noticing that some “Danish Butter cookies” are made in Asian countries.

The “real” Danish butter cookies sold in Denmark are superior to those made for export.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Love both and will make a mini cup of tea or coffee strictly for the cookie dip but the ones in the tin will always have a soft spot in my heart over memories of my Grandma, very nostalgic.

 

[AndreaDM]

Walker's Shortbread all the way, LOVE them!

 

[BlueStarryHat]

They're okay. I grew up with the chocolate covered star-shaped cookies with sprinkles on for the Holidays. That was the only time I would call it a tradition, per se because it used to be that you could only get them at Christmas time. The rest of the year my Mom kept Chips Ahoy in the house.

 

[fla4fun]

I love Walkers, but it’s so expensive that I have been making my own. They are very simple, since it’s only three ingredients, and I bake them as bar cookies, cutting them after they bake. I think the homemade ones are better.

I like the butter cookies, but if Walkers are the same price, that’s what I buy.

 

[ftbaker1313]

I am a Walkers fan. The Dutch butter cookies aren't bad, but Walker's are king.

 

[luvnwdwgal]

Love Walkers!! I actually found a recipe a couple days ago for Scottish Shortbread. Just 3 ingredients, butter, brown sugar and flour. I’m going to try it.

 

[DLgal]

I love Walkers, but it’s so expensive that I have been making my own. They are very simple, since it’s only three ingredients, and I bake them as bar cookies, cutting them after they bake. I think the homemade ones are better.

I like the butter cookies, but if Walkers are the same price, that’s what I buy.

Agree. Homemade shortbread is so easy. I have been meaning to make millionaire shortbread for awhile and this thread reminded me.

I use Kerrygold butter when I make my shortbread and they taste exactly like Walkers. I like to make mine slightly softer though. I find Walkers kind of dry if you eat them without coffee (or tea, I suppose).

I also do like Royal Dansk cookies, but only around the holidays. I like the shapes that are crusted with coarse sugar.

 

[AppleDumpling]

I’ve never cared much for them. My elderly MIL likes both, just got her a tin of the Danish cookies on clearance after Christmas. My mom loved Lorna Doones, which taste close to Walkers. And Girl Scout Trefoils are similar too.

 

[bcla]

I’ve never cared much for them. My elderly MIL likes both, just got her a tin of the Danish cookies on clearance after Christmas. My mom loved Lorna Doones, which taste close to Walkers. And Girl Scout Trefoils are similar too.

I dunno. Shortbread without real butter is just weird. I've seen some Asian imports trying to replicate Scottish style shortbread, and they often use palm oil.

Costco has had a big tin of Walkers in various designs over the years. It's kind of unusual in that Costco's Kirkland house brand almost never indicates the actual manufacturer. 4+ lbs is a lot though. I think it's usually about $20 in the US. But all I could find was that Canadian Costcos had it last Christmas season, although I can't find a price.

Strike that. I just needed a valid postal code. $27.99 CAD although the price is probably different in stores.

https://www.costco.ca/kirkland-signature-walkers-shortbread-selection-cookies,-2.1-kg.product.100461764.html

Once I found small packs of Walkers fingers at a clearance grocery store (Grocery Outlet). Something like 4 for $1 for about 1.5 oz. They had one tray left and bought out what they had. Man that was good.

 

[AnnaS]

I buy the Danish cookies once in a while. Love when they have the small can ($1.00). I don't think they taste the same/as good as they did years ago. Maybe it's just me though

 

[bcla]

This was the brand I remembered as a kid. Don't remember it being so yellow, but definitely the name and logo hasn't changed at all. I think their assortment typically had one with currants.

 

[AndreaDM]

World Market sells Walker's year round.