Striped Schackrutor Cookies
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for more information.
Schackrutor, translating to “chess squares,” are traditional Swedish cookies known for their striking checkerboard or striped pattern. These cookies make a delightful visual statement on any holiday cookie tray, embodying the elegance and simplicity of Scandinavian baking. With a delicate, buttery taste and a crisp texture, they provide a perfect balance of flavor and aesthetics. Often served during Christmas festivities, Schackrutor are as enjoyable to make as they are to eat, making them a cherished part of holiday traditions.
What is Schackrutor?
This particular cookie has a silly story to them in my personal life. For the entirety of my parents marriage, my dad has spent every holiday season reminiscing about the layered cookies that his Polish grandmother used to make for Christmas when he was a child. My great-grandmother, Hildegard, was born in Laschinske, Poland in 1922, so I always assumed it was a cookie from where she grew up. The cookies were described in various ways over the years: sometimes with colored layered, other times with chocolate, with 9 layers or even 12 layers. They were a cookie recipe that we had not been able to recreate for most of his life.
I began looking into Scandinavian cookie recipes a couple of years ago (another side of my ancestry), and I discovered Schackrutor, which is a checkerboard cookie from Sweden. As soon as my dad tasted these buttery shortbread-like cookies, he said, “This is it! This is the layered cookie!”
I knew that I had to try making them exactly like my great-grandmother used to, in layers.
Why You’ll Love These Striped Cookies:
Beautiful Design: The striped or checkerboard pattern of these cookies adds a touch of sophistication to any holiday spread and is so strikingly beautiful!
Buttery and Crisp: The melt-in-your-mouth texture and subtle sweetness make them a perfect pairing with tea or coffee.
Fun to Create: Rolling and assembling the contrasting doughs into patterns is both satisfying and entertaining, making it a great activity to share with family.
Gathering Ingredients:
Butter. For the best results, have your butter around 62° F (16° C) so that is softened but not overly warm.
Sugar.
Eggs. You will need 2 egg yolks and 1 egg white for this recipe, at room temperature.
Vanilla Bean Paste. If you do not have vanilla bean paste, you can substitute the paste for vanilla extract.
Flour.
Salt.
Milk. Any type of milk can be used for this recipe.
Cocoa Powder. For this recipe, I recommend using Dutch processed cocoa powder over unsweetened cocoa powder.
How to Make the Dough:
Step One: In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg yolks and vanilla bean paste, beating them into the butter mixture until well combined, about 2 minutes more. Then, add the flour and salt, mixing until a dough begins to form, another 3 to 4 minutes. Finally, cream in the milk and beat on medium speed for a further 3 minutes.
Step Two: Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. To easily do this, weigh your dough on a kitchen scale and divide that number in half.
Step Three: Return one half of the dough to the mixer and set the second half aside for now. To the portion of dough in the mixer, beat in the cocoa powder until it no longer has any streaks of color in it, about 3 minutes.
Step Four: Shape both halves of dough into rectangles that measure about 3 x 8-inches (8 x 20-cm). Try your best at this, as the dough will be soft. Then, wrap each rectangle loosely in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour.
How to Shape the Cookies:
Step One: On a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece of dough to an 8 x 12-inch (20 x 30-cm) rectangle that is about 1/4-inch (6-mm) thick. Try to the keep the edges of the dough as straight as possible and you can trim the edges for perfectly straight lines.
Step Two: With a pastry brush, dust off any excess flour from the dough pieces. Brush one half of the dough with a bit of the beaten egg white. Then, layer the other half of the dough on top. Slice the dough into 6 strips measuring 8 x 2-inches (20 x 5-cm). Brush each of the layers with egg white and stack them on top of each other in contrasting colors so that they lay in an AB pattern (black, white, black, white).
Step Three: Wrap the block of layered dough in plastic wrap and place it onto a flat surface, such as a cutting board or flat plate. Chill the dough for 1 hour or until it has become solid and hardened.
Step Four: Remove the dough from the refrigerator. With a sharp knife or bench scraper, down the length of the block begin slicing the dough into 1/2-inch (1-cm) thick slices that are 8-inches (20-cm) long.
Step Five: Then, cut each slice into sections that are 2-inches (5-cm) wide. You should have several little striped rectangles at this point.
Step Six: Arrange the cookies on the baking sheets about 2-inches (5-cm) apart. If the cookies have become too warm, pop them back into the refrigerator for about 20 minutes or freezer for about 5 to 10 minutes.
Step Seven: Bake the cookies for 9 minutes or until they are set and the edges are slightly golden brown. Remove the trays from the oven and leave the cookies to rest on the trays for 5 more minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
Tips for Making Perfect Schackrutor:
Weigh Your Ingredients. It’s always a good idea to weigh your baking ingredients as everyone’s cup of flour weighs differently!
Keep the Dough Cold. Chilling the dough helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much and enhances their flavor.
Uniform Sizing: Use a ruler or straight edge to ensure the strips are even for a neater design.
Serving Suggestions for a Festive Holiday:
For a true Swedish winter holiday, serve these Striped Schackrutor Cookies with a warm beverage like spiced glögg, mulled cider, or hot cocoa. Their crisp texture pairs well with creamy drinks and makes them an elegant addition to any dessert platter. For an extra festive touch, dust them lightly with powdered sugar before serving.
These cookies look great paired with other Christmas cookies in a Christmas Cookie Box! You can see my 2023 Christmas Cookie Box by tapping the button below.
Final Thoughts:
These Striped Schackrutor Cookies are a beautiful way to celebrate the holiday season with family and friends. Their beautiful design and buttery taste will be sure to fill you with fond holiday memories. Perhaps you will even rediscover an old childhood classic, like my dad! It can be fun to mix in new recipes from your heritage into your Christmas cookie baking. You will love these Swedish inspired cookies!
xoxo Kayla
Striped Schackrutor Cookies: Swedish Christmas Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (232 g) salted butter, softened
- 3/4 cups (150 g) granulated sugar
- 2 egg yolks, room temperature
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups (195 g) all-purpose flour
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) milk, any kind
- 1 tbsp (5 g) Dutch processed cocoa powder
- 1 egg white, lightly beaten
Instructions
- In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg yolks and vanilla bean paste, beating them into the butter mixture until well combined, about 2 minutes more. Then, add the flour and salt, mixing until a dough begins to form, another 3 to 4 minutes. Finally, cream in the milk and beat on medium speed for a further 3 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. To easily do this, weigh your dough on a kitchen scale and divide that number in half.
- Return one half of the dough to the mixer and set the second half aside for now. To the portion of dough in the mixer, beat in the cocoa powder until it no longer has any streaks of color in it, about 3 minutes.
- Shape both pieces of dough into discs and wrap them tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days. If you are chilling the dough for longer than hour, you will want to let it thaw slightly on the counter before rolling, about 10 minutes or so.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece of dough to an 8 x 12-inch (20 x 30-cm) rectangle that is about 1/4-inch (6-mm) thick. Try to the keep the edges of the dough as straight as possible and you can trim the edges for perfectly straight lines.
- With a pastry brush, dust off any excess flour from the dough pieces. Brush one half of the dough with a bit of the beaten egg white. Then, layer the other half of the dough on top. Slice the dough into 6 strips measuring 8 x 2-inches (20 x 5-cm). Brush each of the layers with egg white and stack them on top of each other in contrasting colors so that they lay in an AB pattern (black, white, black, white).
- Wrap the block of layered dough in plastic wrap and place it onto a flat surface, such as a cutting board or flat plate. Chill the dough for 1 hour or until it has become solid and hardened.
- Preheat the oven to 350° F (177° C). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and set these aside for now.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator. With a sharp knife or bench scraper, down the length of the block begin slicing the dough into 1/2-inch (1-cm) thick slices that are 8-inches (20-cm) long. Then, cut each slice into sections that are 2-inches (5-cm) wide. You should have several little striped rectangles at this point.
- Arrange the cookies on the baking sheets about 2-inches (5-cm) apart. If the cookies have become too warm, pop them back into the refrigerator for about 20 minutes or freezer for about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Bake the cookies for 9 minutes or until they are set and the edges are slightly golden brown. Remove the trays from the oven and leave the cookies to rest on the trays for 5 more minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
- The cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for about 4 to 5 days. They can also be frozen after baking and enjoyed later!
Nutrition Facts
Calories
99Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
