Get Cozy with Winter Baking | Finnish Winter and Christmas Time Treats

As the air becomes crisp and the afternoons darker, the Nordic kitchen turns into a warm place. Baking throughout the long winter brings comfort, coziness, and tiny traditions you look forward to every year. From the scent of cardamom and cinnamon, these flavors feel like home — whether shared around a candle-lit table or enjoyed quietly with a cozy cup of tea.

Plum pinwheel tarts,Nordic Winter and Christmas time treats, on a baking paper and dusted with powdered sugar.

Below, I have gathered for you some beloved Finnish seasonal bakes — each bringing the Nordic joy to the darkness during the chilly wintertime.

Spiced rye ginger breads in making: some on a baking tray, som outrolled dough on the table with cookie cutter and rolling pin.

Spiced Gingerbreads: The First Taste of Finnish Christmas

Gingerbreads (Piparkakut) are often the first taste of Christmas in Finland. Every café offers them, and every home suddenly has a tin full of gingerbread cookies in all shapes and sizes. They’re spicy, thin, and delightfully crisp — just perfect to dipp into hot chocolate or spicy glögg.

And then there’s the iconic gingerbread house competition held each year by Helsingin Sanomat. Not only houses, but boats, airplanes, and even gingerbread tram lines pulled by reindeer. Creativity is half the fun!

Christmas Tip: Save a few to hang as ornaments on the Christmas tree with a red silk ribbon.

Finnish winter and Christmas tine treats such as glogg, plum pinwheel tart (tähtitorttu), Spiced bundt cake, and ginger breads are presented.

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Bake Gingerbreads:

Plum Pinwheel Tarts: A Buttery, Jammy Winter Treat

Buttery puff pastry folded into beautiful stars with a jammy plum center.

They appear early in November and are one of those things you burn your tongue on every year if you are too eager — the jam is always hotter than you think!

These are quick to make and disappear even quicker. Perfect for indulgence on a snowy morning.

Traditional Finnish Cinnamon Buns, Korvapuustit, on a serving tray with some pearl sugar sprinkled on the top and on the table.

Cinnamon Buns and cardamom dreams

Cinnamon buns are loved all year round — but especially in autumn and winter with a steaming cup of something warm. Finland even has a National Cinnamon Roll Day (October 4th), and for good reason: these are pillowy clouds scented with cardamom and cinnamon.

A comforting fika moment in every swirl.

Bake Cinnamon Buns:

Golden Saffron Buns for St. Lucia Day

Soft saffron buns with raisins, baked to celebrate St. Lucia Day on December 13th.

A tradition close to heart in Finland’s Swedish-speaking communities, where girls wear white gowns and candle wreaths to bring light into the darkest days.

Lussekatter buns glow golden because of the hint of saffron!

Pair with: Hot white glögg or a cozy black tea.

Finnish sweet rye bread, saaristolaisleipä in the bread tin and wrapped with red silk ribbon as a Christmas gift.

Sweet Rye Bread: Rustic Flavor from the Finnish Archipelago

Dark, slightly sweet, and wonderfully dense — the “Archipelago bread” (Saaristolaisleipä) bread tastes like the numerous Finnish archipelagos: hearty, earthy, and full of character. Finns savour itduring the winter holidays with cold smoked salmon, cheese, or salted butter melting slowly into the warm slice.

If you like rich, rustic flavors — this one is a treasure. This is something that I love to give as a beautiful handmade gift to my parents every Christmas.

Get the recipe:

Finnish Sweet rye bread

Runeberg Torte: A Charming Almond Cake

Traditionally enjoyed in January–February, named after the Finnish national poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg, whose wife made these cakes for him.

Moist almond-flavored cakes topped with raspberry jam and a neat ring of icing — cheerful and a little fancy.

Bake: Runeberg torte

A traditional Runeberg toret, almond cake with raspberry jam.

Karjalanpiirakat: Rustic Pastries with Heartwarming Rice Filling

Rye pastries filled with creamy rice porridge — the ultimate Finnish comfort food.

Karelian pasties, or Karelian pies, are often found at winter breakfast tables. They are perfect to enjoy warm with egg butter in all seasons.

They’re traditional, humble, and completely satisfying. These are one of those things, alongside Finnish Cinnamon Bun, that my Moroccan husband approves of Finnish Cuisine.

Finnish pro-tip: If you have leftover Christmas rice porridge — turn it into these pies. Zero waste, 100% delicious.

Warm Spiced Coffee Cakes for Fika Moments

A spiced coffee cake is a winter favorite in our home — gently sweet, moist, and warmly spiced.

Perfect for an afternoon treat after a fresh walk in the cold. A lovely bake when you want something festive but unfussy.

Specially when getting closer to Christmas the spiced date cakes appear to the FInnish tables. Wintertime has been traditionally about using the dried fruits, and root vegetables for there is nothing growing outside in the minus degrees.

Coming soon:

Spiced Coffee Cake with Kefir

Spiced coffee cake on a serving platter and a sliced cut on a plate in front of a woman who is holding a coffee cup on a blue saucer.

Warm Winter Drinks to Serve Along

Traditional red glogg in a Nordic glogg glass with some cinnamon sticks and cloves on the side.