Fryske dúmkes

Fryske dúmkes are a popular wintertime treat in the Netherlands. These cookies are a specialty of the province of Friesland, hence the name that can be translated as Frisian thumbs. They consist of flour, milk, salt, sugar, butter, chopped hazelnuts, and warming spices such as aniseed, ginger, and cinnamon. It is believed that the cookies got their name because their size and shape is that of a children's thumb. Another theory suggests that it is because bakers push their thumbs into the cookies when taken out of the oven to check if they are still soft. Regardless of the correct theory, Fryske dúmkes remain a comforting staple of numerous Dutch wintertime activities.