It begins every year as the nights pull in. The first snowflakes drift past fir trees, candles flicker in kitchen windows and a certain scent – buttery pastry mingled with spice‑laden plum jam – tells you Christmas is coming in Finland. Traditionally that aroma wafts from star‑shaped joulutortut – buttery puff pastry pinwheels filled with dark prune or plum jam and dusted with a cloud of powdered sugar. These little tarts, known as tähtitortut (“star tarts”), are part of the fabric of a Finnish Christmas. Their pastry is cut into pinwheel stars, spooned with jam and baked until puffed and golden; when they emerge from the oven the warm jam is molten and the pastries are irresistible. Joulutortut are usually filled with prune or plum jam, but cooks will occasionally use raspberry, apricot, fig or even lingonberry jam for a fruitier twist, and the amount of sugar dusted on top can be varied or omitted entirely.
There is something delightfully meditative about cutting puff‑pastry squares into stars and folding over the corners, but there are days when even Finnish grandmothers favour speed over tradition. That’s where christmas crescents come in. These festive croissants take the spirit of joulutortut – jam, flaky pastry and powdered sugar – and tuck it neatly into a rolled croissant. You simply take ready‑made crescent or croissant dough, slather it generously with plum jam and roll it up. A quick brush of beaten egg and a dusting of sugar after baking transforms them into an addictive treat. Because the jam is spread across the dough before rolling, each bite bursts with fruit. It’s a playful, almost mischievous riff on tradition that has become a new holiday favourite in my kitchen.
The bridge between a crescent and star tart
Christmas Star Tarts (Joulutorttu) with Prune Jam
Before diving into the recipe, a little cultural context helps explain why these two pastries intersect so easily:
- Star Tarts(Joulutortut) are a beloved Finnish holiday treat. They are star‑shaped or pinwheel pastries filled with prune or plum jam and baked until crisp and golden, then dusted with powdered sugar. They are best enjoyed warm out of the oven.
- The jam is traditionally prune, which has a deep caramel sweetness, but many home bakers also use plum jam for a brighter, tangier flavour that’s easier to find outside Finland. Raspberry, apricot, fig or lingonberry jams make delicious alternatives, as long as the jam is thick enough to hold its shape – watery jams will leak during baking.
- Traditional joulutorttu dough can be made from scratch (often enriched with butter and cream), but ready‑made puff pastry is commonly used for ease. In the United States, high‑quality all‑butter puff pastry or even refrigerated crescent‑roll dough works nicely.
The christmas crescent borrows the jam filling and sugar dusting from Star tarts and wraps them inside crescent or croissant dough. They are then baked for 12–15 minutes until deep golden. What you get is a tender, jam‑swirled pastry that tastes like the love‑child of a French croissant and Finnish joulutorttu.
Christmas Crescents
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven – Heat to 400 °F (200 °C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prepare the dough – Open the croissant dough and unroll it into a rectangle. Separate along the perforations into individual triangles.
- Spread the jam – Stir the jam to loosen it. Using a spoon or offset spatula, spread a generous layer of jam over each triangle, leaving a small margin at the wide end. If the jam is very thick, warm it gently to make it easier to spread.
- Roll into croissants – Starting at the wide end, roll each triangle toward the point into a croissant shape. Curve the ends slightly to form a crescent.
- Egg wash – Place the croissants on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops and sides with beaten egg or your chosen glaze. This helps them brown evenly.
- Bake – Bake for 12–15 minutes, until the croissants are puffed and deeply golden. The jam may bubble slightly – this is normal.
- Finish and serve – Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes; the jam will be very hot. Dust with powdered sugar once slightly cooled. Serve warm or at room temperature.
A final note from the Nordic kitchen
Baking joulutortut or christmas crescents is more than a recipe – it’s a ritual that connects the cook to winter traditions and to loved ones across the table. Whether you fold pinwheel stars on a snowy afternoon or roll jam‑filled croissants in a hurry, the act of buttering dough, spreading thick jam and smelling the caramelizing sugar is pure magic. I like to think of joulucroissants as the laid‑back cousin of the star tart – they skip the careful cutting and folding but still deliver the same warm hug of flavours.
So light some candles, cue up your favourite holiday playlist and let the aroma of baking pastry fill your home. May these joulucroissants bring a touch of Nordic cosiness to your holiday table, wherever you are.