Skolekjeks is very much a Flekkefjord thing. Outside the town, most people have never even heard of them, but in Flekkefjord they’re almost impossible to avoid. The round, flat breads/cakes/cookies/biscuits have been part of the local baking tradition for generations, and you’ll find them at most of the town’s bakeries.
The dough is as old-school as it gets: wheat flour, sugar, butter, kulturmelk (the Norwegian kind of sour milk, similar to kefir), and ammonium carbonate. The result is flat, round cookies with a mild, slightly sweet flavor. Nothing flashy, but maybe that’s exactly why they’re so popular.
There are different ways to eat skolekjeks. Some people like them with butter and cheese, almost like a sweet, flat bun, while others prefer them plain. I like them best without anything, or with just the thinnest layer of butter, always with a cup of coffee on the side.
The name (skolekjeks = school biscuits) suggests they might once have been tucked into schoolbags, but I haven’t been able to confirm that part of the story. These days, they’re more of a cozy coffee-time treat, but still a treat that many Flekkefjæringer (yes, that’s what the locals in Flekkefjord are called) feel a nostalgic connection to.
During my time in Flekkefjord, I never fully fell in love with skolekjeks, but I grew to appreciate them. There’s something charming about the simplicity, and something special about local classics that have survived through generations. Definitely worth trying if you’re visiting Flekkefjord.
The skolekjeks in the photos here are from Tollboden Bakeri (the ones a little darker in color) and from Presterud (the lighter ones).
