Caramelised Potatoes: A Danish Christmas Side Dish

Caramelised potatoes are small, tender potatoes coated in a glossy sugar-and-butter caramel, a Danish side dish often served at Christmas as brunede kartofler. The crisp-edged, sweet-savoury coating works because waxy potatoes hold their shape while a wide pan gives the caramel room to cling evenly. Danish households have their own preferences for colour and sweetness, so this version aims for a deep amber glaze without letting the sugar turn bitter.

Ingredients

2 lb (900 g) small waxy potatoes, such as baby Yukon Gold or new potatoes, ideally similar in size
3 qt (2.8 L) water, for boiling
1 tbsp (15 g) salt, for the boiling water
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 tsp (1.5 g) fine salt, or to taste

Instructions

Boil the potatoes. Scrub the potatoes and put them in a large saucepan. Add the water and the tablespoon of salt; the potatoes should be covered, so add a little more water if needed. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to maintain a steady simmer. Cook for about 18 minutes, checking from 15 minutes onward: a small knife should slide into the centre with little resistance, but the potatoes must not split or become crumbly.
Cool, peel, and dry. Drain the potatoes and spread them on a tray or large plate in a single layer. Leave them until fully cool, about 25 minutes; this makes them easier to handle and less likely to break. Slip off the skins with your fingers or a small paring knife, then pat the potatoes completely dry. If you cook them ahead, refrigerate them after cooling and peel them before caramelising.
Prepare the pan. Choose a clean, dry, heavy 12-inch (30 cm) skillet or sauté pan, preferably with a light-coloured interior so you can judge the caramel’s colour. Set the peeled potatoes and butter beside the stove before you begin. Once sugar starts to colour, the next steps move quickly.
Melt the sugar. Sprinkle the sugar in an even layer across the dry skillet and set it over medium heat. Let it melt without stirring, tilting the pan gently if one area colours faster. This usually takes 4 to 6 minutes, but use the colour rather than the clock as your guide: the melted sugar should be amber, like honey, not dark brown. If a few dry patches remain, wait briefly; avoid scraping crystals from the sides into the liquid caramel.
Add the butter carefully. Turn the heat to low and add the butter pieces. The mixture will bubble vigorously, so keep your hands and face back from the pan. Stir with a heatproof spatula until the butter is incorporated and the caramel looks smooth, about 1 minute. If the caramel tightens into a few firm clumps when the butter goes in, keep it over low heat and stir gently; it should loosen as it warms.
Coat the potatoes. Add the dry potatoes carefully and turn them with a spoon or spatula to coat. Cook over medium-low heat for about 12 minutes, turning every minute or two so the coating colours evenly and the potatoes warm through. Keep the mixture at a gentle bubble. If the caramel starts smoking or becomes very dark, take the pan off the heat at once; burnt sugar tastes bitter and cannot be rescued by adding more butter.
Season and serve. Sprinkle in the quarter teaspoon of salt and turn the potatoes once more. Taste a potato after letting it cool for a moment—the caramel is extremely hot—and add a small pinch more salt if the sweetness needs balancing. Transfer to a warm serving dish, spoon any remaining glaze over the top, and serve promptly.

Tips

Choose potatoes that hold their shape. Small waxy potatoes are the most reliable choice; baby Yukon Golds, new potatoes, or small red potatoes all work. If your potatoes are large, cut them into evenly sized pieces after boiling and peeling, but expect more exposed surfaces and a slightly less traditional appearance. Floury baking potatoes tend to crumble when turned in the pan.
Dry the potatoes well. Water on the surface can make hot caramel spit and can loosen the coating. After peeling, blot each potato with a clean towel and let damp potatoes air-dry for a few minutes. If the potatoes were refrigerated, pat away any condensation before they go into the pan.
Control the colour with heat, not speed. Sugar can move from amber to burnt quickly, especially in a dark pan or over a strong burner. Keep the heat moderate, stay beside the skillet, and lift it off the burner briefly if the caramel is colouring unevenly. Do not taste caramel straight from the pan; melted sugar can cause a serious burn.
Butter substitutions change the finish. Salted butter can replace unsalted butter; omit the finishing salt at first, then taste and adjust. A plant-based block-style butter can also work, though its water content may make the coating less smooth. Avoid low-fat spreads, which can separate and make the caramel greasy or thin.

Serving Suggestions

In Denmark, brunede kartofler are especially associated with the Christmas table, where their sweet glaze complements savoury mains and rich pan juices. Serve them as a side with roast pork, roast duck, roast chicken, or a meat-free nut roast. They also fit alongside braised red cabbage, plain boiled potatoes, green beans, or a crisp salad; serving another less-sweet vegetable helps balance the caramel.

Bring the potatoes to the table in a warmed shallow bowl so the coating stays glossy, and spoon the extra glaze over them rather than leaving it in the skillet. They are best served soon after cooking, while the potatoes are hot and the caramel is soft. If you are making several side dishes, finish these near the end of the meal preparation rather than leaving them to sit for a long time; the glaze firms as it cools.

Variations

Use small canned potatoes for convenience. Drain them very thoroughly and blot them dry before adding them to the caramel. They are already cooked, so skip boiling and cooling, and warm them in the glaze just until hot and coated. Their texture may be softer than that of freshly boiled waxy potatoes, so turn them gently. This shortcut also reduces the recipe’s preparation time.

Make the flavour less sweet. Reduce the sugar to 1/3 cup (about 67 g) while keeping the butter the same. The coating will be thinner and less abundant, but still glossy; turn the potatoes frequently so the smaller amount of caramel reaches their surfaces. Do not reduce the sugar too far, or there may not be enough caramel to coat the batch.

Add a little extra savoury contrast. Finish with a pinch of flaky salt instead of the measured fine salt, or add a few finely chopped fresh thyme leaves at the end. These are modern variations rather than essential ingredients in the Danish-style preparation. Add herbs only after the pan comes off the heat so they remain fragrant and do not scorch in the hot sugar.

Use a mix of small potato colours. Red-skinned and yellow-fleshed waxy potatoes can be cooked together if they are close in size. The skins are removed for this style, so the colour difference is mostly inside the potato; the result is still attractive when cut or served. Keep each potato whole where possible to preserve its shape and give the caramel a smooth surface to coat.

Storage and Reheating

Caramelised potatoes are at their best freshly made, but leftovers can be kept safely. Transfer them to a shallow airtight container and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. Store for 3 to 4 days. The glaze will harden in the refrigerator and may look dull or patchy; that is normal and does not mean it has spoiled. Discard the potatoes if they have been left at room temperature longer than 2 hours.

To reheat, place the potatoes in a skillet with 1 to 2 teaspoons of water, cover, and warm over low heat, turning gently as the glaze softens. Uncover for the final minute if you want the coating to thicken again. Reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C), checking the centre of a larger potato with a food thermometer in line with USDA FSIS guidance. A microwave also works for a small portion, though the glaze may heat unevenly; cover loosely, heat in short intervals, and turn the potatoes between intervals.

Freezing is possible but not ideal: the potatoes can become softer after thawing and the caramel may separate. If you do freeze them, use a freezer-safe container and thaw in the refrigerator before reheating. For the best texture, make only the amount you expect to serve or prepare the boiled potatoes a day ahead and caramelise them just before dinner.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I boil and peel the potatoes the day before?
Yes. Boil them until just tender, cool them promptly, and refrigerate them in a covered container. Peel them while cold or shortly before cooking, then pat them dry very thoroughly. Cold, dry potatoes are easier to handle in the caramel, but they will need a few extra minutes in the pan to heat through.

Why has my caramel turned hard when I add the potatoes?
Cold potatoes can make caramel firm up temporarily, and butter can also cause it to seize if the sugar is very hot. Keep the pan over low heat and turn gently; the sugar should soften again as it warms. If it remains in hard lumps after several minutes, the sugar may have crystallised or become overcooked, so avoid forcing the potatoes through it.

Can I make caramelised potatoes without peeling them?
You can, but the result will be different. The Danish-style version is usually made with peeled potatoes, which lets the glaze coat the smooth surface evenly. Skins can keep the coating from adhering as well, and they may wrinkle or separate as the potatoes turn. If you prefer skins, scrub the potatoes especially well and expect a more rustic finish.

What if I do not have a 12-inch skillet?
Use the widest heavy pan you have, but avoid crowding the potatoes. If they sit in several tight layers, the lower ones may scorch while the upper ones remain poorly coated. For a smaller pan, divide the potatoes and caramel ingredients into two batches; make fresh caramel for each batch rather than trying to hold a pan of hot caramel while you work.

Can I make these potatoes ahead for a holiday meal?
The most useful make-ahead step is boiling and peeling the potatoes up to a day in advance. Keep them refrigerated and dry, then prepare the caramel and coat them shortly before serving. Fully cooked potatoes can also be reheated, but their glaze is less glossy and the texture softer than when freshly finished.

How do I know when the sugar is the right colour?
Look for an even amber colour, similar to honey or light maple syrup, and remove the pan from the heat if it begins to darken rapidly. Pale melted sugar gives a very sweet, lightly coloured coating; dark brown sugar tastes bitter. A light-coloured skillet makes this easier to judge, but stay at the stove because caramel continues cooking briefly from the pan’s retained heat.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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