These May Just Be The Most Iconic Holiday Comfort Foods In South Dakota

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, folks! No, we aren’t talking about Christmas at the Capitol, all of the many parades of light, or other SoDak traditions, but rather our iconic holiday foods! While some of this cuisine can be enjoyed year-round, others only make an appearance around Christmastime, including:

Flickr/Rich Renomeron

While Santa is receiving break-and-bake cookies from the rest of the country, he is enjoying delicious Julekake here in South Dakota. What is a Julekake, you non-South Dakotans ask? It is a traditional Norwegian Christmas bread consisting of dried fruit and a powdered sugar glaze. Yum! 

Flickr/Harald GrovenFollow

I can't decide which was more exciting: Waking up Christmas morning to see what Santa brought or waking up Christmas morning to the smell of freshly-fried lefse. Seriously, though, is there anything quite as comforting as warm lefse topped with butter and brown sugar?

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Flickr/Emily

Even if you aren't of German descent, you've probably eaten some of the most delicious German holiday treats.  Springerle (which translates to "little knight" or "jumping horse") is essentially a dainty sugar cookie that is adorned with images via a special rolling pin. 

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Flickr/Steven Lilley

Ham? Why is ham considered an iconic holiday comfort food? According to General Mills, ham recipes were the most searched-for holiday recipe in all of South Dakota.

Flickr/su-lin

Some people believe that their holiday table is not complete without mashed potatoes and gravy or baked potatoes, but that just isn't the South Dakota way. What is the South Dakota way, you ask? Why, it's sweet potatoes (preferably with walnuts, raisins, apple, and apricots), of course! 

Flickr/Chrissy H.

For a cookie with a bit of a kick, you cannot go wrong with traditional pepper cookies, which get their zing from not only molasses but also cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice. 

Flickr/Rich Anderson

Yes, we love our traditional kolache year-round, but there is something extra special about these fruit-filled pastries come Christmas morning. 

Did your favorite holiday staple make the list? Let us know in the comments! For South Dakota’s favorite year-round cuisine, check out these 10 Iconic Foods in South Dakota That Will Have Your Mouth Watering.