Why is it called Knäckebröd (crispbread)?

Knäckebröd has its name from the fact that in the past it was baked with a particular type of bread crackers called krusknäck, which was a tool with tags that created lines in to more easily break the knäckebröd (crispbread) into parts. The word knäckebröd itself is a composition of the phrase knäcka (crack) and bröd (bread).

The ethnologist Åke Campbell wrote in 1950 this in his book "The Swedish Bread":

"For Swedish bread culture in large parts of old Sweden, hard- or chewy dried, fermented rye bread or rye mixed bread are particularly characteristic. These bread mentioned above (p. 177) mentioned under the name spisbröd or knäckebröd, are round and equipped with holes for string or bread rod. They are patted and caved out, taking into account that they are to be hang up to drying without breaking or folding too much. That means that when you bake knäckebröd it could be made to a size about 30-40 cm in diameter and about 1/2 – 2 cm thick. The bread cracks with creasing and usually nailed or pecked only on one side."

Knäckebröd is a very sustainable and healthy bread

Due to the low liquid content of a baked knäckebröd, it has a perfect shelf life. It was a characteristic that was important in the past when knäckebröd was to qualify as a store bread. This bread could be kept for a long time, which was an essential characteristic of the old peasant society. Even today, this is a much-appreciated feature. If you hold a knäckebröd dry, it will almost last forever. To have knäckebröd at home is always to have access to a tasty and very healthy bread. An excellent sustainable bread that will not give food waste. The bread tastes just as good all the time, or use it like breadcrumbs, or you break small pieces and crumble over the yoghurt.