The Norwegian stormed to gold by 0.20 seconds from Austria's defending champion Hirscher after a second run under the floodlights in Are.
The 24-year-old Kristoffersen, who earned Olympic GS silver behind Hirscher at PyeongChang 2018, has yet to win on the World Cup this season -- Hirscher has notched 10 victories -- but he clinched his first World Championship medal in emphatic fashion Friday.
France's Alexis Pinturault added a bronze medal to the combined gold he won earlier in the championships.
Kristoffersen is third in the World Cup overall standings behind seven-time champion Hirscher and Pinturault, but he showed far greater consistency in his two runs in Sweden.
The Norwegian was the third fastest after the first run and fifth in the second run, as Hirscher and Pinturault -- second and first respectively after run one -- slipped back under the lights.
Austria's Hirscher, arguably the greatest ski racer of all time, will attempt to defend his world slalom crown on the final day of the World Championships Sunday.
America's Mikaela Shiffrin will be bidding for a fourth straight slalom world title when the women compete Saturday.
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