Pryaniki Cookies Recipe

Another addition to “Things I Grew Up Eating” are these delicious pryaniki. These cookies have long been a classic cookie in Eastern European cultures, but even more so in my Ukrainian family. If I list off the top three cookies from my childhood, these cookies are there. And even though you could find them in grocery stores back then (and still can to this day in European markets), my family and I have always opted to make them at home. Sometimes, things are just better when you can put your own love and work into them, am I right?

Pryaniki Video

So, What Are Pryaniki?

Pryaniki (or pryanik for singular) are Slavic holiday spice cookies. They’re also known as “honey cookies” or “honey bread”, and are popular for pairing with a hot cup of coffee or tea.

Typically, these cookies are made with some type of spice. Popular varieties contain cinnamon or nutmeg and have a dark, brown center. In my family’s pryaniki recipe, I skip the spices and opt for a more neutral, creamy cookie. Consider it a cross between a traditional pryanik and an English tea cookie. The end result is a decadent, dense cookie that is the definition of “binge-worthy”. Plus, I’ve found this version is more kid-friendly than traditional varieties since it’s more neutral in flavor.

How to Make Pryaniki Cookies

These cookies may appear impressive, but they are actually quite simple to make. In fact, they require no molds or off-the-wall ingredients.

Making the Pryaniki Cookies

Making the cookies consists of a series of mixing the ingredients together, chilling the dough for two hours, shaping, and baking.

• Combine the egg and sugar: Whisk together the egg yolks and the sugar.
• Add in more wet ingredients: Add in the sour cream, mayo, and honey.
• Separately combine the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder.
• Mix the wet and dry ingredients: Add the dry ingredients into your wet ingredients slowly. Refrigerate it for at least two hours.
• Shape the cookies: Spoon out the dough into equal balls. With wet hands, shape each portion into a ball.
• Bake: Bake the cookies for 15 minutes at 350°F or until they’re golden brown. Remove the cookies and cool on a wire rack before glazing.

Making the Pryaniki Glaze

The pryaniki glaze couldn’t be more simple to make. Simply beat the two ingredients together!

• Make the glaze: Beat the egg whites and powdered sugar together until it creates a thick glaze.
• Glaze the cookies: When the cookies are cooled, glaze each pryanik with a pastry brush. Allow the glaze to harden and dry at room temperature. Turn the cookies over and do the same to the bottom of the cookie. Repeat.

Pryaniki Tips & Tricks

With a lifetime of pryaniki-making, I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeves when it comes to making the process easy and the result amazing. Check out these tips and tricks for the insider scoop!

• Wet your hands: The dough tends to be pretty sticky, so wet hands makes it much easier to work with and shape the cookie balls.
• Portion out with a small ice cream scoop: To get even cookies, I use this small ice cream scoop to portion out the dough balls.
• Use pasteurized egg whites: For the glaze, make sure to use pasteurized egg whites. Since the egg isn’t cooked in the glaze, you want to make sure the egg whites are safe to eat without cooking.
• Allow the glaze to harden fully: When glazing the cookies, allow the glaze to fully harden before turning the cookies over and glazing the other side and/or storing. Otherwise, the glaze will be sticky and the cookies will stick together. This may take upwards of an hour depending on how thickly you layer on the glaze.
• Add a little bit of spice (optional): If you’re looking for a more “spice-filled” cookie, add about one teaspoon of cinnamon, one teaspoon of ground ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg to the cookie dough (per reader suggestion).

Storing the Cookies

If you’re lucky enough to have extra cookies, here’s how to keep them fresh for as long as possible. Whichever method you choose, make sure to seal them as tightly as possible so they don’t dry out!

• Refrigerator: Store pryaniki in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week.
• Freezer: To freeze pryaniki, wait until they are fully cooled, then place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Pop the entire baking sheet in the freezer overnight. In the morning, transfer the cookies to a freezer safe bag. When you’re ready to eat the pryaniki, allow them to thaw in the fridge for a few hours.

More Cookie Recipes

Need a couple more cookies to fill up that holiday party tray? Look no further. Here are a handful of our favorites:

• Chocolate Crinkle Cookie – This magic black and white cookie will satisfy any chocolate craving.
• Madeleine Cookies – This fancy cookie will leave your dinner guests shook.
• Nutella Cookies – This recipe only requires four, simple ingredients. Need I say more?
• Peanut Butter Cookies – Obsessed with peanut butter? This classic cookie never gets old.

Recipe

Pryaniki Cookies Recipe

Print Pin

Servings

60 Cookies

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Resting Time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 2 hours hrs 45 minutes mins

Recipe contributed by: Natalya Drozhzhin

Pryaniki (or honey cookies) are popular tea cookies with a soft inside and a crispy glaze outside. They're guaranteed to be on any Slavic holiday cookie tray!

Ingredients

• 2 egg yolks
• 2 cups sugar
• 16 oz sour cream
• 3 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup honey
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 pasteurized egg whites for glaze
• 2 cups powdered sugar for glaze

US Units – Metric

Instructions

• In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the egg yolks with sugar with whisk attachment until they're well combined.
  
• Whisk in the sour cream, mayonnaise, and honey until well combined.
  
• In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder.
  
• In small portions, add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Don't fret if the dough is sticky — it should be! Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
  
• Using a spoon, portion out individual pieces of dough. With wet hands, shape the dough mounds into balls.
  
• Bake the cookies at 350°F for about 15 minutes, or until they're golden brown. Remove them from the oven and bring to room temperature.
  
• Using a stand mixer, beat the egg whites and powdered sugar until you achieve a thick glaze.
  
• Using a pastry brush, glaze the tops of the cookies and let them completely dry at room temperature. Turn the cookies over and apply the same glaze to the bottoms. Repeat the process. Serve and enjoy!
  

Nutrition Facts

Pryaniki Cookies Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 110 Calories from Fat 18

% Daily Value*

Fat 2g3%

Saturated Fat 1g5%

Cholesterol 11mg4%

Sodium 13mg1%

Potassium 42mg1%

Carbohydrates 21g7%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 13g14%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 56IU1%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 18mg2%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.