Moist, delicious vanilla cookies. Doused in an easy-to-make, easier-to-devour glaze. These are the perfect addition to your holiday spread.
Oh boy, am I excited to share this special recipe with you. Pryaniki. They’re delicious. Nostalgic. Festive. And oh so versatile. They are Russian spice cookies, sometimes known as honey bread, that are traditionally served during special occasions. You may have seen them around the internet, but everyone has their own take on them depending where you are from. I love this recipe the most, just like my mom used to make. Soft cookies, with a sweet glaze almost like dense cake.It makes a wonderful tea cookie or go great with milk.They’re one of my favorites, and soon they’ll be yours too. Yup. They’re that good.
These Russian cookies have a special ingredient!
You’ll find that many of my traditional Russian dough recipes include sour cream since it adds an additional level of moisture. Like these irresistible crumbled jam bars. And this cookie dough is no different. You may have tried butter cookies, so get ready for these sour cream cookies.
When you combine the sour cream with egg yolks, flour, sugar, butter, lemon, and the perfect amount of vanilla, you’ll have a slightly sticky, slightly wet dough. Don’t panic. It’s supposed to be like that. Freeze it for an hour. Grab a drink. Stretch. And
imagine yourself savoring one, or twelve, of these cookies. No judgment here. Never ever for cookies.
These glazed cookies are a uniquely Russian treat.
Occasionally these are made with spices or other rich flavors, occasionally being called Russian gingerbread cookies or honey spice cookies. These tasty cookies can take on so many names and so much flavor. No other cookie recipes can compare to these Russian pryaniki! The most famous type would probably be this vanilla version of these glazed cookies.
In ancient Russia, these cookies were made with honey, berry juice, and rye flour but the recipe has evolved over time to include so many unique options, such as a mint glaze.
On your mark, get set, Bake!
Skip the cookie scooper for these. We’re going old school and making these bad boys with our hands. Wet your hands and form the dough into even balls. Into the oven, these pretty cookies go. No cookie cutters needed, no stand mixer needed!
Bake for about 20 minutes. The cookies will bake to light golden perfection.
In the meantime, make your glaze. Two ingredients. Super easy. Super yummy.
Oh, look. The cookies have baked. Now comes the magic. You brush the glaze on all sides of the soft cookies. They should be entirely covered. Drenched.
My mouth is watering.
These Christmas cookies and this glaze are absolutely divine together. Whether you’re hosting a holiday party or bringing a dessert to a potluck, you can’t go wrong with them. Want to kick it up a notch? Serve these with tea. Samovar and everything. Uh-mazing.
Here’s what you’ll need to make these yummy pryaniki:
Just 3 Dry ingredients: white sugar (don’t use brown sugar, it won’t work), baking soda and all purpose flour.
Wet ingredients: egg yolks, sour cream, lemon juice and vanilla extract for flavor (just a tiny splash goes a long way).
Here’s what you’ll need for the pryaniki glaze:
The glaze requires just two ingredients, but makes all the difference, so don’t skip out on it. You will need egg whites from large eggs and powdered sugar. You’ll be whisking these two ingredients in a small bowl for a creamy, sweet glaze.
Tips:
- You do not need to use a dough hook to mix the dough together, a large mixer whisk works well.
- Make sure to let the cookie batter sit in the freezer before forming into cookies and baking.
- Use a wire rack to cool off the cookies after baking.
Store either in a Ziploc bag, an airtight container, or in a covered dish. For up to a week at room temperature.
Where did Russian pryaniki cookies come from?
Pryaniki are a traditional pastry in Russia, Ukraine and can also be found in Belarus, Poland and neighboring countries. You can learn all about the history of pryaniki right here.
These tasty vanilla pryaniki or a recipe of Farmer’s Cheese Cookies are perfect to enjoy with tea.
Steps
Prepare the Dough
Separate egg yolks from egg whites from 2 large eggs. (Reserve whites to use for the glaze)
Using an electric mixer on medium speed beat 2 egg yolks with 1 3/4 cup sugar.
Add the Liquid Ingredients
In a little bowl, squeeze out juice from 1/2 a lemon, and mix it with 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda. It will foam, add to the eggs and sugar.
Add 2 cups of sour cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the mix. Beat all together for a couple minutes till well combined.
Add the Dry Ingredients
On low speed, mix in 3 cups of flour.
Freeze It
The dough will be a bit sticky, as it should be. Transfer into a large bowl, cover, and put in the freezer for 1 hour.
Preheat the Oven
After an hour take the dough out. Preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare 2 baking trays with parchment paper (or butter the baking sheets).
Form into Cookies
The dough will be still sticky, so wet your hands with warm water, to help form dough into ball shape. Make balls and place on a prepared baking sheet. Leave room between each ball.
Bake for 20 minutes in preheated oven until the the bottom of the cookies start to get a golden brown color.
Make the Glaze
While the cookies are baking, make the glaze: Beat together 2 raw large egg whites for 1 minute with a hand mixer. Then add 2 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and beat until well incorporated. You can also use a hand whisk.
When you take out pryaniki from the oven, let them cool down for a few minutes. Using a pastry brush, brush the glaze all around each cookie. (The glaze will dry fast on the cooled cookies, so brush the tops, let dry, then flip over and glaze the bottoms.)
Here are some more tasty desserts you’ll love this holiday season:
Vanilla Cookies with an Easy Glaze (Pryaniki) Yum
Ingredients
- 2 egg yolks, from large eggs
- 1¾ cups sugar
- 2 cups sour cream
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups flour, unbleached
- 2 egg whites
- 2½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Separate egg yolks from egg whites from 2 large eggs. (Reserve whites to use for the glaze)
Using an electric mixer on medium speed beat 2 egg yolks with 1 3/4 cup sugar.
In a little bowl, squeeze out juice from 1/2 a lemon, and mix it with 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda. It will foam, add to the eggs and sugar.
Add 2 cups of sour cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the mix. Beat all together for a couple minutes till well combined.
On low speed, mix in 3 cups of flour.
The dough will be a bit sticky, as it should be. Transfer into a large bowl, cover, and put in the freezer for 1 hour.
After an hour take the dough out. Preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare 2 baking trays with parchment paper (or butter the baking sheets).
The dough will be still sticky, so wet your hands with warm water, to help form dough into ball shape. Make balls and place on a prepared baking sheet. Leave room between each ball.
Bake for 20 minutes in preheated oven until the the bottom of the cookies start to get a golden brown color.
While the cookies are baking, make the glaze: Beat together 2 raw large egg whites for 1 minute with a hand mixer. Then add 2 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and beat until well incorporated. You can also use a hand whisk.
When you take out pryaniki from the oven, let them cool down for a few minutes. Using a pastry brush, brush the glaze all around each cookie. (The glaze will dry fast on the cooled cookies, so brush the tops, let dry, then flip over and glaze the bottoms.)
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I'm going to make this pryaniki today.. They look good! Love your website, it's so simple and great recipe you have ..!
Yes, I recommend this recipe.
Glazed Vanilla Cookies These vanilla cookies (also known as pryaniki) are amazing! Pryanki will be soft inside not just the day you make them, a great cookie gift.
Yes, I recommend this recipe.
