Spiced Holiday Pryaniki Cookies – Ginger Cookies

These Slavic Spiced Holiday Pryaniki (пряник) Cookies – Ginger Cookies are soft and moist on the inside, yet lightly crisp on the outside and coated in a delicate glaze. Spiced with all the holiday favorites—cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger—they’re wonderfully aromatic and perfectly balanced. Altogether, these cookies make the ideal treat for the festive season!

Let me tell you, this Pryanik recipe is one you’ll want to save for every holiday. Traditionally, Pryaniki are sweetened with honey, but this version is a modern take, and I find that caramelized sugar adds even more depth and flavor! I used to enjoy the store-bought ones, but they never had quite enough of those warm, comforting spices for me. These homemade Pryaniki are incredibly easy to make and, in my opinion, taste so much better. As a result, their moist texture and rich flavor put them on a whole different level!

These delicious cookies are traditionally made during the holidays and are perfect served with tea. They’re well-known in Russia for (пряник), Ukraine for (пряник), and Belarus for (пернік), and are also popular in the Czech and Slavic regions. Similar to classic gingerbread cookies, though ginger is optional, I absolutely love this version. It’s perfect and unbelievably tasty!

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IN THIS POST: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO MAKE THESE PERFECT PYRANIKI – SLAVIC SPICED HOLIDAY COOKIES

• INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE THESE PYRANIKI – SLAVIC SPICED HOLIDAY COOKIES
• STEPS TO MAKE THIS RECIPE!
• PREFER TO WATCH STEP-BY-STEP RECIPE VIDEO INSTEAD OF READING?
• JUMP TO RECIPE CARD

INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE THESE PYRANIKI – SLAVIC SPICED HOLIDAY COOKIES

Here is a preview of the ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe! You can find these at your local grocery store, or you can shop online. (Detailed ingredients in Recipe Card down below) ⬇️

Ingredients for Dough

• All-purpose Flour
• Granulated Sugar
• Baking Powder
• Hot Water
• Egg
• Unsalted Butter
• Cinnamon
• Ginger
• Cloves
• Nutmeg
• Salt

Ingredients for Frosting

• Powdered Sugar
• Water

PREFER TO WATCH STEP-BY-STEP RECIPE VIDEO INSTEAD OF READING?

STEPS TO MAKE THIS RECIPE!

Step 1: Make the Syrup – Firstly, heat 1/4 cup of sugar in a pot over high heat, stirring constantly until it melts and turns dark brown. Lower the heat to medium and carefully add the hot water. Stir until the caramelized sugar dissolves. (Be careful as you pour in the water; it may splatter on you.) Add the remaining 1 cup of sugar and spices, cook and stir until everything is fully dissolved. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the butter until melted. Remove the pot from the heat and allow the syrup to cool slightly.

Step 2: Beat the egg in a small bowl. When the syrup has cooled, slowly mix in the beaten egg until fully combined.

Step 3: Make the Dough – Transfer the syrup mixture into a large bowl. Whisk baking powder and flour together in a bowl. Gradually sift in the flour, mixing after each addition, until a soft, sticky, playdough-like dough forms. (Note: if your dough seems crumbly, add a few drops of water at a time and knead until it forms into a playdough-like dough.)

Step 4: Shape – Divide and weigh the dough into portions of about 1.55 oz (44 g) each and roll into balls with the palms of your hands. Gently flatten each ball with your palm. Place a piece of parchment underneath and use a round cookie cutter, measuring cup, or bowl to gently swirl and shape each piece into a smooth Pryanik. Arrange the shaped dough on a buttered parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart.

Step 5: Bake – Bake for 15 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly browned. Let the cookies cool completely.

Step 6: Frosting – Lastly, mix powdered sugar with a small dash of water to form a thick frosting. Dip the cooled cookies into the frosting for an even coat, then set them on a cooling rack to allow excess frosting to drip off. Before the frosting fully dries, toss the cookies back into a bowl of powdered sugar for a second light coating and brush excess sugar off, and enjoy!

Have any questions about this recipe or have you tried making our recipe yet? If so, we would LOVE to hear how it turned out! You can post, tag, rate, and comment down below and on Instagram! 👇 Thank you in advance! 

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RECIPE CARD

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WRITE US A REVIEW BELOW ⬇️

We would love to hear your thoughts if you tried out our recipe!😊