Russian Pryaniki
Russian Pryaniki are popular Russian tea cookies that often find their way onto holiday cookie trays. They are soft on the inside while covered with a crispy glaze! Pryaniki (pyranik is singular) are Russian spice cookies that come out during the holidays in just about every Eastern European household. Also known as “honey bread”, these simple cookies pair perfectly with a hot cup of coffee or tea and are perfect for dipping.
Typically, these cookies are made with some type of spice. Popular varieties contain cinnamon or nutmeg and come out with a dark, brown center. In my variation, 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. Pryaniki glaze couldn’t be more simple to make. To get that perfectly, crispy outer crust, all you do is beat powdered sugar with egg whites until you get a thick mixture. These cookies may appear impressive, but they are actually quite simple to make. In fact, they require no molds or off-the-wall ingredients.
Ingredients:
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 cup sugar
- 16 oz sour cream
- 3 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 5 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 pasteurized egg whites for glaze
- 2 cup powdered sugar for glaze