katarzynki - polish gingerbread cookies

Name: Katarzynki - Polish Gingerbread Cookies
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients: 2 cup(s) all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup(s) sugar; 1/4 teaspoon(s) ground cloves; 1 teaspoon(s) cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon(s) ground mace; 1/4 teaspoon(s) cream of tartar; 1 teaspoon(s) cocoa powder; 1 pinch(es) black pepper; 1/3 cup(s) honey; 1 - eggs; 1 teaspoon(s) baking soda; - flour for dusting; FOR CHOCOLATE ICING; 8 ounce(s) bar of baking chocolate, or 2 cups of chocolate chips; 2 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter

★★★★★ 3

A platter of Katarzynki (Polish Gingerbread Cookies).

review

a recipe by

Monica H

@MonisiaH

Michigan City, IN

When I was a little girl - oh, who am I kidding... I ALWAYS LOVED these and ALWAYS WILL even now when I'm a big girl! When I get any chance to go to the city to the polish market, I stock up on these like Y2K people stocked up on water and gasoline. They are so good at any time; not just Christmastime. There are variations; these can be made with various fruit fillings in the middle or glazed with a sugar glaze instead of chocolate. I like the traditional shape of the Katarzyna, but also you can make them round, heart-shaped, or whatever you like.

Blue Ribbon Recipe

Katarzynki is a traditional Polish gingerbread cookie. They're crunchier and thicker than the American-style gingerbread cookie. Honey and a touch of brown sugar are used so the cookies are not super sweet. After they're baked, the cookies are dipped in chocolate which adds a little more sweetness. The fall spices, chocolate coating, and crunchy texture make them perfect to serve with hot cocoa or coffee. This is a wonderful old-fashioned cookie that's easy to make. Get creative when decorating them. We kept some with just the chocolate, added white chocolate to some, and dusted a few with powdered sugar.

— The Test Kitchen @kitchencrew

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★★★★★ 3

serves a bunch

prep time 20 Min

cook time 30 Min

method Bake

Ingredients For katarzynki - polish gingerbread cookies

2 c

all-purpose flour
1/2 c

sugar
1/4 tsp

ground cloves
1 tsp

cinnamon
1/4 tsp

ground mace
1/4 tsp

cream of tartar
1 tsp

cocoa powder
1 pinch

black pepper
1/3 c

honey
1

eggs
1 tsp

baking soda
flour for dusting
FOR CHOCOLATE ICING
8 oz

bar of baking chocolate, or 2 cups of chocolate chips
2 Tbsp

unsalted butter

How To Make katarzynki - polish gingerbread cookies

Test Kitchen Tips

Ironically not all Polish gingerbread include ginger. If you prefer ginger to mace, feel free to swap the spices.

1
Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. Preheat oven to 350F.

2
Heat honey in a saucepan until it begins to boil. Turn off heat.
3
Beat together the egg and sugar until thick.
4
Pour in honey while mixing until smooth.
5
Fold dry ingredients into the egg, honey, and sugar mixture; don't over-mix. (Start to fold with a spoon and then fold by hand until just combined.)
6
Turn out gently on a floured surface. Roll out to 1cm thickness.
7
Cut into desired shapes.
8
Bake 12 - 15 minutes until darker color develops.
9
Set aside and allow to cool before dipping into chocolate.
10
While cooling, set up a double-boiler system on the stove. (I just use a pot of boiling water and set another small rounded-bottom pot like a mini-wok type thing on top of it). Melt butter and chocolate in the pot. Stir to combine.
11
Use tongs to dip cookies in.
12
Set cookies on a wire rack to cool.
13
Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar if you'd like and a nice tall glass of milk. Yum.
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