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katarzynki - polish gingerbread cookies

(3)
MonisiaH avatar
Blue Ribbon Recipe by
Monica H
@MonisiaH
Michigan City, IN

When I was a little girl, I loved these cookies. Oh, who am I kidding - I still love these cookies now that I'm a big girl and I always will! When I get any chance to go to the Polish market, I stock up on these like Y2K people stocked up on water and gasoline. They are 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
(3)
yield serving(s)
prep time 35 Min
cook time 15 Min
method Bake

Ingredients For katarzynki - polish gingerbread cookies

  • COOKIES
  • 2 c
    all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp
    ground cloves
  • 1 tsp
    cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp
    ground mace
  • 1/4 tsp
    cream of tartar
  • 1 tsp
    baking soda
  • 1 tsp
    cocoa powder
  • 1 pinch
    black pepper
  • 1/3 c
    honey
  • 1
    egg
  • 1/2 c
    sugar
  • flour for dusting
  • CHOCOLATE ICING
  • 8 oz
    baking chocolate or 2 cups chocolate chips
  • 2 Tbsp
    unsalted butter

How To Make katarzynki - polish gingerbread cookies

Test Kitchen Tips
Ironically, not all Polish gingerbread includes ginger. If you prefer ginger to mace, feel free to swap the spices.
  • Dry ingredients in a bowl.
    1
    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. To make the cookies, mix all ingredients except honey, eggs, and sugar in a large bowl.
  • Heating honey in a saucepan.
    2
    Heat the honey in a saucepan until it begins to boil. Turn off the heat.
  • Eggs and sugar in a bowl.
    3
    Beat together the egg and sugar until thick in the bowl of a stand mixer.
  • Pouring honey into the eggs and sugar.
    4
    With the mixer on low, pour in the honey, continuing to mix until smooth.
  • Folding dry ingredients into the egg, honey, and sugar mixture.
    5
    Turn off the mixer and fold the dry ingredients in; don't over-mix. (Start to fold with a spoon and then fold by hand until just combined.)
  • Rolling out the dough.
    6
    Turn the dough out gently onto a floured surface. Roll out to a 1 cm thickness.
  • Cutting out shapes with a cookie cutter.
    7
    Cut into desired shapes.
  • Gingerbread cookies baking in the oven.
    8
    Bake 12 - 15 minutes until a darker color develops.
  • Gingerbread cookies cooling on a wire rack.
    9
    Set aside and allow to cool before dipping into chocolate.
  • Chocolate and butter melting in a double boiler.
    10
    While cooling, make the chocolate icing. Set up a double-boiler system on the stove. (I just use a pot of boiling water and set another small rounded-bottom pot on top of it). Melt the butter and chocolate in the pot. Stir to combine.
  • Dipping cookies in the chocolate.
    11
    Use tongs to dip the cookies in.
  • Chocolate coated cookies cooling.
    12
    Set the cookies on a wire rack to cool.
  • Dusting cookies with powdered sugar.
    13
    Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar if you'd like and a nice tall glass of milk. Yum.
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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