Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup (170 g) honey
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp ground ginger (optional)
- 1 large egg + 1 large yolk; 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 1/2 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda; 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1/2 cup (150 g) thick jam (optional filling)
- 1 1/2 cups (180 g) powdered sugar + 3–4 tbsp hot water + 1 tsp lemon juice (glaze)
Do This
- 1. Melt butter, honey, and sugar until smooth; stir in spices. Cool 10 minutes.
- 2. Whisk in egg, yolk, and vanilla.
- 3. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; fold into the honey mixture to form a soft dough. Rest 30 minutes.
- 4. Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 2 baking sheets.
- 5. For plain: scoop 1 1/2 tbsp portions (about 30 g), roll balls. For jam-filled: use 40 g dough, add 1/2 tsp jam, seal.
- 6. Bake 9–12 minutes until puffed and just set. Do not overbrown.
- 7. Whisk glaze; brush warm pryaniki. Let dry 20–30 minutes (or return to oven 2 minutes to set).
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Classic Russian-style pryaniki: soft, gently spiced, kissed with a thin white sugar glaze.
- Balanced spice blend led by cinnamon and clove, with optional ginger for warmth.
- Jam-filled option evokes Tula-style tradition without special equipment.
- Foolproof method and exact weights for consistent bakery-quality results.
Grocery List
- Produce: 1 lemon (for glaze; optional)
- Dairy: Unsalted butter, 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
- Pantry: Honey, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, all-purpose flour, baking soda, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground ginger (optional), fine salt, thick jam (blackcurrant, raspberry, or apricot)
Full Ingredients
Spiced Honey Dough
- 6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup (170 g) honey
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp ground ginger (optional but lovely)
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
Optional Jam Filling
- 1/2 cup (150 g) thick jam, seedless if possible (blackcurrant, raspberry, or apricot)
Thin Sugar Glaze
- 1 1/2 cups (180 g) powdered sugar
- 3 to 4 tbsp (45–60 ml) hot water, plus more as needed
- 1 tsp lemon juice or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make a warm spiced honey base
In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the butter, honey, and granulated sugar. Stir until the butter melts and the mixture looks glossy and homogenous (2–3 minutes); do not boil. Remove from heat, then stir in cinnamon, cloves, optional ginger, and salt. Let cool 10 minutes until warm but not hot (under 120°F/49°C) to avoid scrambling the eggs in the next step.
Step 2: Whisk in eggs and vanilla
Whisk the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla into the warm spiced honey mixture until smooth and slightly thickened.
Step 3: Add dry ingredients to form a soft dough
In a bowl, whisk together flour and baking soda. Add the dry mixture to the saucepan in 2 additions, folding with a spatula until no dry streaks remain. The dough will be soft and a bit sticky—that is perfect.
Step 4: Rest the dough to firm up
Cover the dough and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. This hydrates the flour and makes shaping easy.
Step 5: Preheat and shape (plain or jam-filled)
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment. For plain pryaniki, scoop 1 1/2 tbsp (about 30 g) portions and roll into smooth balls. For jam-filled, portion 40 g of dough, flatten into a 2 1/2-inch (6.5 cm) disk, place 1/2 tsp jam in the center, then pinch edges to seal very well. Place seam-side down and gently round the top. Space 2 inches (5 cm) apart. If you own a pryanik stamp, lightly flour it and gently press the tops for a Tula-style look.
Step 6: Bake until puffed and just set
Bake one sheet at a time for 9–12 minutes. The pryaniki should be puffed with just a hint of color around the bottoms; the tops should look matte but not browned. Overbaking will make them dry—pull them as soon as they are set in the center.
Step 7: Brush with thin sugar glaze
While the pryaniki bake, whisk powdered sugar with 3 tbsp hot water and lemon juice until smooth and fluid; add an extra 1 tsp water if needed. Brush the warm pryaniki generously on all exposed surfaces. Let dry on a rack 20–30 minutes, or return to the oven for 2 minutes to set the glaze, then cool completely.
Pro Tips
- Use thick jam to prevent leaks; you can briefly freeze 1/2-teaspoon dollops of jam to make filling mess-free.
- Weigh the flour and dough portions for consistent size and bake time; a 30–40 g range works best.
- Do not overbake—pale is perfect. They finish setting as they cool and stay soft for days.
- For stamping, lightly flour the stamp and press just after shaping so the pattern holds but the dough does not crack.
- Glaze while warm so it forms a thin, even, slightly crackled shell as it dries.
Variations
- Citrus note: Add 1 tsp finely grated lemon or orange zest to the honey mixture in Step 1.
- Extra spice: Increase cloves to 1/2 tsp and add 1/4 tsp ground cardamom for a deeper, old-world profile.
- Tula-inspired slab: Roll dough into two thin rectangles, spread with jam, top with the second sheet, stamp or score, then bake and glaze as directed.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Store pryaniki in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 1 week; their flavor deepens after day 1. To freeze, place glazed and fully dried pryaniki in a single layer until solid, then bag for up to 2 months. Thaw uncovered at room temperature; if desired, refresh the glaze with a very light second brush and 2 minutes in a 300°F (150°C) oven.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approx. 190 calories; 6 g fat; 31 g carbohydrates; 3 g protein; 0.5 g fiber; 120 mg sodium. Jam-filled pryaniki add about 15–20 calories each. Values are estimates and will vary with exact sizes and filling.
