Piernik

Name: Piernik
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients: 3 cup all-purpose flour; 2/3 cup honey; 5 tbsp butter, softened; 2/3 cup brown sugar; 2 eggs; 2 tsp ground cinnamon; 0.5 tsp ground cloves; 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg; 1 tsp baking soda; 0.5 tsp salt; 2/3 cup hot water

A spiced Polish gingerbread cake, moist and aromatic with cinnamon, cloves, and honey. This time-honored treat is traditionally served with tea and improves with age.

70 minMediumServes 12265 cal/serving

PolishDessertOvenVegetarian

Ingredients

3 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup honey
5 tbsp butter, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp ground cinnamon
0.5 tsp ground cloves
0.5 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
0.5 tsp salt
2/3 cup hot water

Instructions

1

Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9-inch cake pan.
2

Warm 2/3 cup honey and 5 tbsp softened butter together until melted, then let cool slightly.
3

In a bowl, whisk together 3 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, 0.5 tsp ground cloves, 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg, 1 tsp baking soda, and 0.5 tsp salt.
4

Beat 2/3 cup brown sugar and 2 eggs together until pale, about 2 minutes.
5

Stir the honey mixture into the egg mixture.
6

Alternate adding the dry ingredients and 2/3 cup hot water to the wet mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
7

Pour batter into prepared pan.
8

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
9

Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Questions

Can I make Piernik dairy-free?

Yes. The dairy in this entry is 5 tbsp butter, softened. Swap the butter for olive oil where it melts, or a plant-based block butter where it is creamed. The richness shifts slightly, but the method does not change.

Can I make Piernik gluten-free?

Yes. The gluten in this entry is 3 cup all-purpose flour. Swap the flour for a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend (where it only thickens a sauce, half as much cornstarch also works). Everything else proceeds as written.

How long does Piernik keep?

Store it airtight: two to three days at room temperature or up to a week refrigerated. It freezes for up to two months; thaw at room temperature.

Can I halve or double Piernik?

Yes. As written it serves 12. Every ingredient in this entry carries precomputed half and double quantities, and the app's batch dial rewrites them inside each step. Doubled, split it across two pans and rotate them halfway; one crowded pan bakes unevenly.

Serve it with

Cinnamon Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso drink
Manhattan Cocktail drink

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