Vánoční Cukroví

Traditional Czech Vánoční Cukroví (Christmas Cookies)

Vánoční Cukroví is a beloved platter of assorted Christmas cookies served across the Czech Republic during the holidays. This recipe covers three of the most classic varieties: linecké (linzer-style butter cookies), vanilkové rohlíčky (vanilla crescents), and perníčky (honey-spiced cookies), which together form a traditional Czech holiday cookie selection.

Prep

60 min

Cook

30 min

Total

90 min

Serves

Makes approximately 80-90 assorted cookies

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) plain wheat flour, all-purpose, plus extra for dusting
• •250 g (1 cup + 2 tbsp) unsalted butter, cold, for linecké dough
• •200 g (1 cup) caster sugar
• •3 whole egg yolks, from large eggs
• •1 pinch salt
• •1 packet vanilla sugar, Czech vanilkový cukr; substitute 1 tsp vanilla extract + 1 tsp extra sugar
• •150 g (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) ground walnuts or almonds, for linecké filling or rohlíčky
• •200 g (1 cup) redcurrant or apricot jam, for filling linecké; warmed and strained
• •100 g (½ cup) icing sugar, for dusting crescents
• •200 g (¾ cup) honey, for perníčky; Czech med is ideal
• •100 ml (scant ½ cup) milk, for perníčky dough
• •2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• •1 tsp ground cinnamon
• •ground cloves, ½
• •ground ginger, ½
• •baking soda, ½

Steps

1. 1 Make the linecké dough: On a clean work surface or in a bowl, sift the flour and make a well in the center. Add the cold butter cut into cubes, sugar, egg yolks, salt, and vanilla sugar. Quickly knead by hand just until a smooth dough forms - do not overwork. Form into a disc, wrap in cling film, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (preferably overnight).
2. 2 Make the rohlíčky dough: Cream 150 g softened butter with 80 g caster sugar and one packet of vanilla sugar until pale. Stir in 150 g ground walnuts and 200 g flour to form a soft dough. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
3. 3 Make the perníčky dough: Warm the honey with the milk gently until just combined (do not boil). Remove from heat, stir in cocoa, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and baking soda. Let cool slightly, then mix into 250 g flour to form a stiff dough. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
4. 4 Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F) conventional, or 160°C (320°F) fan. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
5. 5 Roll out the linecké dough to 3-4 mm thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut into rounds, stars, hearts, and other festive shapes (about 5 cm). Cut a small window out of half the shapes using a smaller cutter if making jam-filled sandwich cookies.
6. 6 Transfer the cut cookies to the prepared trays, spaced 2 cm apart. Bake the linecké for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are just lightly golden - they should remain pale. Cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack.
7. 7 Shape the rohlíčky dough into small crescents about 4 cm long by rolling between your palms. Place on lined trays and bake at 170°C (340°F) for 12-14 minutes until pale gold at the edges. While still warm, roll generously in icing sugar.
8. 8 Roll out the perníčky dough to 4-5 mm thick, cut into shapes, and bake at 170°C (340°F) for 8-10 minutes. Perníčky are traditionally decorated once cool with a simple icing of icing sugar beaten with a little lemon juice, but are also lovely plain.
9. 9 Assemble the linecké sandwiches: dust the holed tops with icing sugar, then sandwich the plain bases together with a thin layer of warmed, strained redcurrant or apricot jam.
10. 10 Store the cookies in a traditional Czech plechový (tin) or airtight metal box, separating layers with parchment paper. Czech families store them for 1-2 weeks before Christmas to let the flavors mellow and soften the texture. Cookies are fully baked (no raw egg, no raw flour concern) and safe to eat once cooled; finished cookies keep 3-4 weeks in a sealed tin.