Grandma’s Polish Cookies

Total Time

Prep: 45 min. Cook: 5 min./batch

Makes

20 cookies

Updated: Jun. 30, 2023
This traditional khruchiki recipe has been handed down through my mother's side from my great-grandmother. As a child, it was my job to loop the end of each cookie through its hole. —Sherine Elise Gilmour, Brooklyn, New York

Ingredients

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup cold butter
  • 4 large egg yolks, room temperature
  • 1 cup evaporated milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Oil for deep-fat frying
  • Confectioners' sugar

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In another bowl, beat egg yolks until foamy; add milk and vanilla. Stir into crumb mixture until dough is stiff enough to knead.
  2. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead 8-10 times. Divide dough into 4 pieces. Roll each portion into a 1/4-in.-thick rectangle; cut into 4x1-1/2-in. strips. Cut a 2-in. lengthwise slit down the middle of each strip; pull 1 of the ends through the slit like a bow.
  3. In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat oil to 375°. Fry dough strips, a few at a time, until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Dust with confectioners’ sugar.

Nutrition Facts

1 cookie: 246 calories, 16g fat (7g saturated fat), 65mg cholesterol, 205mg sodium, 20g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 1g fiber), 4g protein.