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Vegan pryaniki recipe
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Vegan pryaniki (with lemon)

Fresh, fluffy and aromatic are the pryaniki. Plus, they're vegan and lightning fast to make with this recipe. The Russian gingerbread cookies are perfect for dessert after dinner with coffee or tea.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Russian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 15 pryaniki

Equipment

  • kitchen thermometer

Ingredients

for the dough

  • 100 ml water
  • 180 g sugar**
  • 50 ml vegetable oil
  • zest from 1 organic lemon
  • approx. 370 g flour**
  • 6 g baking powder**
  • 1 pinch of salt

for the icing

Instructions

Preparation of the dough

  • Add sugar and water to a saucepan, bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly so that the sugar dissolves before it reaches a boil, and simmer the sugar syrup for 2 minutes.
  • Take the sugar syrup off the heat and let it cool for about 10 minutes until it is no longer so hot.
  • Add vegetable oil, lemon zest and salt to the sugar syrup and mix.
  • Mix flour with baking powder, add it in batches to the sugar syrup and knead it briefly to form a soft dough.
  • Form small balls from the dough (for me 15 pieces of about 45 g each) and spread them on a baking tray lined with baking paper with plenty of space between them. If your dough is soft enough, the dough balls will take on a dome shape on the baking sheet. If the dough is a bit firmer, flatten the balls slightly.
  • Bake the vegan pryaniki in a preheated oven at 392 °F (200 °C) for about 10 minutes and let them cool.

Preparation of the sugar icing

  • Put sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring so that the sugar dissolves before it boils.
  • Now let the icing boil over medium heat, without stirring it, until it reaches 230 °F (110 °C).
  • Remove the icing from the heat and leave to cool to approx. 167 °F - 176 °F (75 °C - 80 °C) for 7 - 10 minutes.

Coating the vegan pryaniki with the sugar icing

  • Dip a kitchen brush briefly into the icing again and again and rub it quickly but vigorously over the surface of each pryanik in turn (be careful, it's hot).
  • Spread the vegan pryaniki on baking paper and allow the icing to dry.

Notes

  • Instead of lemon zest, you can refine the dough with orange zest, fresh mint or various spices.
  • The amount of flour indicated may vary. Add flour in portions to the liquid mixture until a soft dough is formed. It should not be sticky, but it should not be too firm either. To do this, refer to my notes here above.
  • Do not knead the dough too long, but only until it reaches a homogeneous consistency.
  • Do not bake the pryaniki longer than necessary so that they do not taste dry. Use a wooden skewer to check if they are done baking.
  • The time for cooling and drying is not included in the preparation time.
  • Note the detailed tips and tricks for making the vegan pryaniki at the top of the post.