Zázvorky (ginger cookies) are cookies typically make at Christmas in the Czech Republic. Their ginger aroma and taste is the reason for their name.
Although it’s perník that is being translated as “gingerbread cookies”, it has only very little ginger or rather none at all. On the other hand, zázvorky are all about ginger which makes them the real gingerbread cookies. They are one of the first type of Czech Christmas cookies to be made, at least one month before Christmas, because they are need to rest to soften. If you want to eat them early, you’d have to dip them in tea or coffee.
Zázvorky are easy to make, you basically just roll out the dough and cut out the cookies. Traditionally, these cookies are cut out with the cookie cutter of a specific shape, it’s the one you see in the pictures. If you don’t have one, you can use any cookie cutter you like.
These cookies need to dry before you bake them, so if you want to bake in the morning, prepare them the evening before and if you’d like to bake at night, prepare them in the morning.
Supplies
- 240 g of all purpose flour
- 140 g of powder sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp of ginger powder
- 2 tsp of lemon zest
How to make Zázvorky
Whisk the eggs and sugar until foamy. Slowly add the flour, ginger and lemon zest. Knead until the dough is smooth. Let it rest in the fridge for an hour.
Roll out the dough to about 0,5 cm thick and cut out the shapes. Place them on a baking tray and let them dry overnight, by which time they will be hard.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/ °F, bake for 5 minutes, then lower the temperature to 160°C/ °F and bake until golden (just a few minutes). Let the cookies dry and store in a dry place.
