Traditional Croatian Christmas Cakes

Croatia is known as a gastronomic paradise for all kinds of foods, including desserts. Surely you can find something you like among different doughs, rolls, tarts, crepes, brownies, pies, bars, gingerbread cookies, cream cakes, and tea biscuits.

Favorite Christmas ingredients, source: Pixabay

If you have a sweet tooth, you can enjoy the ancient Croatian recipes and try to make them yourself. We bring you the recipes that have been collected through the years. They belonged to our grandmas and mothers. The most important advice we got is not to stick to the ingredients blindly, but to do every recipe „od oka“, meaning: roughly, approximately.

While you wait for the summer and your villa holidays in Croatia, let us tell you a few secrets of the traditional Croatian recipes that make every Christmas a joyful experience!

1. Orahnjaca - Walnut Roll 

(pronounced: orahnyacha)

The savory Christmas treat orahnjaca, or walnut cake, is probably the most famous cake in Croatia. If you asked people to name some traditional Croatian Christmas cakes, orahnjaca would definitely be at the top of the list. Housewives make it not only at Christmas time, but also for Easter, and family celebrations. Since Christmas is approaching, here is the list of ingredients to make your life easier...

Orahnjaca Dough Ingredients

Raw Orahnjaca dough

• 40 dag of white flour 
• a cube of fresh yeast (di-go yeast is the most popular in Croatia)
• 6 dag of melted butter
• 1 whole egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 6 dag of sugar 
• half a deciliter of oil (0.5 dl)
• lemon zest
• a pinch of salt
• 2 dl of warm milk

Orahnjaca Stuffing Ingredients

• 40 dag or walnuts
• 15 dag of sugar
• 10 dag of raisins
• 2 dl of hot milk
• a spoon of rum
• 1 pack of vanilla

Orahnjaca Preparation

Knead the dough manually; you don't need an electric mixer. Beat the eggs in the other bowl and add all the wet ingredients to the flour, melting the yeast with warm milk. Put the dough in the bowl, cover it, and leave it to rise for 1 hour. After an hour, the mixture will be perfect for stuffing. 

While the dough is rising, make the stuffing. Clean and grind the walnuts. Wash the raisins. Add sugar, raisins, vanilla powder, and 2 - 3 spoons of rum. Slowly pour the hot milk into the filling. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces, try without the baking scale (our moms did like that). Flatten two pieces of dough with the dough roller (rolling pin).

Orahnjaca dough and a rolling pin

Put the walnut stuffing on each piece and roll both halves separately.

Orahnjaca stuffing

A big piece of fabric will effectively make the perfect roller-like dough.  

Orahnjaca making

Leave the dough again for 30 minutes and they'll be ready for the oven.

Raw Orahnjaca rolls

Important: preheat the oven to 180˚C before stuffing the dough. Put the dough in the oven and bake it for 40 minutes to 180˚C.

Coating Orahnjaca with egg yolks

Before baking, coat orahnjaca with egg yolks, to get a nice brown crust in the oven.

Orahnjaca in the oven

Extra advice: increase the temperature to 200˚C for the first 10 minutes and then decrease it to 180˚C for the remaining 30 minutes.  

How to Serve Orahnjaca

Delicious Orahnjaca slices

We recommend serving Orahnjaca with powdered sugar, but you can leave it out. This traditional dessert excellently pairs with your morning coffee. You can also gift it to your loved ones.

2. Makovnjaca – Poppy Seed Roll 

    (pronounced: makovnyacha)

Another popular pastry after the famous and widespread orahnjaca is makovnjaca - a bit neglected but very tasty. The dough is usually the same as for orahnjaca. 

The stuffing is made of poppy seeds, which do their best when dipped in hot milk. You can enrich their taste by combining them with lemon or orange peel. Ultimately, you get a finely granular and dusky backdrop. Add the notes of orange and lemon flower water, sweet spices, or honey for more fragrance.

Makovnjaca Dough Ingredients

 

Dough in a bowl, source: Pixabay

...are the same as in orahnjaca. See more above!

Makovnjaca Stuffing Ingredients

• 200 g of poppy seeds
• 100 g of sugar
• 1 - 1,5 dl of milk
• 1 pack of vanilla 
• 1 spoon of semolina
• raisins or walnuts (if you want)

Makovnjaca Preparation

The preparation is the same as with orahnjaca (walnut roll): see above. It is also baked for 40 minutes at 180˚C. Advice is the same: preheat the oven, first 10 minutes bake it at 200˚C, and for the remaining 30 minutes bake it at 180˚C. Like grandmas and mothers say: „It depends on how good the oven is.“ 

How to Serve Makovnjaca

You can serve it with a cup of your favorite tea or coffee, or bring it to your work; it's very nutritious with a glass of milk and will keep you satiated. 

Makovnjaca – Poppy Seed Roll slices, source: Pixabay

Advice: we recommend you find experienced guidance, especially with doughs like orahnjaca and makovnjaca. Don't tell that we didn't warn you! :- )

3. Fritule 

    (pronounced: freetooleh)

This quick deep-fried dough is perfect for Christmas or cold winter evenings. It will warm you up instantly and give you the feeling of home. Fritule is ideal during fasting, and housewives always make it for Christmas Eve. You can also buy it in restaurants and bakeries, it is widely spread on the days before Christmas.

Soft Fritule dough, ready for quickly deep frying

There are many recipes, but the basis is always the same: soft flour mixture is shaped with a hand, between thumb and index finger, and put in hot frying oil. We have already given you the recipe for fritule. You can read it on our blog: How to make Croatian Fritule.

Fritule, Wikimedia Commons, author: Klenje

We recommend sprinkling it with powdered sugar and serving it with tea or coffee. One of the famous fritule desserts comes from the Primosten region, a small touristy town between Split and Sibenik.

4. Krostule 

    (pronunced: kroʃtooleh)

Krostule (Latin „crustulum“) is a fast-made cake perfect for the Christmas holidays. The cake, in fact, derives from the Roman era and was given to Roman soldiers in the war. There are many versions of krostule recipe, but it is a flour-based dough dipped in frying oil. Krostule, like fritule is made for Christmas Eve and is also a good choice for fasting (you mustn't add lard). Here is one old recipe without the lard.

Krostule Ingredients

• 1 kg of all-purpose flour
• 12 dag of sugar
• 3 sour cremes
• 5 egg yolks
• 1 pack of baking powder
• 1 pack of vanilla
• aroma of rum, vanilla, orange, and lemon (you can also add bottled rum, and zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon)

Krostule Preparation

Raw Krostule dough

First, you make a bit softer dough. Flatten the dough with the roller, to become very thin. Then cut it with a cutter or knife in the rectangle shape. Make a small cut in the middle of each piece and invert one part to the other side, it will look more interesting. Put at least 1 liter of oil in a pot, and heat it before you put dough pieces in the hot oil. You stir the pieces and take them out after less than a minute. 

Advice: Don't put too many pieces at one time.

How to Serve Krostule

Krostule, Wikimedia Commons, author: Popo le Chien

We recommend serving it with a cup of tea or coffee. It is perfect for tea time, at any time, not specifically at 5 pm. Croatians are known to be coffee lovers, so we always find some excuse to sit for coffee with friends. It's something like free therapy in the sun. Well, besides the coffee bill. :)

5. Vanilin Kiflici - Vanilla Rolls 

    (pronounced: va'ni:lin kiflitʃi)

Here we will reveal the simplest recipe for your favorite fast cookies made just of dough, without the stuffing. They are great because they last longer, just put them in a tin box.

Vanilla Rolls Ingredients

• 30 dag of white flour 
• 10 dag of almonds
• 22 dag of butter
• 6 dag of sugar
• 1 pack of baking powder
• 1 pack of vanilla

Vanilla Rolls Preparation

You make a dough with your hands, without the hand mixer. The golden rule is to put the dry ingredients first (flour, sugar, almonds, baking powder, vanilla) and then add butter (almost 1 whole butter). 

Mix them manually for a longer time to do it evenly.

Vanilin Kiflici in the oven

Afterward, flatten the dough with a kitchen roller (rolling pin). Then, cut the dough with the dough cutter and form the sweet rolls. Preheat the oven to 180˚C for at least 15 minutes and put the rolls in the hot oven. Hold it inside for 20 minutes, but carefully watch. You remove it when it is light brown. 

Advice: Use a toothpick. If the dough remains on it when you stick it - it's still raw; if the toothpick is clean, it's baked.

How to Serve Vanilla Rolls

Vanilin Kiflici decoration, source: Pixabay

We suggest serving it with icing sugar when tea time starts. You can also try making a healthier version without the icing. They will be delicious either way.

6. Kokos Kiflici – Coconut Rolls 

   (pronounced: 'koːkɔs kiflitʃi)

In addition, we will give you another secret recipe from one Dalmatian family. It is not complicated, and everyone can make it. 

Ingredients for Coconut Rolls Dough

• 50-60 dag of all-purpose flour
• 10 dag of coconut (coconut pack)
• 25 dag of sugar
• 2 whole eggs
• 1 butter
• 1 baking powder

Coconut Rolls Preparation

First, add flour, then all other dry ingredients (sugar, coconut, baking powder). Then, add eggs and in the end, butter. Mix all ingredients manually. Make a solid piece of dough. Then, leave it on the table for at least 30 minutes. Flatten the dough and make small rolls. You can stuff it with some filling, according to your wishes (chocolate cream). 

How to Serve Coconut Rolls

Kokos Kiflici dipped in chocolate

Serve the rolls with or without icing sugar. A glass of tea will do. It is a great dessert for children, so make sure you give it to kids when they go to school. These cookies can last for a longer time. 

7. Ruzice 

    (pronounced: rûʒitse)

Ruzice (roses) is a miniature walnut dessert that irresistibly reminds of small roses. There are different recipes for this small treat, but we chose this from our grandma's.

Dough Ingredients for Ruzice

Raw Ruzice dough, source: Pixabay

• 25 dag of flour
• 15 dag of lard
• 1 yeast 
• a zest of lemon

Stuffing Ingredients for Ruzice

• 15 dag od almonds
• 25 dag of sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 vanilla
• spoon of rum

Ruzice Preparation

First, you need to make the dough, which is pretty simple. Then, make the almond stuffing by whisking whole eggs with sugar and vanilla. Add almonds and rum at the end. Mix it well. Flatten the dough and put the stuffing. Roll it and cut it into small pieces (approximately 2 – 3 cm wide). Arrange them in a baking tray and bake at 180˚C (or 200˚C) for 10 - 15 minutes, depending on the oven.

How to Serve Ruzice

Ruzice dessert, source: Pixabay

A picture-perfect ruzice dessert looks great on the plate. It looks even better if you serve it with other traditional cakes (rafioli, breskvice, etc.). Decorate your rolls with sugar icing and serve it to your dearest.

8. Paprenjaci – Black Pepper Cookies 

    (pronounced: paprenyatsi)

 

Paprenjaci in the store, Source: Wikimedia Commons, author: Roberta F.

Paprenjak is also a traditional Croatian cookie, full of black pepper. It is the main ingredient of this Croatian version of gingerbread cookies. It also contains mill products, sugar, starch syrup or honey, fats, eggs, and spices. 

The cookie needs to have at least 10% fat and the finished product can contain a maximum of 5% water. Black pepper cookies from Hvar Island don't contain pepper, while black peppers from Zagreb do. The art of making the traditional Stari Grad paprenjok is a protected cultural asset of the Republic of Croatia.

Black Pepper Cookies Ingredients

• all-purpose white flour 50 dag
• 220 g of ground walnuts
• 120 g of granulated sugar
• 120 g of butter
• 120 g of honey
• 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon of lard
• 1,5 tablespoons of cinnamon
• half a lemon zest
• 1 egg

You can also add: 

• a pinch of cloves
• a pinch of nutmeg
• a dash of cardamom

Black Pepper Cookies Preparation

First beat butter and lard, then add sugar and beat it again until it becomes smooth. In a beaten egg add walnuts, zest, and honey. Add flour mixed with spices to these wet ingredients. Make the dough with your hands, not with an electric mixer. It takes a while until it's finished. Then leave it at least for an hour. Flatten the dough, cut out the cookies using the cutter. Paprenjaci is usually made from traditional wooden carved blocks, but you can use something similar. Bake the cookies at 180˚C for 10 minutes. 

How to Serve Black Pepper Cookies

Paprenjaci decoration, source: Pixabay

Black pepper cookies are best with tea or as an edible souvenir (like traditional Croatian licitar).

9. Kuglof – Bundt Cake 

    (pronounced: koo'glo:f)

Kuglof or kugluf is a cake with a hole in it. This typical celebration dessert is great for Christmas or New Year's Eve. You can adorn it with chocolate, spices, and other cake decorations.

White Layer of Bundt Cake Ingredients

• 2 full cups of flour (2x2 dl)
• 1 full yogurt cup of sugar
• 2 whole eggs
• 1 yogurt
• 1 baking powder
• half a cup of oil
• spices according to wishes

Brown Layer of Bundt Cake Ingredients

Kuglof layers, source: Pixabay

• half of the white layer
• 3 spoons of cacao (added after the first half of the dough is placed in the baking tin)

Bundt Cake Preparation

You whisk the flour mixture and pour it into the greased bundt pan to make the ring-shaped cakes, with a hole in the middle. 

Basic kuglof usually has two layers. The white layer is made of whisked white flour. Pour the first part of the liquid mixture into the baking tin. 

Add 3 spoons of cacao (or more if you wish) to the second half and whisk thoroughly. Adding raisins, walnuts, almonds, or grated apples will enrich the taste. Pour the rest of the dark layer of the mixture into the tin. 

Preheat the oven and bake it approximately for 30 minutes at 180˚C.

How to Serve Bundt Cake

Kuglof, source: Pixabay

We suggest dusting it with powdered sugar, for a richer taste garnish it with melted chocolate or chocolate crumbs. Decorate the bundt with red details to be picture-perfect in the festive Christmas season.

10. Biskupski Kolac – Bishop's Cake 

      (pronounced: beescoop-ski kola:tʃ)

Bishop's Cake Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 100 g of sugar
• 70 g of walnuts
• 70 g of chocolate
• grated lemon zest
• 70 g raisins
• 70 g of smooth cake flour

Bishop's Cake Preparation

Separate egg whites from egg yolks. Cut chocolate and walnuts into smaller pieces. Whisk egg yolks with sugar and lemon zest. Add walnuts, chocolate, and raisins. Stir them into the egg yolks, gradually adding flour. Lightly stir in the egg whites. Make the dough and pour it into the greased ribbed cake tin. Bake it for 30 minutes at 180˚C. 

How to Serve Bishop's Cake

Biskupski Kolac, source: Pixabay

Sprinkle the baked cake with icing sugar, cut into slices, and serve with hot drinks, like hot chocolate, tea, or coffee. It will be perfect after a rich Christmas lunch. The sweet note of this cake will satisfy your sugar craving, for sure.

Croatian Cuisine – Culinary and Gastronomic Paradise

Besides its natural phenomena, Croatia is no doubt a gastronomic oasis. Numerous guests visiting Croatia each year are aware of its beauties, but still, emphasize that the food is the forte of our small country. Your palates will be extremely satisfied once you find yourself in the gastronomic paradise. On our website, you can read the article Dalmatian Soul Food, and see the magical recipes and extraordinary pictures to help you understand just a small part of the Dalmatian/Croatian healthy cuisine. Other food blogs you can read on Food in Croatia.

Dessert with coffee - one of life's magic, source: Pixabay

Once you try traditional Croatian Christmas cakes, you will definitely enrich your culinary experience. We recommend you try and make them at home. Like they say; you gotta risk it, to get the biscuit! 

Enjoy your meal! (Dobar tek!)