Polish Chrusciki (Angel Wings)
My Polish mother, Zosia, taught me to make these delicate Christmas cookies. She called them chrustki but others call them chrusciki, faworki, or angel wings. They’re very delicate and crumble easily so don’t wear your fancy black sweater! - Jenny Jones
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Makes: 36 - 40
Ingredients:
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- pinch of salt
- 2 Tablespoons reduced fat sour cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon each lemon & orange zest
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- up to 2 Tablespoons additional flour
- 1 quart of oil for frying (safflower or canola)
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Instructions:
- In a small bowl using an electric hand mixer on high, beat egg yolks, sugar and salt until thick and lemon colored - about a minute.
- On low speed, stir in sour cream, vanilla, zests & flour.
- Stir in enough additional flour to form a mass (1-2 tablespoons)
- Transfer to a floured surface and knead 50 turns (about 2 minutes), adding extra flour as needed.
- Divide dough in half, keeping extra covered with plastic.
- On a floured surface, roll each section paper-thin to at least 12” across. Cut into 1 1/4-inch strips. Cut strips into 5-inch lengths. Make a slit in each strip. Pull one end through slit to make a bow tie.
- Deep fry in oil at about 350-365° F for about 30 seconds, turning once using 2 forks, until lightly golden on both sides. Do not crowd.
- Drain on paper towels. Let cool an sprinkle with powdered sugar.
- To re-crisp place on baking sheet in a 325° oven for about 5 minutes. Cool completely and re-dust with fresh powdered sugar.
Note: Chrusciki are best served right away but can be stored at room temperature for several days. I store mine on a large platter, separating the layers with waxed paper, and cover them all with aluminum foil, not plastic.
I have not made these for many years as I am now a celiac. I would like to venture into making these if I had a proper gluten free recipe. Your recipe is almost the same as mine but are called Angel’s Wings. Can you are anyone help me convert this recipe into a gluten free one. Thank you.
Hi Jenny, I love these cookies. I’m Italian & our recipe is almost the same except for the zezt, we use juice. We call them Bow Ties. Thanks for your recipes. There are so many that Italians make with little differences. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving & Christmas.
Chris
Hi Chris, I’m Italian from my father’s side, and Polish from my mother’s. It’s funny you say what you did, because I’ve felt the same thing/way my whole life! There’s lots of things both did culturally that was the same. Thank you for reminding me. 🙂
Jenny how can I get your cookbook?
It’s probably out of print but almost all the recipes from the book are here on this website and are improved and simplified the way I make them today.
I love seeing and looking at all the recipes. It sure brought back some old memories of baking for Christmas Eve and Christmas dinners. I love your spirit as well…you can make anyone fall in love with anything you’re cooking or baking. So glad I found this site…and thank for all the “new” old fashioned cooking ideas~
Great Video ! I’m going to try to make them for my Polish step-father. Thank you .
Hi Jenny!! I thought your voice sounded familiar! I used to watch you in the late 80s early 90s when you had a nationwide TV Show!! Nice to see you back and here on YouTube! Regarding your orange and lemon zesting. Did you know the colder the lemon or orange the easier it is to zest them? It’s true, I just tried zesting a lemon that I accidentally left too long in the freezer and it was a breeze to zest it! Course I had to wait to roll it around when it got warmer to get some juice out but so what! Love all things Polish!! Potica! Thanks for this wonderful recipe, I will have to come back..
One of my favorite treats as a kid. My grandmother always added whiskey to the dough
My grandmother would add Vodka
My mother also made them with whiskey. Since she was Czech we called them Listy. I made a big batch when my brother passed away to take to the funeral home snack room.
My mother and also my Babci Kmiech also used whiskey ….as the flavoring
I love your Chrusciki! I made it for a baby shower and Christmas it was a hits. Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks for the recipe! The Italians make these too but they call them Frappe.
Can you freeze angel wings?
sure can .
can you freeze them for a week then powder sugar when serving
can you freeze crusciki
yes
Hi there!
I have a question about the dough. Can you make it ahead of time and refrigerate it?
Thanks
Nancy
My babcia used to make these all the time, so nostaligic! I want to make for my boys but no sour cream in fridge, do you think greek yogurt would work?
I use my KitchenAid mixer to mix the dough (I double the recipe). Then I use the pasta attachment to get the dough super thin. It’s super easy to do it that way. My husband is Polish and I make these for our family during Easter. Thanks for this delicious recipe!
Like Kristen’s request (Feb. 10, 2018) I too would also like to know if these can be fried in an air fryer? (I have used your recipe 4-5 times now and thoroughly enjoy the video. Informative AND very funny.)
I like that pan you used. Does it have to be a deep pot?
Can you use an air fryer instead of a deep fryer?
I use an electric frying pan. Keeps the temperature prefect.
I’m so glad I found this recipe, the one my mother gave me was from My fathers church, but it made about a 1000. It was the recipe the ladies used for festivals!
What type of frying pan do you use?
Berndes.
Always wanted to make these. My grandmother and my mother both made them. But since they required frying we were not allowed in the kitchen when they were doing it. They were easy to make. The dough did not break or tear. I was always so afraid to tie them in the knots but it was very easy. Thank you for your instructional video it gave me reason to believe that I could do it too.
What would you suggest I use instead of eggs? I’m a vegan.
Than forget about it !! Really, just use a couple a egg yokes and get over it !!!!!!
You are an amazing funny sweet cook! Love your recipes.. Easy n tasty! Thanks n you are colorful💕✨🎄🙋🏻🙋🏻💃💃💕💫
Love this video, and I love your enthusiasm about these cookies. My grandmother and mother always made these at Christmas time. Rule #4 never inhale while eating them or the powered sure goes right up your nose!
Ty for recipes n tips never k ew not airtight moj tatus said zosia mea s wisdom in greek n he named me right ty zosia
I can’t wait to make these. My Babci used to make these when I was little. I haven’t had them for over 30 years. I can’t wait for my family to try them. My two grown sons have heard about them but never had them. Thanks again!!!
My Mother (who learned to make these from Babcia) used to make these when I was little. I have not have these in over 40 years but I loved them.
Thanks for the memories and maybe I will try to make them!
My fiance’s family is Polish and loves these, especially for the holidays. Unfortunately, we aren’t able to find them where we live anymore. A bit of a “dying” art, I suppose? I am going to surprise them by making them to enjoy before our wedding on NYE! One question though — if you want to add some whiskey, how much would you add to this recipe? Would there be other alterations to the ingredients? Thanks so much for helping me keep an important family tradition alive!
LOVE UR SITE EZ N RECIPES KEEP GIVIngUS POlishH RE IPES TY
My mother’s name is Zosia. 🙂
Dear Jenny..thank you so much for the recipe for chrusty..just finished making them and they were perfect. My husband loves them. I have made them before but yours are definitely the best. now will try your other recipes. Once again thank you Ela
What is the best way to store. I powdered them and they get soft. Maybe should not be sugared until ready to serve.
Make sure they are cool before you add the powdered sugar. I also just added a note to the recipe about storing and re-crisping.
Can these angel wings be baked instead of fried.? My mother was German and she used to make these,I loved them, thanks Jenny!
No, they must be fried.
My grandmom would use leftover piecrust dough in shape of chruschicki and they were baked, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar
Thank you so much… I remember making these with my Grandma growing up and I lost her recipe after she passed. Can’t wait to make these with my daughter ❤️
I still make these. It brings me back to my childhood. Everyone absolutely loves them. The more powdered sugar the better.❤
My Grandma and Mom made these every Christmas. Love, love, love them. And watch out for the flying powder sugar when you bite them!!
Thanks for reminding about chrusty/ faworki ! Growing in Poland, faworki were my first food that I remmeber I fell in love at age of 3-4 (not kielbasa, pierogi or bigos) lol. My mama often cooked simplified, hearthy version of these for breakfast. I ate tons of them and never became fat !
What is the simplified breakfast recipe? That sounds like it would be delicious. I am making these cookies today for the first time. I remember my great aunt making them and she was the only one that ever made them perfect. I am hoping to do her proud and make them for my family now.
Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe. I haven’t made these since I was a little girl with my Babci. I can’t wait to make them next weekend and carry on the tradition. We always used to store the cookies in a Charlie chip container between sheets of waxed paper.
O my I forgot all about the Charlie Chip containers. Wish I still had one.
Use the container that 4 – 5 flavors of popcorn are sold in during the holidays.
My Mom made these about 3 times a year! We are of Hungarian origin. We call them csoroge. They were so melt in your mouth tasty. These were a favorite of my older sister. I will make some for sure. Thank you for the good lesson!
The end brought me to tears, reliving precious memories of Grammy making these, and so succulent to enjoy. They were so wonderful. Truly Angel Wings. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for the most wonderful instructional video! I have not made these in 50 years and they turned out perfect! I can see how you can say don’t eat them all in one sitting!! I remember making these in grade school with dark shadows and Barnabas Collins on the TV in the background! God bless you!
My grandmother use to make cookies that were similar to these except she use to heat honey and dip them in the honey and sprinkle them with crushed walnuts and cinnamon. I always wanted to learn how to make them now I know. Thank you
Our neighbor used to make these every year at Christmas when I was little. She was Italian. She would dip them in honey and then sprinkle with the powdered sugar. I’ve looked for the recipe everywhere and just happened to come across this one by accident. Thanks for the idea about the cinnamon and nuts. I’ll bet that is good too!
Thank you Jenny, I made these for Christmas, and I just made a double batch for Easter. I have also made your perogies recipe and the directions were wonderful and they came out great. I make them often. Thanks you and God Bless You!
My grandfather was of Czech and polish decent I remember my grandma making these and poppyseed and nut rolls for the holidays I remember we used to go and make them with her sometimes makes me miss her it always smelled good when I went over there
How do I get a copy of your cookbook?
Thanks.
Please see the FAQs.
So excited to make these. My Polish grandmother was the greatest cook and baker and I loved her dearly. She made these on special events and they were sooooo good! I’m making them for Easter.
I follow my Busia recipe and she always added a jigger of Brandy! Loved the taste! Omitted sour cream!!
I just made them today! Babci was watching down from above – smiling I hope that her granddaughter in law who is Italian did this right! Her recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of Whiskey & sour cream.
I worked as a patient transporter in the 80s in a hospital. I used to take a sweet elderly Polish lady, Walerya, to radiation every morning. We bonded and after she went home my mom and I used to visit, bring a treat and every time she would give us homemade chrusciki. The best I’ve ever had. She eventually passed away and I think of her and those wonderful cookies quite often. I’ll have to try making them. 🙂
Love your style. You make it fun to watch and try. Overall, the story you shared was a great reminder of when I made cooking fun time with my mom. She would have loved to make these with me. Thanks for the memory.
My sisters and I made in for years. It’s was tradition. Last time, I made them was Christmas 2014 for my sister. She had cancer, she wanted them real bad. She died Jan 18, 2015. I will never forget the smile and joy on het face. She said thanks and nobody gets any. Lolol.
I’m of Scandinavian descent, and we would have “fatiggman” every year at Christmas. The difference between your Polish recipe and our Norwegian recipe was basically the flavouring used. We always used the whole cardamom seed and crushed the seed. That was the only flavouring. We always deep fried in lard. We bought the lard in large metal tins with removable lids, and these metal tins were what we stored the fatiggman in, after cleaning and washing them out of course. We never did use powdered sugar, but others did.
Can the batter be made ahead of time and placed in the freezer? If so, how long can I keep the prepared chrusciki dough in the freezer?
Hi Jenny. Just finished making these fantastic cookies and they came out excellent! I followed your video like you said and they came out perfect. My partner’s mother used to make these for us for Christmas and Easter time and they were always so delicious. She has since passed away, so been buying them from a Polish bakery near where we live. Now with your great recipe, I can make them myself. The orange and lemon zest really kicked it up a notch. I will be trying your recipe for cabbage rolls very soon! Thanks again, and have a great New Year.
You have to fry these in lard. Not oil or crisco. Lard only.
Dianna why does it have to be lard. My daughter just made them using canola and they turned out great. I am Polish and I know the pie crusts were always made with lard, did not think it was necessary to use that today. II have never even looked for lard. Is it by the shortening or is it refrigerated.
I bake professionally, and lard is NOT required. A quality vegetable shortening, canola, or safflower work perfectly.
Lard is refrigerated. That’s where you should find it.
Lard can be found at Walmart by the Crisco and baking items.
Lard can be found on the shelf in your supermarkets by the Crisco and sometimes in the meat department. I still use it for pie crusts.
I used canola oil and they came out excellent! I’m sure lard works just as well, either way there are great cookie!
Yes! It MUST be larder the authentic Polish experience!
Loved making these with my grandma. We would use brown paper bags instead of paper towels to absorb the oil. And spread them all along the tables.
So glad I found this recipe, as we get older our families get smaller. ( just a fact of life)
My Grandma made these every Christmas, after she passed years ago we never had them again. (so missed these great cookies) I am trying for the 1st time to make them and bring back a family tradition. I am doing the tradition a little different. I am making 1 batch of cookies from each family heritage. I think this will make every one feel honored of who they are and where they originated from. I must get in the kitchen I have 8 kinds of cookies to make.
Thanks for this recipe and wish me luck. They probably won’t come out as good as grandma’s.
my nana passed away this year, she made these every Christmas, I have her recipe, I made it last year and came close. I will try it again myself tomorrow to make to honor her tradition. Merry Christmas to you.
I did try to attempt to make my Nanas Twists last year while she was still alive they came out ok. I will tell you…I was the Fried Twist Thief, big time. My nana made these every single Christmas….and I ate 90% of the filled plate. Nana would tell me “Kimm, Leave some for the guests they are hard to make”, You are eating them faster then I am making them” Then I be like “ok, I am sorry, but I like them.” Moving on, I would than pass the plate and of course, snatch one & of course, get caught, (powdered sugar on my nose and fingers, and shirt). But heck they were good & still are, I still can taste those lil twists. Grrr yummy…She made them perfect. Before she passed away this year at age 96, I attempted to make them. They came out, “ok”. Surely not like hers and doubtful ever will be. But they came out, ok. I am going to try to make these again this year, in honor, of her. This was Tradition with her like clockwork in our home and I am going to try to make these again, so my grandson can experience them, my son already has and he was as bad as I snatching them off the plate too lol… Thanks Nana for the wonderful years & the memories. And to those that share in my tradition, Merry Christmas to all of you. Kimm Marie, Actress/artist/Granddaughter
I made your cookies today. The recipe was easy and the video was helpful. The last time I made those cookies, I was 11 years old. I am 63 your years old. When I ate one of the cookies it took me back as a little girl. My husband loves the cookies. Thank you.
I made these today. How should I store them? Tins, plates with Saran, etc.
Chrusciki should be stored in an air tight container (or a tin) but do not use saran wrap. If you don’t have a big enough container, you can store them in a large pan tightly covered with foil.
Just cover with a towel. Hope you fried them in lard. That’s the key element. Sto Lat
I am going to make these this week.
The “old ” recipes call for VO – whiskey , did you ever make them with whiskey ?
I use a shot or two of white rum. And be sure to fry them in lard.
My recipe also includes alcohol….I can’t remember if it was vodka or rum.
My first test run was successful. Chrusciki is a MUST for family celebrations and holidays!
What is it with you and Lard? They come out great fried in Oil too
My polish friends grandmother used whiskey
my Busia, always made these for the holidays. and always used a jigger if whiskey.
My Babci (grandmother) always included a shot of whiskey in her recipe. Thank you for posting this recipe. I have my grandmother’s but, unfortunately, it is incomplete. Even though we only made the seat Christmas time growing up I plan to make some tomorrow since I am so happy to have a complete recipe that so closely matches our family recipe.
I,’ll make the dough and it will keep up to 3days in the frig.
I attempted to make bow tie cookies for the first time last year for my elderly Grandma. Oh how I wish I had seen your video on how to make them back then! Your recipe seems much easier & more delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe & including the “how to” video. After watching you make the cookies, I feel much more confident about making bow ties this year.
Making these now!! Love your videos and spanking the dough. We laugh every time.
Jenny, thank you for this recipe and video. My husband has a friend who is polish and for a long time I have wanted to make these at Christmas for her, but didn’t understand how to do the loop thing. Thanks to the video, I think I will try now. My question is, could I use my electric skillet to fry them? since it has a temp. knob? I don’t have a deep fry thermometer..which I will buy if needed, but just wondering. Thanks again.
I think you can as long as the temperature dial is accurate. You may have to fry one at a time at first to test the temperature and adjust.
My Busia always used her electric fry pan.
Jenny – thank you so much for the foolproof recipe and video. My daughter is the one who found it as she was looking for a Chrusciki recipe to make for history class to showcase her Polish heritage. I watched the video with her all the while wondering who this chef was that looked so familiar. It wasn’t until a day or so later I finally realized who the chef in braids was. Your recipe was so easy to make and so delicious. I am not good with rolling dough but it was a breeze since we had seen you do it. I felt like my Bushia was right in the kitchen with us the whole time. The only problem is trying to keep our family from eating my daughters school project. Looking forward to trying some more of your recipes. Happy Holidays!!!!
Bless you! My Mom made these from a recipe from her Norwegian Mother when I was young. She made them 2 weeks before Christmas. We had big potato chip tins we layered them in with wax paper to let them “ripen.” Powdered sugar went on just before serving Christmas Eve and New Years Eve. The flavor difference between, just made and “ripened” is remarkable!
How long can you ripen the “wings”?
The same with Austrian Vanilla Cresents and Lebkuchen too…ripening is the Key💚
Thanks! We used to make these with our Omi – i always assumed they were an Austrian recipe, but I guess they are made all over Europe! Am making some medieval German food and found a 16th century recipe for something very similar. Fantastiche!
I always did this things when I did merengue cookies as I had 4 yolks to work with. I was very young when I tried this first time. I remember I did shape the dough in a long tubular form ( with a 2 -3 cm diameter). I cut slices (2 cm thick). Each slice was flattened in an oval shape, cut two lines inside the oval shape. I twisted the cookies in the same way. I am amazed of how small the world is.
But as I quit making merengue cookies I also dropped these wonderful cookies.they were called “Sweet little lies” as they really melt in your mouth, not like a real cookie.
My grandmother made these when I was a child and they were the best. I make them now for my grandchildren– thank you for this recipe