Portzelky (New Year’s Cookies)
Celebrate New Year's with Portzelky - traditional New Year’s cookies! The soft, sticky yeast dough is packed with fresh raisins, fried up crispy and golden, and rolled in sugar. This recipes makes about 9-10 dozen, but of course it depends on the size.
Ingredients
- 10 eggs
- 4 ½ cups milk, warmed
- 1 Tbsp salt, heaping
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp yeast, dissolved in ½ cup warm water
- 2 Tbsp canola oil
- 13 cups flour, approximately
- 5 cups raisins, make sure they are new & fresh
- More granulated sugar, for rolling the cookies in after frying
- A lot of oil for frying the cookies - we use Canola oil
Equipment
Instructions
- Beat the eggs in a large bowl and add the milk, salt, sugar, dissolved yeast, and oil.
- Blend in the flour until a stiff, spongy dough forms.
- Add the raisins.
- Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for several hours or overnight until it has doubled in size.
- Punch the risen dough down.
- Heat the oil in a deep fryer to 300-305 degrees F, using a candy thermometer.
- Drop the dough by spoonfuls into hot oil and cook until golden brown on all sides.
- Remove the “cookies” and place them on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
- Once drained and slightly cooled, roll each cookie in granulated sugar while still warm.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Sandy’s tips and substitutions:
- Storage: Serve these cookies warm and fresh, ideally on the same day they are fried as they can absorb oil over time. Leftovers can be stored at room temperature loosely covered with plastic wrap. To restore their crispness, reheat them in the oven at 375 degrees F for a few minutes until warmed through. A final roll in granulated sugar while warm will also help to refresh their signature sweet coating.
- Freeze: For longer storage, freeze these cookies for up to 3 months in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag and reheat as mentioned above.
- Use a thermometer: It’s important for the temperature of the oil to be between 300 - 305 degrees F. If it’s below this, the cookies will soak up too much oil. If it’s over this, they will cook too quickly on the outside and remain undercooked on the inside. My dad heats the oil to exactly 305 degrees F, using a candy thermometer, to make the dough brown perfectly.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 100kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 0.4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Trans Fat: 0.003g, Cholesterol: 16mg, Sodium: 76mg, Potassium: 93mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 38IU, Vitamin C: 0.4mg, Calcium: 19mg, Iron: 1mg