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Chrusciki with Mrs. Kostyra

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These crisp, sugar-dusted Polish cookies made with twists of dough quickly fried in hot oil are also known as angels' wings or bow ties. Martha likes to stack a tower of chrusciki on a pressed-glass cake stand, largest chrusciki first, to make a Christmas-tree formation.

Source: Martha Stewart Living, February 2004
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Ingredients

Directions

Cook's Notes

You can store chrusciki (khroost-CHEE-kee) in waxed-paper-lined airtight containers at room temperature for up to one week. Wait until just before serving to dust them with confectioners' sugar. This recipe makes an enormous quantity. It can be halved, but don't divide the orange, lemon, and vanilla extracts.

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  • Ladydriver
    17 DEC, 2007
    Condolances to Martha on the passing of her mother. I also want to thank you for the chrusciki recipe that my grandmother, who was from Poland, made for many years. The only bad thing was she never had a written recipe for it. I have made them from other recipes that were similar for my children and grandchildren. I can now teach my granddaughter the original recipe so thank you very much for sharing this with us.
    Reply
    • marianne.betts
      18 OCT, 2017
      Same here. These were a traditional Christmas treat from my Nana. Although I helped her many times and tried to write down ingredients as we added, she never measured anything. I tried several times to recreate them after she passed, they were never quite right. I hope to give this recipe a try this year. One thing she did do differently was she dusted (very well) while they were still warm and again (lightly) before she played them.
  • BananaMan
    20 DEC, 2014
    Warning! 375 is too hot and cooking for a minute is way too long - 350 at the most, cook 3 at a time and turn them over almost immediately.
    Reply
  • Auroraborealis16
    23 DEC, 2010
    This is my first time eating Chrusciki so maybe it's supposed to taste like this, butI found it so bland! I halved the recipe yet used the same amount of extracts and rinds, expecting the cookie to be an explosion of flavor, and to my surprise it tasted like a less flavorful funnel cake. The powder sugar may have redeemed it but I was disappointed :[
    Reply
  • lovelivesinthekitchen
    11 DEC, 2009
    i know chrusciki very well, we also call the faworki and they are typical in the Carnival period in Poland. I'm Polish but living in Italy and every time I'm back home my granda makes them for me. I love them and they always make me dream about my childhood! Thank you for sharing this lovely recipe! justyna
    Reply
  • ManicCat
    21 DEC, 2008
    I'm making these with my grandmother (Babcia) right bow for Christmas! It's always been her special treat. At the end, she sprinkles the Chrusciki with powdered sugar.
    Reply
  • ManicCat
    21 DEC, 2008
    I'm making these with my grandmother (Babcia) right bow for Christmas! It's always been her special treat. At the end, she sprinkles the Chrusciki with powdered sugar.
    Reply
  • reveillon
    10 FEB, 2008
    *** I wish I had a grandma like her !! Miss her !! *** Figured out why not to decrease the extracts if you do only half the recipe: Mrs. Kostyra said it herself, when she explained her generous hand with the rum: the heat weakens them, so no matter how small the recipe you make, you still need the strength *** what a kneading technique!! *** I guess my pate gets sour cream from now on *** the tsp vinegar is to sour the cream if you have only plain cream x Reveillon
    Reply
  • kougarkar
    17 DEC, 2007
    This is the best recipe I have found for Chrusciki's. I made them tonight. My father's side of the family is Polish and most of my cooking
    Reply
  • deelightful
    13 DEC, 2007
    These look like the Italian cookies served at Italian weddings in Rhode Island.They are called Wandi's here. I was so sorry to read that Martha's mother has passed away this year.My deepest condolances to Martha. Her Mother was always such a great lady when she appeared on her show.Thank you for sharing all of her wonderful recipies.
    Reply
  • macguffin
    21 NOV, 2007
    my aunt mary who is 98 years old today used to make these delightful cookies. her recipe is not as elaborate as this one but those cookies were fantastic. i still remember how delicious they were. i've been thinking about them lately and i will make sure i try these soon. thank you for sharing the recipe.
    Reply

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