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The Kraków Bagel/Pretzel (Obwarzanek Krakowski)

March 12, 2019 by Lois Britton 17 Comments

The Kraków Bagel/Pretzel (Obwarzanek Krakowski) is so well-known that the iconic bread is used in marketing campaigns to promote the city of Kraków to visitors and locals alike. The classic baked good which is a circular or oval spiral of dough dates back to the 14th century.

The Polish name denotes that this is “parboiled” (the dough is boiled before baking) and comes from Kraków. They have a short shelf life, and are best if eaten within a few hours of baking. They are usually sold straight from the cart of basket, unpackaged, and unlabeled.

krakow bagel or pretzel with poppy seeds

The texture is a juxtaposition of a super crispy, flaky crust around a dense and soft interior. It comes from the boiling/baking method used for bagels and pretzels. The boiling cooks the exterior quickly, setting it so to speak. When it’s baked, the interior isn’t able to expand much, giving you a dense bread. The longer it’s boiled, the thicker the crust.

Obwarzanki Krakowskie (plural) are sold all over Kraków in bakeries, shops, and street carts. It’s estimated that 150,000 are sold in Kraków everyday. Who wouldn’t want to pick up this portable, basic, delicious bread on their way to work or school?

This post contains affiliate links from the Amazon Associate program and The Polish Shirt Store, and I earn a commission on your purchases

This post (which I translated with Chrome) gives a peek at the work that happens in the middle of the night to have all those Obwarzanki ready for consumers by 6 AM. I started to say by the crack of dawn, Poland is so far north that much of the year, dawn is either well after 6 AM or hours before.

If you’re planning a visit to Krakow, there is a museum dedicated to Obwarzanek Krakowski. Visitors learn about the history of the baked good and even have a chance to make their own, and some of the sessions are done in English.

Polish Rooster Apron – The Polish Shirt Store

The preparation method is different, but the ingredients are basic bread at it’s best, like a baguette. . . classic!

History of The Kraków Bagel/Pretzel (Obwarzanek Krakowski)

The earliest written reference to Obwarzanki comes from the ledger of the Royal household in 1394. The entry states

for the queen, for rings of obwarsanki, 1 grosz

In the 15th century, the bakers guild of Kraków was granted a monopoly of preparing white bread including the Obwarzanek Krakowski. Initially Obwarzanek Krakowski were only prepared during Lent and only by bakers designated by the guild. By the mid-1800s, the rules had relaxed and any baker could prepare them at any time of year.

Which sounds like everything concerning the bakers is going smoothly, not the case.

dough for making krakow pretzels

Regulations Surrounding The Kraków Bagel/Pretzel (Obwarzanek Krakowski)

The Obwarzanek Krakowski’s official EU Regional Product Status has led to what the Kraków Post dubbed Pretzel Wars. It joins the long list of products that have struggled within the confines of the approved regulations. The approved method specifies that the obwarzaneki must be handmade.

One bakery that has purchased machinery to produce Obwarzanki more efficiently has been told his product wouldn’t qualify for the EU certificate. It’s an old story, but I’ve found no record of the issue being resolved.

Different Version of the Recipe

This recipe comes from the website of a Polish food company, Delecta. I did omit their egg white wash because I didn’t see it in the many other recipes that I read.

One thing I did notice is comparing recipes is that the recipes written in English, such as this one on The Spruce by Barbara Rolek (an excellent source), seemed to call for diastic malt, so I ordered some from Amazon.

And then I didn’t use it. Because as a I read multiple recipes on Polish websites, none of them mentioned diastic malt, which is used to improve the color and texture of bread. If you decide to use it, measure carefully and stick to the prescribed amount, too much can make your bread rubbery.

Perhaps, I’ll add some diastic malt in my next batch.

A non-Polish use of Obwarzanek Krakowski

I have multiple fondue pots in the cabinet over the fridge. I’ve been thinking about making fondue, something we haven’t done in many years. Tasting this bread today, fondue popped into my mind again. This would be the perfect texture for a cheese fondue. Is it sacrilege or just another spin on the pretzel and cheese dipping sauce?

You might also find my bagel and pretzel recipes interesting.

Smacznego!

Lois

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krakow bagel or pretzel with poppy seeds

The Kraków Bagel/Pretzel (Obwarzanek Krakowski)

★★★★ 3.7 from 3 reviews
  • Author: polishhousewife
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Description

Crispy outside soft inside


Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 3/4 cups bread or 00 flour (500g)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 packet dry yeast (7g)
  • 1 1/4 cup warm water (300ml)
  • 3 quarts water (3l)
  • 1 tablespoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • sesame seeds, poppy seeds, kosher salt (for toppings)

Instructions

  1. Add flour and salt to mixing bowl
  2. Add yeast to 1 1/4 cups warm water, stir and allow the yeast to dissolve, 5 – 10 minutes
  3. Add yeast mixture to flour, and mix until well combined, cover the bowl and let rise until doubled in size, 1 – 2 hours depending on the temperature of your room
  4. Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C)
  5. Divide dough into 6 portions, roll one portion into a long rope, anout 24 inches long, bring the two ends together, holding the ends and what was the center, twist until your dough is nicely spiraled, secure the ends by pressing together, and shape into a circle or oval, repeat
  6. Line a large baking sheet pan with parchment
  7. Bring 3 quarts of water to a gentle simmer, add baking soda, and honey
  8. Gently place a circle of dough into the water, turning it after 15 – 20 seconds, lift it out and place on parchment lined baking sheet, repeat with remaining 5 circles (one of mine came “unglued” during the boiling process, no worries, I just tucked and pressed the dough back together as it went onto the baking sheet)
  9. Top with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or kosher salt, bake for about 20 minutes

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @PolishHousewife on Instagram and hashtag it #polishhousewife

Lois Britton

An accountant by trade and a food blogger since 2009, Lois Britton fell in love with Polish cuisine during the years she lived in Poznań, Poland. As the creator of PolishHousewife.com,  she loves connecting readers with traditional Polish recipes. Lois has a graduate certificate in Food Writing and Photography from the University of South Florida. She is the author of The Polish Housewife Cookbook, available on Amazon and on her website.

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Filed Under: Breads, Polish, Polish Breads, Vegan

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Gretty Emmerich

    March 12, 2019 at 4:54 am

    These sound delicious, Lois. I love your blog!

    Reply
    • polishhousewife

      March 12, 2019 at 10:03 am

      Thank you, Gretty; you are an early riser!

      Reply
  2. Judy Knitter

    August 25, 2019 at 5:29 am

    Hi Lois,
    I have enjoyed your blog for some time now and have made many of your recipes.
    I wonder if you have any information about a product I have seen many places in Poland but have been unable to track down here. I am speaking of the cylindrical hot dog buns. I would love to find a place to get them in the US or a recipe to make them. So much more practical than our usual buns that fall apart and get messy! Can you help?

    Judy K.

    Reply
    • polishhousewife

      August 25, 2019 at 6:55 pm

      Oh, Judy, I am with you on this one; I love the Polish tube-like hotdog buns. The texture is just right. Stopping at the gas station for a hotdog was one of my favorite parts of a road trip. I have not found a source or a recipe yet, but I’m keeping my eyes open. Thanks for your note!

      Reply
  3. Dana

    May 20, 2020 at 1:36 pm

    My husband is from Krakow and we love the pretzels there when we visit. This recipe works really well. He loved them and all 6 were gone within 1 day! I will use the convention baking feature on my oven on my next batch to make them a bit crisper on top without overcooking on the bottom. They are too good!!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  4. Joel Haber

    June 15, 2020 at 1:44 am

    Thanks for this! Not having ever eaten obwarzanki, I’ve been reading a lot about them lately. It seems that most recognize that they are related to but different from bagels. Other than the twisted shape of obwarzanki that isn’t typical in bagels, can you tell me of anything else that differentiates the two?

    Thanks!

    Reply
  5. Mary Abramczyk

    June 23, 2020 at 2:48 am

    Do you think you could do a slow rise and put it in the fridge overnight (12-24 hours), instead of letting it rise on the counter for 1-2 hours?

    Reply
  6. Mary Abramczyk

    December 5, 2020 at 4:13 am

    I used less flour because I can’t count, but they still turned out okay 🙂

    Reply
  7. Salli Martin

    January 6, 2022 at 11:03 am

    I tried your recipe after eating the bagels in Krakow and love them. They taste even better and are so easy to make. Thanks so much for your recipe.

    Reply
    • polishhousewife

      January 7, 2022 at 5:49 pm

      I glad you enjoyed them, Sally. You can’t beat homemade for freshness.

      Reply
  8. Katie

    March 14, 2022 at 6:08 pm

    I made these today following the recipe exactly. After boiling one, I had a hard time getting it out of the pot because of the size of the circle. It ripped. I decided to cut the 6 pieces into 12 pieces to make the circle size more manageable when removing from the boiling pot of water. They held their shape much better this way. They baked up deliciously and are perfect with yellow mustard. Now I have 12 wonderful obwarzanek. They remind me of a soft pretzel. Yum!

    ★

    Reply
  9. Blanca

    December 13, 2022 at 3:19 pm

    This pretzel recipe sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing

    ★★★★★

    Reply

Trackbacks

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    September 27, 2019 at 9:24 am

    […] in Krakow can be found stacked up in blue metal carts all around the center of town. Known as Obwarzanek, these are essentially a pretzel of the sort you might catch in Vienna, only the dough is soft and […]

    Reply
  2. Comida típica de Polonia: 35 platos polacos que deberías probar | Mad About Travel, blog de viajes sobre Escocia says:
    August 16, 2020 at 5:18 am

    […] típicos de Polonia pero los veréis en casi todas partes. Si alguien se anima a intentar hacerlos aquí tenéis una receta (en […]

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  3. Poland - Around the World in Homeschool Days says:
    October 21, 2021 at 1:24 pm

    […] Kraków Bagel, watch this video to learn how to twist it (at 4:45) […]

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  4. 12 Traditional Polish Breads - Insanely Good says:
    December 16, 2021 at 8:37 am

    […] 8. Obwarzanek Krakowski (Polish Bagels) […]

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  5. How To Make A Pretzel Out Of Const Dough – Fleet River Bakery says:
    October 21, 2022 at 5:27 pm

    […] come in a variety of shapes and sizes, including soft pretzels, hard pretzels, and polish pretzels. It’s no surprise that pretzels are the most popular. They are usually large, chewy, and […]

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