What kind of dough for Vanocka?

7. 10. 2025

The basis of every good Vanocka is quality dough. Like Christmas cookies, recipes for Vanocka are passed down from generation to generation in many families. This delicacy can be baked from several types of dough, each with its own characteristics.

The most common types of Vanocka are yeast Vanocka, butter Vanocka, and cottage cheese Vanocka. However, this delicacy can also be baked gluten-free, and some chefs recommend adding potatoes to the yeast dough. These add starch and hydration to the dough, and Vanocka will stay supple longer.

A frequent question is also about what to cover Vanocka with. Vanocka is often spread with a beaten egg, but you can also use egg whites, which should be diluted with a teaspoon of water. It is then easier to work with them.

The recipe for Vanocka is one thing, but the technique of braiding it is no less critical. How do you knit Vanocka so it does not fall off during baking? There are several knitting techniques, from the simplest, which consists of layering individual braided parts on top of each other, to knitting from many strands simultaneously.

During knitting, it is also essential to tighten Vanocka correctly. How? Not a little, not a lot. Pulling it too little may break during baking; if you tighten it too much, it may crack.

Knitting Vanocka 4+3+2

The classic “layered” bauble consists of assembling three parts: the bottom part is knitted from four strands, the middle part of three strands, and the top part from two strands.

Even more than the best description of knitting can replace a demonstration. Braiding the individual parts is vividly captured in the video of knitting a 4+3+2 Vanocka.

When you have correctly braided all three parts of Vanocka, before you place one of the three on the braid of the four strands, it is advisable to slightly flatten the lower braid with the back of your hand and rub the resulting hole with a small amount of water.

This way, the individual parts will be better connected so that the separate layers do not fall off stick wooden skewers diagonally along the entire center of Vanocka.

For the 4+3+2 bauble, the designation of 9-strand bauble knitting is sometimes used. It is made of nine braids, albeit in three different layers.

Knitting a Christmas tree from 6 strands

If you want something more elaborate, try knitting a Christmas tree from six strands at once. It is essential to tighten the strands correctly. Christmas will not “get going” for you. Get inspiration from the following video procedure.

Knitting Vanocka from 8 strands

Is it enough to knit Vanocka out of six? You can incorporate a higher and visually more effective Vanocka from eight strands. The video below shows how.

Knitting the Vanocka

Are you a braiding master? Then, try knitting Vanocka from five or seven strands at once. The following video guide will show you the process step by step.

The classic Vanocka is the one with raisins inside and almonds on top. Raisins are often dipped in rum to intensify the flavor, depending on your taste. In addition to raisins, you can also add candied fruit or dried cranberries to your Vanocka.

Another option is chopped, peeled almonds. You can either use them alone or in combination with raisins. You can also replace raisins and almonds in the dough with pistachios, chocolate drops, or chopped pieces of chocolate.

But there are also non-traditional options for what to add to or at Christmas. It can be nut, jelly, or poppy filling. If you like honey, you can spread the hot baked Christmas cake with butter in which you have dissolved honey.

After the second rise on the baking sheet, Vanocka is brushed with egg and sprinkled with almonds. In this case, you can again use chopped almond pieces or almond slices. After taking it out of the oven, sprinkle Vanocka with powdered sugar.

If you don’t want Vanocka with almonds, you can use coarse decorating sugar to decorate it. It has the form of small white pearls and is sprinkled on Vanocka before putting it in the oven, as it does not melt during baking.

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