Lomnice Rings (Czech Lomnické kroužky)

I had been planning to make Lomnice Rings for a long time, and I am so glad I finally did. I found the recipe in Grandma Milada's cookbook, handwritten on an old envelope. She was born in the Bohemian region where this recipe comes from, so these Lomnice Rings are dedicated to her. And I have to say, they taste fantastic!

Jump to

• ➜ What are Lomnice Rings?
• ➜ Where do these cookies get their name?
• ➜ A recipe that crossed the ocean
• ➜ How to pronounce Lomnické kroužky
• ➜ Ingredients
• ➜ Instructions
• ➜ Serving
• ➜ Storage & freezing
• ➜ A handful of extra tips
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

➜ What are Lomnice Rings?

Lomnice Rings are delicate Czech yeast cookies, perfectly suited as a weekend treat or a holiday delicacy. The base is a buttery yeast dough, rolled out into strips, then twisted into rings and baked to a lightly golden finish. While still warm from the oven, the rings are dipped in syrup and coated in powdered vanilla sugar. Simple, beautiful, and utterly irresistible.

➜ Where do these cookies get their name?

Lomnice Rings take their name from Lomnice nad Popelkou, a small town in northern Bohemia, in the Liberec Region, nestled on the border between the Bohemian Paradise and the Krkonoše Mountains. That is where my grandmother came from, and that is where these cookies come from too.

This lovely region has given us other wonderful specialties as well, such as sweet Lomnické suchary, Hořické trubičky, Miletínské modlidbičky or savory Kyselo sourdough soup and Hubník mushroom bake. What a remarkable corner of Bohemia!

➜ A recipe that crossed the ocean

I mentioned finding the recipe in my grandma's cookbook, but there is a little story within the story.

When I came across The Czech National Cook Book by Mrs. Marie Jandáčková - printed in Chicago in the 1950s and written especially for Czech emigrants - I was genuinely surprised to find Lomnice Rings included right there among its pages.

That discovery told me everything I needed to know: this is a recipe of such warmth and quality that it traveled across an ocean and still found its way into Czech hearts. I have no doubt it will find its way into yours too.

➜ Ingredients

✅ See the recipe below with step-by-step photos and many helpful tips. Scroll down for the full printable recipe in both US cups and metric measurements.

• Unsalted butter - at room temperature
• Egg yolk - at room temperature
• Powdered sugar
• Active dry yeast
• Milk, lukewarm - heated to about 100°F (38°C)
• All-purpose flour - read about Czech types of flour
• Blanched whole almonds - you will grind them in the recipe. Mrs. Jandáčková recommends toasting them in the oven before grinding for a deeper, richer flavor. Almond flour works as a substitute - if using it, add about ¼ more than the amount listed in the recipe.
• Lemon zest - the bright yellow part, grated from a fresh lemon. Organic is ideal; if not, give the lemon a good scrub with warm water before zesting.
• Salt

➜ Instructions

STEP 1: Grind the almonds using a hand rotary grinder.

TIP: For a more intense, nutty flavor, toast the almonds first. Spread them on a baking sheet and bake at 300°F (150°C) for about 10 minutes until lightly golden and fragrant, then let them cool completely before grinding. Avoid electric blenders for this job, as they generate heat and can turn nuts into a greasy paste.

STEP 2: In ¼ cup of warm milk with a little sugar, dissolve the yeast and let it activate for a few minutes until it begins to foam.

STEP 3: Cream the butter together with the egg yolk and sugar until smooth. Add a pinch of salt and the lemon zest.

STEP 4: Add the ground almonds, the remaining milk, and the flour sifted through a fine sieve. Mix until combined.

STEP 5: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for at least 5 minutes until firm and smooth. Shape it into a ball, place it in a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm place for about one and a half hours.

This time, I dumped the dough onto the kitchen counter and kneaded it by hand for 6 minutes. It allows the gluten to develop and the dough will become smooth and elastic.

→ Read about How to make the dough rse in the oven

IMPORTANT: Please keep in mind that this dough is rich in butter and contains only a small amount of yeast, so do not expect it to rise dramatically. It will be more subtle than a typical bread dough.

STEP 6: Briefly knead the risen dough, then cut it into small, equally sized pieces. Roll each piece into a strip about ⅓ inch (1 cm) thick, wrap it around a round container about 1¼ inch (3 cm) in diameter, slide it off, and press the ends together firmly to form a ring. Place the rings on a lined baking sheet and let them rest for 20 minutes.

Tip: If you prefer not to shape the rings by hand, there is another option: roll the dough out and use two round cookie cutters of different sizes to cut out circles with a hole in the middle. Take a cookie cutter about 1 ¾ inches (4.5 cm) in diameter and the hole about ⅔ inch (1.5 cm). This is a great beginner-friendly approach!

STEP 7: Bake in an oven preheated to 400°F (200°C), upper and lower heat, until the surface turns lightly golden. It takes about 12 minutes.

STEP 8: While the rings are baking, prepare the syrup: bring water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan, then pour it into a wide, shallow bowl.

Step 9: The moment the rings come out of the oven, dip them one by one in the hot syrup, then roll them in vanilla powdered sugar. Dipping in syrup serves an important purpose: it ensures the powdered sugar sticks to the cookies and does not shake off.

This step can be a little tricky - you need to work quickly. Dip each ring briefly in the syrup, then coat it immediately in sugar. If too much sugar sticks, hold the ring in one hand and gently tap it a few times with a fork to get the coating just right.

STEP 10: Place on a cooling rack and let them dry completely, they are usually ready the next day. You can speed up the process by leaving them in the oven set to low heat.

An old drying trick: When it comes to drying the rings traditionally, both Grandma's recipe and Mrs. Jandáčková's instructions recommend threading them onto the handle of a wooden spoon. Place the spoon over a pot and let the rings air-dry. Charming and practical.

➜ Serving

Once the Lomnice Rings have dried, the best part begins! Arrange them on a plate, brew a good cup of coffee or tea, and take a moment to appreciate what you have just made - a recipe that traveled from a small Bohemian town all the way to your kitchen. 

Kroužky are wonderful on their own, but they truly shine in good company. Bring them to a family gathering, a party, or a potluck, and let the story of Grandma Milada and the little town of Lomnice nad Popelkou travel a little further.

➜ Storage & freezing

Place the rings in a paper box lined with parchment paper or paper towels, loosely covered with aluminum foil. Store in a cool, dark place and enjoy within two weeks.

Lomnice Rings freeze beautifully too! Do not wait for leftovers though, put them in the freezer as soon as possible after they have dried. They will keep for at least three months.

➜ A handful of extra tips

• Some Czech bakers use hazelnuts instead of almonds, or a mix of both. The result is slightly different but equally delicious, so do not be afraid to experiment.
• When joining the ends of the strip to form the ring, press them together firmly to keep them joined during baking. Some rings may open up in the oven - but no worries, they taste just as delicious!
• Do not make the strips too thick, as the dough continues to rise in the oven and the hollow in the middle may disappear.
• For a subtle hint of warmth, some bakers add a small splash of rum to the dipping syrup. Take a look at the color of the syrup in my photo, that brownish hint is caused by adding just a tablespoon of Czech rum!

📖 Recipe