Kraków Pretzels (Precelki Krakowskie): A Royal Bakery Tradition

Po polsku: Precelek krakowski

Did you know that a Polish king once ordered whole wagonloads of pretzels before going to war? The little Kraków pretzel, precelek krakowski, is a bakery tradition tied closely to the history of Kraków, and you can still find it made by craft bakers today.

A pretzel as old as the city’s bakers

Like the obwarzanek (the well-known Kraków ring-shaped bread), the precelki krakowskie (Kraków pretzels) are inseparable from the story of the city.

The first mentions of them date from the 13th century. The tradition came from two things. One was the high skill of Kraków’s bakers. The other was the pretzels themselves. If they were well baked, made from good ingredients and stored properly, they kept their taste for over a year.

Wagonloads for a king

This long shelf life explains a nice story. When King Władysław Jagiełło was preparing for war with the Teutonic Knights (the Krzyżacy), he ordered from Kraków bakers a dozen or so wagonloads of pretzels. Yes, wagonloads!

The pretzel also appears in the coat of arms of the Kraków bakers’ guild (cech piekarzy). It is the most important element of the emblem: a pretzel held by lions, with a crown above it, pointing to the royal city of Kraków. I think that says a lot about how proud the city was of this small bread.

Once an elite bake

In the past, the precelek was something special. It was made only from white wheat flour, and only bakers belonging to the guild and working within the Planty (the ring of parkland around the Old Town) had the right to bake it.

Later, King Jan Sobieski allowed other craftsmen from outside Kraków’s city walls to bake with this white flour too.

What a Kraków pretzel looks like

These are small pretzels, 4 to 8 cm across. The strip of dough is about 1 cm thick. The colour goes from light golden to dark golden, with a shine.

Many craft bakeries still make hand-formed Kraków pretzels today, following recipes that have been preserved. On 28 September 2005 the precelki krakowskie were entered on the Polish List of Traditional Products (Lista produktów tradycyjnych). My tip: if you see a craft bakery, ask whether they make them.

More Kraków bakes: the bagel from Kazimierz. All guides: Kraków & Małopolska in English.

Łukasz, Niezwykła Małopolska