Dobre Dobre: Baking from Poland and Beyond | Laurel Kratchvila

New York Times Best Cookbook of 2025
2026 James Beard Award Nominee for Baking and Desserts

"In Dobre Dobre, Laurel Kratochvila leads us down the gloriously buttery, poppy-seed-strewn path of modern and classic Polish baking. Ms. Kratochvila, who runs a bakery in Berlin, writes meticulous recipes that deliver impressive results." — New York Times

Discover the vast and varied Polish baking tradition—old and new, Jewish and diasporic—in this authoritative collection of 120+ recipes from James Beard Award finalist Laurel Kratochvila.

Poland’s distinctive baking culture is a product of its rich and complicated history, shaped by events like the World Wars, the rise of Communism, and the cultural exchange that comes with being a country bordered by seven neighbors and marked by endless migration.

Step into the Polish piekarnia (bakery) and be greeted by:

• Tiny cookies and rugelach
• Decorative layer cakes and cheesecakes
• Sweet yeast buns and danishes
• Hearty rye breads and sourdough loaves

In this repertoire-expanding baking book, American-born, Berlin-based baker Laurel Kratochvila brings you more than 120 familiar and inventive treasures. These include her own innovative recipes as well as contributions from pioneering Polish bakers.

Highlighted Recipes:

• Horseradish, Beet, and Summer Greens Bialys
• Sunflower Rye Loaf
• Plum Butter Carnival Donuts
• Rano Piekarnia’s Summer Bilberry Buns
• Chocolate and Whipped Cream Warsaw Cake
• Karpatka (Cream and Choux Cake)
• Soft Iced Toruń Gingerbread
• Rose and Almond Jewel Rugelach
• Twisted Krakow Bagels
• Sauerkraut and Mushroom Rolls
• And much more!

Vivid Storytelling and Historical Context

Each recipe is accompanied by fascinating historical details that illuminate its cultural significance. For instance:
"If you want to start a fight with a French person, tell them that baba au rhum is Polish. In the eighteenth century, while exiled in France, Polish King Stanislaw I sent a dry babka back to the kitchen, spurring his pastry chef to soak it in sweetened alcohol to everyone’s delight—and thus, the emblematic French dessert was born in a Polish court."

Stunning Photography

The beautiful photography in Dobre Dobre transports you to Poland. Imagine stepping into a warm bakery on a cold winter’s day, picking baskets of wild bilberries in July, or biting into a soft yeasted bun with jammy strawberries oozing down your chin.

Why This Book Stands Out:

• Expert Author + Reliable Recipes: Laurel Kratochvila, owner of Fine Bagels bakery in Berlin, is a lauded professional baker and author of the award-nominated New European Baking. Her thoroughly tested recipes range from easy to advanced, with clear instructions and step-by-step directions for making and shaping various base doughs.
• Comprehensive Survey of Polish Baking: This curated selection of 120+ recipes reflects the diversity of Poland's baking culture, from contemporary spins on classics to traditional holiday treats, desserts from the diaspora, and recipes with Jewish roots like bagels, bialys, and challah.
• Spotlight on Pioneering Bakers: In addition to Kratochvila’s work, the book features recipes from ten stars of the Polish baking scene and diaspora.
• A Beautiful Travelogue: Perfect for armchair travelers and heritage seekers, this book offers a journey through Poland via stunning images and delectable recipes.

Perfect For:

• Home bakers of all levels
• Bakers of Jewish or Eastern European heritage
• Those curious about the bakery renaissance in Eastern, Central, and Northern Europe
• Cookbook collectors

If you’ve loved books like Mooncakes and Milk Bread by Kristina Cho, New World Baking by Bryan Ford, Scandinavian from Scratch by Nichole Accettola, Mamushka by Olia Hercules, or The Nordic Baking Book by Magnus Nilsson, this is the next must-have addition to your collection.