Name: Meskhetian Nazuki — Georgian Spiced Sweet Bread
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 2 h 40 min
Cuisine: Georgian
Ingredients: 800 g all-purpose wheat flour, plus only a little extra for handling if needed; 300 ml whole milk, divided; lukewarm; 100 g plain matsoni, at room temperature; 300 g granulated sugar, divided; 8 g instant dry yeast (about 2½ teaspoons); 2 large eggs: one for the dough and one for glazing; 100 ml sunflower oil, divided; 200 g raisins, picked over; 2.6 g ground cinnamon (about 1 teaspoon); 1 g ground cloves (about ½ teaspoon); 5 ml vanilla extract (about 1 teaspoon); 8 g fine salt

Wide table scene with freshly baked Georgian nazuki in curved half-moon loaves, showing a golden crust and a raisin-studded crumb.

Yield4 loaves, about 1.68 kg total

Serving basisabout 140 g; 12 portions

DifficultyMedium; knead a soft enriched dough, allow two rises, then shape into half-moons

Dietary classificationvegetarian; contains wheat/gluten, milk and egg

Jump to recipe ↓

The dish

About Meskhetian Nazuki — Georgian Spiced Sweet Bread

ნაზუქი მესხური · 4 loaves · about 1.68 kg total · Medium · 2 hours 40 minutes

Nazuki is a sweet, leavened Georgian bread. Meskhetian nazuki belongs to a broader Georgian family also found in Kartli and Kakheti; recipes vary from household to household. This home-oven version combines a milk-and-matsoni dough with raisins, cinnamon and cloves.

The dough is enriched with sugar, egg and sunflower oil. A brief warm-up in a little of the measured oil plumps the raisins before they are folded in. After a first rise, divide the dough into four pieces and curve each oval into a half-moon shape. A beaten-egg glaze gives the loaves their burnished top.

The dough should feel supple and slightly tacky rather than stiff. Flour strength and matsoni thickness vary, so knead thoroughly before adding extra flour. The oven version is softer than a dough prepared to stick to the hot inner wall of a tone oven; this recipe is written for lined baking sheets and a conventional oven.

Cook the dish

Ingredients

ნაზუქი მესხური · 4 loaves · about 1.68 kg total · Medium · 2 hours 40 minutes

For 4 loaves / 12 portions

800 gall-purpose wheat flour, plus only a little extra for handling if needed
300 mlwhole milk, divided; lukewarm
100 gplain matsoni, at room temperature
300 ggranulated sugar, divided
8 ginstant dry yeast (about 2½ teaspoons)
2large eggs: one for the dough and one for glazing
100 mlsunflower oil, divided
200 graisins, picked over
2.6 gground cinnamon (about 1 teaspoon)
1 gground cloves (about ½ teaspoon)
5 mlvanilla extract (about 1 teaspoon)
8 gfine salt

Method

Activate the yeast. Warm about 50 ml of the measured milk to 35–38 °C / 95–100 °F. Stir in the yeast and about 10 g of the measured sugar. Leave for 10 minutes, until creamy or lightly foamy. If it does not activate, replace it before continuing.
Prepare the raisins and milk. Gently warm the remaining milk and dissolve the remaining sugar in it. Let it cool until lukewarm. Meanwhile, warm about 15 ml of the measured oil in a small pan. Stir the raisins over low heat for 2–3 minutes, until plump, then spread them on a plate and cool completely.
Mix and knead. Put the flour, salt, cinnamon and cloves in a large bowl. Add the yeast mixture, sweetened milk, matsoni, one egg, vanilla and most of the remaining oil. Mix to a soft dough, then knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Work in the cooled raisins. Use the reserved oil to lightly coat the dough and bowl.
Let the dough rise. Cover and leave in a warm, draft-free place for about 60 minutes, until visibly expanded to about double. The exact time depends on room temperature; judge by the dough as well as the clock.
Shape and proof. Divide the dough into four equal pieces. Shape each into an oval, then taper and curve the ends into a half-moon loaf. Place on lined baking sheets with space between them. Cover and proof for about 20 minutes while heating the oven to 180 °C / 350 °F.
Glaze and bake. Beat the remaining egg and brush a thin layer over each loaf. Bake at 180 °C / 350 °F for about 25–30 minutes, rotating the sheets if needed, until evenly deep golden and a thermometer in the center reads 93–96 °C / 200–205 °F. Cool on a rack before slicing.

Excerpt

This Meskhetian-style nazuki is a soft, sweet yeast bread scented with cinnamon and cloves, with raisins folded through the dough. Four half-moon loaves bake to a glossy, deep-golden finish in a standard home oven.

Practical guidance

Success points

Keep the milk lukewarm, not hot, when activating the yeast.
Cool the raisins completely before kneading them into the dough.
Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic; add flour sparingly so the loaves stay tender.
Let the first rise continue until the dough has visibly expanded to about double, even if that takes longer in a cool kitchen.
Check a loaf in the center with a thermometer because the sugary crust can brown before the interior is baked through.

Practical guidance

Use the oil to coat your hands and the bowl rather than dusting the dough heavily with flour. A soft dough may cling a little at first; it becomes smoother as the gluten develops. If it remains too sticky to handle after kneading, add flour a teaspoon at a time. Flatten the dough ovals gently so the curved loaves keep an even thickness and bake at the same rate.

Troubleshooting

The yeast mixture stays flat: the milk may have been too hot or the yeast may be old. Start again with fresh yeast and lukewarm milk.
The dough feels stiff: knead in a teaspoon of milk at a time until supple; avoid adding a large splash at once.
The raisins tear the dough: let them cool fully and fold them in near the end of kneading.
The crust is dark but the center is underbaked: tent loosely with foil and continue baking until the center reaches 93–96 °C / 200–205 °F.
The loaves spread: make sure the dough has been kneaded until elastic and shape it with a gentle taper at both ends.

Nutrition per serving

Nutrition per serving (approximate)

Serving size: about 140 g
Calories: 493 kcal
Carbohydrate: 91 g
Protein: 10 g
Fat: 10 g
Fibre: 3 g
Sodium: approximately 300 mg

Allergens and food safety

Contains wheat/gluten, milk and egg. Do not taste raw dough, which contains raw flour and egg. Wash hands and surfaces after handling raw egg. Bake fully; the center should register 93–96 °C / 200–205 °F on a food thermometer. Cool on a clean rack. Keep covered at room temperature and use within 2 days, refrigerate for up to 4 days, or freeze. Rewarm until hot throughout.

Frequently asked questions

Is nazuki only from Meskheti? No. It is associated with Meskheti, but Georgian nazuki is also found in other regions, including Kartli and Kakheti.

Can I leave out the raisins? Raisins are included in this version and in several Georgian formulas. Omitting them changes the sweetness and texture; reduce neither the liquid nor the flour if you do.

Can I bake it in a tone oven? This method is written for a home oven. Tone baking uses a firmer dough that can adhere to the heated clay wall and requires a different shaping and handling technique.

In summary

The result: four soft, sweet loaves with raisins and warm cinnamon-clove aroma.
The key technique: knead to an elastic dough, let it rise twice, shape it into half-moons and verify the center is baked through.

About Meskhetian Nazuki — Georgian Spiced Sweet Bread

Ingredients

For 4 loaves / 12 portions

Method

Excerpt

Success points

Practical guidance

Troubleshooting

Nutrition per serving (approximate)

Allergens and food safety

Frequently asked questions

In summary

More Georgian dishes

Tbilisi Shila Pilav — Georgian Lamb and Rice Pilav

Nadughi with Fresh Herbs — Georgian Whey-Curd Appetizer

Mertsvi (Tashmijabi)