Polish Kolaczki Cookies Recipe

I uncovered my grandmother’s Kolacky Cookies recipe that uses one surprising pantry ingredient and a simple trick I hadn’t seen anywhere else.

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I grew up sneaking a kolaczki from the cookie tin at family parties, and every time it felt like catching a secret. These Kolacky Cookies wrap little pockets of apricot preserves and sometimes a smear of cream cheese for a quiet tang, the kind that makes you stop talking mid bite.

They look delicate but surprise you with layers of light, almost pastry like texture. People always ask why they taste so special, but honestly it’s the way a good filling meets that tender shell.

I keep my exact tricks to myself, because, well, it makes them ask again.

Ingredients

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All purpose flour gives structure, mostly carbs, little fiber or protein.
Cream cheese adds tang and richness, its higher in fat and some protein.
Butter makes cookies tender and rich, nearly pure fat, calorie dense.
Powdered sugar sweetens and melts, mostly simple carbs, little nutrition.
Apricot jam gives bright sweet tart flavor, adds fruit carbs and fiber.
Poppy seed filling adds nutty slightly bitter taste, some fiber and oils.
Almond paste gives almond aroma, protein, healthy fats and chewy texture.

Ingredient Quantities

Dough
- 2 1/2 cups (312 g) all purpose flour
- 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, cold
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
- 1/3 cup (35 g) powdered sugar
- pinch of salt (about 1/4 tsp)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg yolk (optional)

Fillings, pick a few
- 1 cup apricot preserves (about one small jar)
- 1 cup prune jam or prune butter
- 1 cup cherry or raspberry jam
- 1 cup poppy seed filling (commercial or homemade)
- 4 oz almond paste or 3/4 cup ground almonds plus 3 tbsp sugar

Finish
- 1 large egg (optional)
- 1 tbsp milk or cream (optional)
- powdered sugar for dusting, about 1/2 cup

How to Make this

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1. Put 2 1/2 cups flour, 1/3 cup powdered sugar and a pinch of salt in a bowl or food processor; if using a processor pulse a few times to combine, if by hand just whisk it together.

2. Cut 8 oz cold cream cheese and 1 cup cold unsalted butter into cubes and add to the flour mix; pulse until dough looks like coarse crumbs with pea sized bits, or rub quickly with fingertips until it holds together when squeezed but dont overwork it.

3. Mix in 1 tsp vanilla and optionally 1 large egg yolk, pulse just to incorporate, then dump the mixture onto a floured board and press into a disk, wrap in plastic and chill at least 30 minutes, 1 hour is better (cold dough makes cleaner cookies).

4. Preheat oven to 350 F and line baking sheets with parchment; while oven heats choose 2 or 3 fillings from the list like apricot preserves, prune jam, cherry jam, poppy seed filling or prepare almond paste/ground almond mix.

5. Roll dough between two sheets of parchment to about 1/8 inch thickness (less flour this way), peel off the top paper and cut into
2.5 inch squares or use a cookie cutter, you can freeze the tray of cut squares for 10 minutes if the dough softens.

6. Put a small teaspoon of filling in the center of each square (dont overfill or it will leak), then fold opposite corners into the center and press gently to seal, or fold all four corners to make a little pinwheel — both ways work, just leave a little center exposed if you like.

7. For a shiny finish whisk 1 large egg with 1 tbsp milk or cream and lightly brush the cookies before baking, this step is optional but nice; you can skip if you want a softer look.

8. Bake on the middle rack 12 to 15 minutes until edges are lightly golden but centers still pale, ovens vary so watch the first batch closely.

9. Let cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a rack to cool completely; dust with powdered sugar before serving (about 1/2 cup total for sprinkling).

10. Store cooled kolaczki in an airtight container up to 4 days at room temp or freeze for longer; if they get soft refresh them briefly in a warm oven for a minute or two.

Equipment Needed

1. Food processor or large mixing bowl
2. Measuring cups and spoons
3. Knife and cutting board (for cubing butter and cream cheese)
4. Pastry cutter or fork (or just your fingertips)
5. Rolling pin plus two sheets of parchment paper
6. Baking sheets lined with parchment
7. Cookie cutter or bench scraper/knife to cut 2.5 inch squares
8. Small bowl and pastry brush for egg wash
9. Wire cooling rack and a spatula for transferring cookies

FAQ

Q: My dough is too sticky or too crumbly, what do I do?

A: If it’s sticky, chill it 20 to 30 minutes and try again, or sprinkle 1 teaspoon cold water at a time while gently kneading until it holds. If it’s crumbly press the pieces together with cool hands, or add the optional egg yolk or 1 teaspoon cold water to help bind it. Don’t overwork it or the cookies get tough.

Q: How thin should I roll the dough and what shapes work best?

A: Roll to about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick (3 to 6 mm). Squares or circles work great; cut into 2 to 3 inch pieces. Put about 1 teaspoon filling in the center and fold opposite corners over, or make thumbprint style with a slight depression. Thinner dough = flakier cookie but harder to handle, so pick what you like.

Q: My filling leaks while baking, how do I stop that?

A: Don’t overfill. Use about 1 teaspoon of jam or filling and press edges firmly to seal. Thick fillings like prune or almond paste are less likely to run than loose jams. If your jam is very runny heat it briefly to reduce moisture or mix with a tablespoon of ground almonds so it’s thicker.

Q: Do I need an egg wash and when should I dust with powdered sugar?

A: Egg wash is optional. Brush with beaten egg plus 1 tablespoon milk to get a glossy golden finish, or skip it and just dust with powdered sugar after they cool. If you egg wash then wait until the cookies are completely cool before dusting so the sugar won’t melt.

Q: Can I make the dough or cookies ahead of time or freeze them?

A: Yes. Dough can be wrapped and chilled up to 2 days or frozen up to 2 months. Roll and cut, freeze the pieces on a tray then store in a bag; bake from frozen adding a few extra minutes. Baked kolaczki keep in an airtight tin 3 to 5 days at room temp, or freeze baked cookies up to 2 months.

Q: What temperature and how long do I bake them, how do I know they’re done?

A: Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 12 to 15 minutes. They’re done when the edges are just turning golden and the bottoms look set. They’ll firm as they cool so don’t overbake, you want pale, tender pastry not dark brown.

Polish Kolaczki Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Cream cheese
- Mascarpone, richer and silkier, use same weight as the cream cheese, it makes cookies extra tender
- Neufchatel, lower fat but basically the same texture, swap cup for cup and your dough will still be fine
- Full fat Greek yogurt, strain in a cheesecloth for a few hours to remove whey, use by weight and expect a bit more tang
- Silken tofu, blended until smooth, good vegan swap, press out excess water first or dough gets too soft
Unsalted butter, cold
- European style butter, higher fat so richer flavor and flakier bite, use same amount by weight
- Solid coconut oil, use cold and measured by weight for a dairy free version, note it adds slight coconut taste
- Vegetable shortening, gives a very tender, less spready cookie, use same weight but flavor will be blander
- Margarine, works in a pinch, make sure it is block style not spreadable, dough may be a bit softer
All purpose flour
- Pastry flour, makes a more tender dough, substitute cup for cup but expect a softer crumb
- Cake flour, use slightly less or mix in a tablespoon of extra flour, gives very delicate cookies
- 1 to 1 gluten free flour blend that contains xanthan, use by weight for best results, texture will differ a bit
- Whole wheat pastry flour, up to half the flour can be swapped for a nuttier flavor, dough will be denser
Fillings
- Fruit preserves or compotes, apricot, cherry or raspberry all fine, use thicker preserves so they don’t run
- Lemon curd or other curd, bright and tart, use sparingly since it’s looser than jam
- Nutella or chocolate hazelnut spread, for a chocolatey twist, chill slightly before filling so it does not ooze
- Date or fig paste, or apple butter, great if you want less sweet, they hold shape well when baked

Pro Tips

1) Chill and handle fast: chill the dough at least an hour, and if it softens while you work, throw the whole tray back in the fridge or freezer for 10 to 15 minutes. Cold dough gives cleaner edges and less leaking, so work quickly, dont over-knead, and keep your bench cool.

2) Fix runny fillings: if a jam or preserve seems watery, simmer it briefly in a small saucepan till it thickens, or stir in a tiny pinch of cornstarch and cool. Too much filling or thin jam = lots of leaks, so use about 1 teaspoon per cookie and a piping bag or small spoon for control.

3) Egg wash vs soft look: an egg wash gives a beautiful shiny brown top but it also speeds browning, so thin the wash with a splash of milk and brush very lightly. If you want a softer, pale look skip the wash and just dust with powdered sugar after cooling.

4) Bake and store like a pro: use light-colored baking sheets, bake on the middle rack and start checking at 10 minutes, you want golden edges but pale centers. Cool on the sheet 5 minutes then move to a rack, and store in a single layer with parchment between layers so they dont stick; to refresh stale ones heat 1 minute in a warm oven.

Recipe by Tina Bueller

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I uncovered my grandmother's Kolacky Cookies recipe that uses one surprising pantry ingredient and a simple trick I hadn't seen anywhere else.

Servings

servings

Calories

398

kcal

Equipment: 1. Food processor or large mixing bowl
2. Measuring cups and spoons
3. Knife and cutting board (for cubing butter and cream cheese)
4. Pastry cutter or fork (or just your fingertips)
5. Rolling pin plus two sheets of parchment paper
6. Baking sheets lined with parchment
7. Cookie cutter or bench scraper/knife to cut 2.5 inch squares
8. Small bowl and pastry brush for egg wash
9. Wire cooling rack and a spatula for transferring cookies

Ingredients

Dough
2 1/2 cups (312 g) all purpose flour
8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, cold
1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
1/3 cup (35 g) powdered sugar
pinch of salt (about 1/4 tsp)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk (optional)
Fillings, pick a few
1 cup apricot preserves (about one small jar)
1 cup prune jam or prune butter
1 cup cherry or raspberry jam
1 cup poppy seed filling (commercial or homemade)
4 oz almond paste or 3/4 cup ground almonds plus 3 tbsp sugar
Finish
1 large egg (optional)
1 tbsp milk or cream (optional)
powdered sugar for dusting, about 1/2 cup

Directions

Put 2 1/2 cups flour, 1/3 cup powdered sugar and a pinch of salt in a bowl or food processor; if using a processor pulse a few times to combine, if by hand just whisk it together.
Cut 8 oz cold cream cheese and 1 cup cold unsalted butter into cubes and add to the flour mix; pulse until dough looks like coarse crumbs with pea sized bits, or rub quickly with fingertips until it holds together when squeezed but dont overwork it.
Mix in 1 tsp vanilla and optionally 1 large egg yolk, pulse just to incorporate, then dump the mixture onto a floured board and press into a disk, wrap in plastic and chill at least 30 minutes, 1 hour is better (cold dough makes cleaner cookies).
Preheat oven to 350 F and line baking sheets with parchment; while oven heats choose 2 or 3 fillings from the list like apricot preserves, prune jam, cherry jam, poppy seed filling or prepare almond paste/ground almond mix.
Roll dough between two sheets of parchment to about 1/8 inch thickness (less flour this way), peel off the top paper and cut into
5 inch squares or use a cookie cutter, you can freeze the tray of cut squares for 10 minutes if the dough softens.
Put a small teaspoon of filling in the center of each square (dont overfill or it will leak), then fold opposite corners into the center and press gently to seal, or fold all four corners to make a little pinwheel — both ways work, just leave a little center exposed if you like.
For a shiny finish whisk 1 large egg with 1 tbsp milk or cream and lightly brush the cookies before baking, this step is optional but nice; you can skip if you want a softer look.
Bake on the middle rack 12 to 15 minutes until edges are lightly golden but centers still pale, ovens vary so watch the first batch closely.
Let cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a rack to cool completely; dust with powdered sugar before serving (about 1/2 cup total for sprinkling).
Store cooled kolaczki in an airtight container up to 4 days at room temp or freeze for longer; if they get soft refresh them briefly in a warm oven for a minute or two.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.