Kolaczki are delicious cookies made with easy 3-ingredient cream cheese pastry and filled with jam. They are crispy on the edges and melt-in-your-mouth in the middle. Absolutely delicious and look beautiful on a cookie platter, too!
Kolaczki cookies
Kolaczki cookies are known in the US as Polish Christmas cookies. I must admit that being born and raised in Poland I have never seen or heard of these cookies! They are super popular among Polish Americans so I wanted to give them a try. I´m so glad I did because they are absolutely delicious and well worth a try!
These cookies go by the name kolaczki, kolache, kolacky, or kolachkies. To me as a Polish native speaker, “kołaczki” would be more suitable, “kolaczki” sounds a little bit weird. The name of these cookies sounds a little bit “Czech” to me. I´ve also read you can see these cookies all over Europe, including Austria (where I live), but I haven´t seen them here, either!
Jam-filled cookies are very popular in Poland but they have a different shape and are made from a shortcrust pastry dough or “Spritz” cookie dough.
I think it´s possible that these cookies were very popular many years ago in Poland or Czech Republic and emigrated along with many people to the US where they got (well-deservedly) popular.
Ingredients
Here´s what you need to make kolaczki cookie dough:
- Just basic 3 ingredients are needed for the dough: cream cheese, flour, and butter.
- Additionally: vanilla extract for some flavor (you could also add a small amount of almond extract) and salt (always add a small amount of salt to any dessert).
- There is no sugar in the dough but we will be rolling it out sprinkled with sugar so the dough will be a little bit sweet. Jam filling is also pretty sweet and we will also sprinkle baked cookies generously with powdered sugar.
- For rolling out the dough you will need flour, powdered sugar, and superfine (caster) sugar in equal amounts (you can just eyeball it). The dough is pretty sticky so you need to be generous with sprinkling with this mixture. Don´t use just flour! Sugar sweetens and flavors the dough and also helps the cookies get some color. You could use just sugar but I think they´re easier to roll out when there is some flour in the mixture.
Filling for kolaczki cookies:
You can make jam filling or nut filling for kolaczki.
For the jam filling you can use:
- any kind of jam – really, it doesn´t need to be thick! all you need to do is cook the jam for 2-3 minutes until thickened and it won´t spill out of the cookies! you can check the video to see how thick the jam must be in order to be suitable for this recipe
- don´t use thin jam without cooking it first! it will spill out of the cookies and they will be soggy
- you can use store-bough thick pastry filling (such as Solo brand) or a really thick marmalade
For the nut filling you will need:
- ground nuts of your choice (I used walnuts)
- brown sugar (has more flavor but regular white will also work)
- hot milk and butter
- some flavorings: cinnamon, vanilla, salt
Different kolaczki recipes:
There are a couple of popular kolaczki recipes on the internet. I tested a couple of them to see which I like best. I settled for a recipe that calls for more cream cheese than the others. I liked that it has a more pronounced, tangy cream cheese flavor.
How to make kolaczki cookies step by step
Make the cookie dough:
STEP 1: In a medium bowl, mix the soft butter, cream cheese, vanilla extract, and salt using a mixer or a spatula until just combined (not longer).
STEP 2+3: Add flour and mix until combined.
If using a spatula, combine the ingredients until roughly combined then transfer to a rolling mat and knead until combined. The dough will be sticky, the ingredients should be well-combined but the dough doesn´t have to be completely smooth.
STEP 4: Wrap the dough in plastic foil. Flatten into a 1-inch (2.5 cm) square and place in the fridge for 1 hour to chill.
Prepare the filling:
STEP 5+6: If you´re using solo brand filling or any other very thick type of filling, you don´t have to do anything.
If using regular jam: add it to a pot, and cook for a couple of minutes (2-4 minutes), stirring almost constantly, until it´s thickened.
Transfer to a plate and let set and chill completely – it will look almost like a jelly and can be cut with a knife. If you don´t do this, regular jam will just spill all over the baking sheet.
STEP 7: Walnut filling: in a small pot, warm up the milk and butter until hot and melted, add vanilla, cinnamon, and salt, stir to combine. Add to a medium bowl along with sugar and ground nuts, stir to combine.
Shape the cookies:
STEP 8: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Prepare 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
On a medium plate, combine equal amounts of flour, superfine/caster sugar (or granulated sugar), and powdered sugar (yes, there should be all these 3 ingredients) – you can just eyeball the amounts. You will use this for sprinkling the dough while rolling it out (don´t use just flour!).
Divide the dough into two parts, leave one part in the fridge.
Sprinkle some of the flour-sugar mixture on a silicone rolling mat (best for rolling out cookie dough or anything, really). Place one part of the dough on a rolling mat and roll out very thinly (about 1/8 inch or 3-4mm), sprinkling the dough with the flour-sugar mixture if it´s sticking to the rolling mat.
Cut the dough into 2-inch (5cm) squares using a knife/ravioli cutter wheel/pizza knife.
Place some of the filling (about 1 teaspoon) in the middle of each pastry square (don´t add too much filling).
STEP 9+10: Fold over the opposite corners of each square and seal well: dip your finger in water and wet one corner of the pastry square. Place the oposite corner of the square on top, moisten it with water and press well to combine both parts of the dough (this is important, otherwise, the cookies will open up in the oven).
All of this is shown on the video that is located above the recipe card! (scroll down to see it).
STEP 11: Place each cookie on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. The cookies need to be just a little bit spaced apart – they won´t rise much in the oven.
Repeat with the remaining dough.
STEP 12: Bake
Bake for about 14-16 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are golden. Every oven bakes differently so make sure to keep an eye on your cookies.
Transfer the cookies with parchment paper to a cooling rack.
When cooled, sprinkle generously with powdered sugar.
Enjoy!
Top Tips
- I find smaller cookies more tasty than larger (they are more crispy and the dough doesn´t get soggy).
- Roll out the dough very thinly. Thick dough doesn´t taste that good, takes longer to cook, and gets soggy.
- Use a really thick marmalade/pastry filling or cook regular jam until thickened (otherwise the filling will spill out and the dough will be soggy).
- How to keep kolaczki sealed: Seal the cookies well using water to make sure they won´t open up in the oven (it´s shown on the video!). Thicker dough is also more likely to open up.
- Chill the dough really well and work with only 1/2 of the dough at a time.
- If the dough is sticky, you can sprinkle it generously with sugar-flour mixture while rolling it out.
- Don´t use a filling that is too thin – it will spill out of the cookies and make the pastry soggy.
Storage
Kolaczki cookies store really well and they still taste amazing even after a couple of days. Store them in a tightly closed container. You can store the cookies dusted with powdered sugar.
More Polish desserts for you to try
- Pączki Recipe (Polish Doughnuts)
- Sernik – Polish cheesecake recipe
- Chrusciki recipe (Faworki or Polish angel wings)
- Naleśniki recipe (Polish crepes with sweet cheese filling)
- Rogaliki recipe (orange walnut rugelach)
- Piernik – Polish gingerbread loaf
Kolaczki Recipe (delicious jam cookies) – VIDEO
Ingredients
for the cookie dough:
- 1/2 cup (115g) butter at room temperature
- 4 ounces (115g) full-fat cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons (145g) flour spooned and leveled, not scooped
for the jam filling:
- 3/4 cup any kind of jam my favorite is apricot and strawberry or
- solo pastry filling / thick marmalade of your choice
additionally:
- equal parts of: flour + caster/superfine (or granulated) sugar + powdered sugar for rolling out the dough (you need all 3)
- powdered sugar – to sprinkle on baked cookies
or walnut filling (optional, makes extra):
- 1 cup (100g) ground walnuts, or hazelnuts/almonds
- 1/4 cup (50g) light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons (30g) butter
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch of salt
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Instructions
Make the cookie dough:
- In a medium bowl, mix the soft butter, cream cheese, vanilla extract, and salt using a mixer or a spatula until just combined (not longer).
- Add flour and mix until combined. If using a spatula, combine the ingredients until roughly combined then transfer to a rolling mat and knead until combined. The dough will be sticky, the ingredients should be well-combined but the dough doesn´t have to be completely smooth.
- Wrap the dough in plastic foil. Flatten into a 1-inch (2.5 cm) square and place in the fridge for 1 hour to chill.
Prepare the filling:
- If you´re using solo brand filling or any other very thick type of filling, you don´t have to do anything.
- If using regular jam: add it to a pot, and cook for a couple of minutes (2-4 minutes), stirring almost constantly, until it´s thickened. Transfer to a plate and let set and chill completely – it will look almost like a jelly and can be cut with a knife. If you don´t do this, regular jam will just spill all over the baking sheet.
- Walnut filling: in a small pot, warm up the milk and butter until hot and melted, add vanilla, cinnamon, and salt, stir to combine. Add to a medium bowl along with sugar and ground nuts, stir to combine.
Shape the cookies:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Prepare 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
- On a medium plate, combine equal amounts of flour, superfine/caster sugar (or granulated sugar), and powdered sugar (yes, there should be all these 3 ingredients) – you can just eyeball the amounts. You will use this for sprinkling the dough while rolling it out (don´t use just flour!).
- Divide the dough into two parts, leave one part in the fridge.
- Sprinkle some of the flour-sugar mixture on a silicone rolling mat (best for rolling out cookie dough or anything, really). Place one part of the dough on a rolling mat and roll out very thinly (about 1/8 inch or 3-4mm), sprinkling the dough with the flour-sugar mixture if it´s sticking to the rolling mat.
- Cut the dough into 2-inch (5cm) squares using a knife/ravioli cutter wheel/pizza knife.
- Place some of the filling (about 1 teaspoon) in the middle of each pastry square (don´t add too much filling).
- Fold over the opposite corners of each square and seal well: dip your finger in water and wet one corner of the pastry square. Place the oposite corner of the square on top, moisten it with water and press well to combine both parts of the dough (this is important, otherwise, the cookies will open up in the oven). All of this is shown on the photos in the body of the post or on the video (scroll up to see it).
- Place each cookie on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. The cookies need to be just a little bit spaced apart – they won´t rise much in the oven.
- Repeat with the remaining dough.
Bake:
- Bake for about 14-16 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are golden. Every oven bakes differently so make sure to keep an eye on your cookies.
- Transfer the cookies with parchment paper to a cooling rack.
- When cooled, sprinkle generously with powdered sugar.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- How to measure flour: Fluff the flour by stirring it in the bag/flour container with a spoon. Spoon the flour and sprinkle it into your measuring cup. Sweep off the excess flour with the back of a knife. Use a digital scale for best and consistent results.
- Kolaczki cookies store really well and they still taste amazing even after a couple of days. Store them in a tightly closed container. You can store the cookies dusted with powdered sugar.
- My cookies were really small that´s why I got so many. If your cookies are bigger you will get less cookies in total.
- Calories = 1 cookie (1/47 of the recipe). This is only an estimate!
Did you make this recipe? RATE THE RECIPE or tell me in the COMMENTS how you liked it! You can also add a photo of your dish. It would make me very happy and will help other readers. Thank you!!
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