Description
Polish Kolaczki are traditional, delicate cream cheese pastries filled with sweet fruit preserves, perfect for a delightful treat or festive occasion. These tender cookies feature a soft, buttery dough that wraps around your choice of apricot, raspberry, or plum preserves, baked to golden perfection and dusted generously with powdered sugar.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Filling
- 1/2 cup fruit preserves (apricot, raspberry, or plum)
Finishing
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar (for dusting)
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and unsalted butter together until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Gradually add the all-purpose flour and salt, mixing just until a soft dough forms, being careful not to overwork it to maintain a tender texture.
- Chill the dough: Shape the dough into a disc, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight. This resting period helps the dough firm up for easier rolling and shaping.
- Preheat the oven: Set the oven temperature to 350 °F (175 °C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and promote even baking.
- Roll and cut the dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about ⅛ inch thickness. Using a pastry wheel or knife, cut the dough into 2½-inch squares, ensuring uniform size for even baking.
- Add filling and fold: Place approximately ½ teaspoon of fruit preserves in the center of each square. Fold two opposite corners over the filling so they slightly overlap, pressing gently to seal; a dab of water or egg white can be applied to help the dough stay closed during baking.
- Bake the kolaczki: Arrange the prepared cookies on the lined baking sheets, leaving slight space between each. Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges turn lightly golden, indicating they are done.
- Cool and dust: Transfer the baked kolaczki to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, dust generously with powdered sugar before serving to add a sweet finishing touch.
Notes
- Chilling the dough is essential for easy rolling and prevents the cookies from spreading too much during baking.
- You can substitute fruit preserves with your favorite jams or marmalades for different flavor variations.
- To make the folding easier, slightly soften the preserves if they are very thick or chilled.
- Kolaczki can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or frozen for longer storage.
- For an extra touch, add a small dab of cream cheese inside each cookie along with the preserves for a richer filling.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 45mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 11g
- Fiber: 0.3g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
