These Easy Traditional Kolachky Cookies Recipe for Christmas have a melt in your mouth cookie base and are topped with sweet preserves. Don’t forget the extra powdered sugar!
For more easy holiday treats, be sure to try this soft and chewy Cake Mix Cookie recipe! Or make a batch of Chocolate Dipped Oreos with festive sprinkles!
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe is Best
OK, I know. You don’t need to tell me that these aren’t authentic because your Polish Nana makes these cookies and pinches them into the center over the jelly.
I get it. My mom usually does that too.
But know what happens when I try to fold them over and pinch the centers? After baking, I open the oven and they all look deformed and have opened up.
So now I started making them this way and I couldn’t be happier. They are easier and so much prettier!
I’m sure some of you have tricks up your sleeve for pinching these closed. Feel free to leave a comment below so others can learn!
For now, I will make mine open.
- We’re making our Kolachky Cookies BIG! I use a 2 1/2 inch cookie cutter and this allows me to add even more jelly, which makes me happy. If you prefer them smaller, feel free!
- Apricot Preserves are a traditional filling and so delicious! I’ve got other ideas for you below, as well.
- Making them open also means they are fuss-free and fool proof!
- These cookies are perfect for rounding out your holiday treats!
You can also try my Jam Thumbprint cookies for a similar melt in your mouth cookie topped with almond glaze.
Ingredient Notes
- Butter – We use unsalted butter in all of our recipes to control the amount of sodium. If you only have salted butter, that will work fine here, too.
- Cream Cheese – Full fat cream cheese will give you the best results for these cookies. Be sure to let it soften at room temperature for a few minutes before starting.
- Flour – Regular all-purpose flour works great to create that melt-in-your-mouth texture we’re striving for. Make sure to use our guide on how to measure flour properly.
- Preserves – Apricot and strawberry preserves both work great for these cookies. You can use both or pick one. You can even substitute a different flavor if you want to change it up.
Easy Instructions
STEP 1. Make the cookie dough. Cream together the butter, cream cheese and sugar. Add baking powder and flour and beat until a soft dough forms.
STEP 2. Assemble cookies. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll to about ½ cm thickness. Cut with a 2 ½ inch circle cookie cutter (or biscuit cutter) and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread about 1 Tablespoon of preserves into the center of each cookie.
STEP 3. Bake, cool and finish cookies. Bake the cookies at 350 degrees F for 15-18 minutes. Cool completely then sprinkle generously with powdered sugar.
Tips and Tricks
- Allow the butter and cream cheese to soften at room temperature before you start making the dough.
- When rolling out the cookies, any scraps can be smooshed back together and rolled out again to get more cookies, but you won’t want to repeat this process more than once, or else the cookies will become tough.
- Don’t overbake the cookies! They should come out of the oven BEFORE they start to brown.
- Make sure the cookies are compeletly cooled before sprinkling with the powdered sugar. Otherwise, it will just melt in.
- You can also add extra powdered sugar when serving to make the cookies look extra festive!
Recipe FAQs
Apricot preserves are traditional and we also love strawberry preserves for the jelly filling. Or you can buy cans of poppy seed filling (near pie filling at the store); it’s so tasty. Or try your favorite flavor of preserves!
Once cooled, store the cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Feel free to sprinkle with extra powdered sugar when serving.
Yes, you can freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months. Place in a freezer safe container or ziplock bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then add powdered sugar when serving.
Traditional Fillings for Kolachky Cookies
Apricot Preserves. The Apricot Kolache cookie is one of my favorite flavors!
Strawberry Preserves. I make this flavor Kolach cookie for the kids, as it seems to be THEIR favorite, even though it’s not traditional.
Poppyseed filling. You can buy cans of poppy seed filling (near pie filling). This is so good and Poppy Seed Kolache cookies are a family favorite!
What traditional cookies do YOU make for the holidays?
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Kolachky Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 package cream cheese, softened 8 oz
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups preserves I like to use a combination of apricot and strawberry
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl combine butter, cream cheese, and granulated sugar. Beat until creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Add baking powder and flour. Beat until a soft dough forms.
- Drop dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll to about 1/2 cm thickness. Cut with a 2 1/2 inch circle cookie cutter (or biscuit cutter) and place on baking sheet. Spread about 1 Tbsp preserves into the center of cookie.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes, until set (before it begins to brown). Cool completely on wire rack.
- When cool, sprinkle generously with powdered sugar. Store in airtight container in refrigerator for one week. You may need to add powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
- **If desired, after adding the preserves, pinch sides up into the center of cookie.
- Allow the butter and cream cheese to soften at room temperature before you start making the dough.
- When rolling out the cookies, any scraps can be smooshed back together and rolled out again to get more cookies, but you won’t want to repeat this process more than once, or else the cookies will become tough.
- Don’t overbake the cookies! They should come out of the oven BEFORE they start to brown.
- Make sure the cookies are compeletly cooled before sprinkling with the powdered sugar. Otherwise, it will just melt in.
- You can also add extra powdered sugar when serving to make the cookies look extra festive!
This is (almost) EXACTLY how my Slovak grandmother made them – round with a thumbrint filled w Apricot (no powdered sugar on top). BTW for filling, try pkg of dried apricots, low boil with water just to cover until mushy then food processor to puree and sweeten to taste (usually sweet enough that I don’t add any sugar). SO much better than preserves and doesn’t run.
A must for us every year. I use a small paint brush and dab in water then fold over to seal. A labor of love for sure but worth it!
I have been baking these for years and years and use my grandmothers receipe- almost the same as yours except no granulated sugar, only powered sugar. And putting the jelly in the middle I refrigerate mine rolled up for two hours, take out cut and push my thumb in the middle of each one then add the cooking jam, and TONS (LOL) of powdered sugar!!!!!
Thanks for all your recipes, I’m trying the Rice Krispie Treats tonight!
i would love to try these with a nut filling have you ever tried that
Can these be frozen
It’s a tradition at our house to try one Christmas food from another country every year. These are now at the top of my list – they look so yummy!
We have to make a batch every Christmas! Delicious!
These look amazing! I cant wait to try them!
My Polish heritage makes me very familiar with these cookies. They’re always on our cookie trays for the holidays and most every other gathering. I love your idea of not fussing with the fold over. Also, when you make them your way, you get more filling!!! (and no spill over!)
Haha, I love the story about the deformed cookies. So who cares if they are perfectly authentic. Yours are beautiful!