Kolachky Cookies Recipe

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!

Kolachky cookies with powdered sugar on a white plate.


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.

Kolachky cookies on plate 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

What fillings can I use for kolachky cookies?

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!

How do I store Kolachky Cookies?

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.

Can I freeze these cookies?

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.

Kolachky cookies with appricot and raspberry preserves.

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?

Looking for the BEST sugar cookie cut out recipe? These Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies are so flavorful and they always hold their shape. Don’t forget to add the delicious Vanilla Bean Frosting too!

Don’t want to make cut out sugar cookies? These are the best, chewy Sugar Cookies with a no-chill dough. Topped with a creamy sugar cookie icing, you’ll love this Copycat Swig Sugar Cookie recipe!

If you’re looking for the best Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust, this one is it. Easy cookie crust with a sweet and tangy lemon filling and lemon glaze, topped with powdered sugar!

These Twix cookies have a buttery shortbread cookie base with creamy caramel and chocolate on top! I’m not even kidding when I say they are addictive!

Gingerdoodle Cookies are chewy, soft cookies that taste like a cross between a gingersnap and a snickerdoodle. Add this to your baking list ASAP! You’ll love the texture of the cookies, but more importantly the molasses flavor with the cinnamon, ginger, and cloves is irresistible!

More Easy Cookie Recipes

See all Cookies recipes

Kolachky Cookies

4.65 from 39 votes
By: Aimee
Cream Cheese based cookie topped with sweet preserves makes these Kolachky cookies irresistible!
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Total Time: 48 minutes
Servings: 36 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
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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!
  •  

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 131kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 14mg, Sodium: 37mg, Sugar: 10g
Course: Cookies
Cuisine: Polish
Did you make this recipe?Mention @shugarysweets or tag #shugarysweets!


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About Aimee

Aimee is a dessert lover (specifically rice krispie treats), workout enthusiast, self-taught foodie, and recipe creator.

Learn more about Aimee.

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Posted on November 30, 2018

Comments & Reviews

  1. I’m all for easy baking and these are pretty with the jam exposed.  Perfect addition to my cookie exchange.  Love that this makes so many and we can change the jam for a variety of flavors.

  2. These were amazing. They taste just like my grandmothers.  This recipe is more simple to follow everyone loved it.

  3. I have been making my husband’s Busia’s kolacki recipe for 20 yrs and always fold the corners. The truck is you need a lil bowl of water, wet your fingers, grab, each corner and then again wet finger and seal the fold. They will stay shut everytime. Got a batch of dough chilling in my fridge right now for tomorrow. Delish ????

  4. These are one of my favorite cookies to make for Christmas and I love your idea of leaving them open. I’ll make them your way jet his year and see what my family will have to say. (I’m sure it will be a discussion, lol). 
    Thanks for the recipe 
    Izabela

    1. Yeah, you’ll find some people will say they are NOT kolachky’s if they are open…but they still taste amazing 🙂

  5. I use a dab of the filling to “glue” the sides together when I fold them over. It’s usually sticky enough to hold during baking.

  6. Yum, these do look good and I have never made them…..but sounds like using a toothpick would help to hold them together tho…..I may try this recipe…..I used to buy them every year at a Polish bakery in Mich. and they were the best…..also used to buy the nut roll and the poppy seed roll…..polish people sure know how to bake……I can bake a cake or muffins but not things like this….seem to be too much trouble for me…..I’d rather buy it at a bakery where they bake them….but don’t know of a polish bakery where I live now……  🙁

  7. These look delicious! Is 1/2 cm roughly a 1/4 inch? I want to include these cookies on a treat tray gift. Also, would minced apple pie filling work? Thank you!

  8. I shared my little secret with my niece’s this year while we were making these. Sometimes you need just a”dab” of water to help seal them shut. Works wonders! Merry Christmas!!

  9. These are MY FAVES!!!
    I do the fold over thing and stick a toothpick in there! 😀 It’s a great trick.Though these look just as beautiful!! 

  10. Cookies that have to pinch shut are a real *itch. I have the same trouble with hamantaschen, which also are supposed to stay together but often don’t.
    Hey, it’s doesn’t matter, though. As long as it tastes right! These do look good!

  11. Haha. Laughed so hard when I read the bit about Polish nana. Ha. Although I lost mine many years ago, she lived well into her 90’s and would have loved these! Although she was a cheesecake woman. And grumpkies woman. But the title looked very Polish to me and I think I’ll make these in her honor, she loved cooking and I’m working on loving baking/cooking. I’m going to put them on my appetizer tray for the ugly Christmas party I’m hosting! I have this beautiful artisan board that I’m also giving away right now on my blog! yay. And I’ll put these cookies on it as I now live in her house. Thanks. 

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