Easy Kolacky Recipe - Polish Christmas Cookies You Need To Try! (2024)

You may be surprised that the most famous Polish cookies, kolacky, are… not that famous in Poland. I was shocked by how popular are kolacky among Poles living abroad (especially Americans). Being born and raised in Poland, I’ve tried these cookies several times, however, they definitely weren’t the most popular among my family and friends.

When I tried to bake kolacky for the first time, I quickly understood why so many people love these cookies. The dough is easy to make, you can use any fruit or cheese for the filling. You don’t need to spend a lot of time forming the cookies, just take the opposite corners and pinch them together.

Tips For Baking Kolacky

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Use ONLY Solid Jam.

Make sure your filling is not watery, otherwise the cookies may fall apart in the oven.

What Type Of Cheese Is Best For Kolacky?

Although you can choose any type of white cheese to make the dough, it is best to opt for the more creamy one, the Philadelphia type. Farmer’s cheese might be a little bit too dry for it.

Add An Egg If You Want.

You can add one egg yolk to the dough and use the egg white to brush kolacky before baking (they will have a slightly better color).

Don’t Be Afraid To Use Icing Sugar.

Dust your cookies with a good amount of powdered sugar, but do it just before serving. Icing sugar tends to melt on moist surfaces, and although the sweet taste will

Pinch The Opposite Corners Of The Square REALLY Tight.

Easy Kolacky Recipe - Polish Christmas Cookies You Need To Try! (2)

The first time I was baking kolacky, they opened up in the oven. Even though the taste was still great, they didn’t look good. Make sure you pinch the opposite corners of the square really tight.

Use The Cookie Cutter To Make Kolacky Faster

This cookie cutter will help you make kolacky faster.

How To Make Kolacky When You Are In A Hurry?

The process of making kolacky is really time-consuming. You need to make a dough, wait until it’s cold, then roll it out, cut, and form the cookies.

If you don’t have time (or you don’t want to clean up the entire kitchen), you can make lazy kolacky. Here’s how I do it:

  1. Make dough according to the kolacky recipe above.
  2. Tear off a piece of dough and form a small ball (it should be the size of a walnut).

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3. Place the ball into the muffin/cupcake form.

4. Press the ball with your fingers to form a small dimple.

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5. Place the jam inside.

6. Repeat the process with the entire dough.

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7. The baking time should be about 20-25 minutes.

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How To Store Kolacky Cookies?

Even though kolacky cookies taste best fresh, you can still make larger batches and store them for later. You need to store them in an air-tight container, though.

You might also freeze your cookies. Just make sure to lay them in a way, so they do not touch each other Once frozen, store them in batches one on top of the other, separating the layers with parchment paper.

Can I Make The Dough Ahead Of Time As Baking Prep Work?

Kolacky might be a bit time-consuming, and it would be best to split the work when making them for Christmas. Plan ahead of time, prepare the thought a few weeks earlier, and freeze it. Wrap it well in a cling film and keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months. For defrost, leave it in the fridge overnight.

Serving Tips

Traditionally kolacky cookies are served simply dusted with icing sugar, but they also taste great with these few add-ons:

  • ice cream on the side
  • whipped fresh cream
  • decorated with melted echolocate
  • or dipped in a fruit moose

Easy Kolacky Recipe

Yield: 20 servings

Easy Kolacky Recipe - Polish Christmas Cookies You Need To Try!

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Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes

Ingredients

Kolacky Dough

  • 2 cups of unsalted butter
  • 2 cups of cream cheese
  • 2 cups of flour
  • 2 tbsps of sugar (optionally)

Kolacky Filling

  • 2 small jars of jam (20 oz)

Optionally

  • Egg
  • Powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. Beat the butter with cream cheese. [both should be in room temperature]
  2. Start adding the flour gradually. Form the dough using a hand or food processor. Beat until the flour is incorporated and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Do not overmix.
  3. Wrap the dough in the plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour (may be overnight). Easy Kolacky Recipe - Polish Christmas Cookies You Need To Try! (8)
  4. Preheat the oven to 356°F (180°C).
  5. Roll out the dough on a floured pastry board. It should be about ⅛'' thick.
  6. Cut into small squares (about 2-3''). Easy Kolacky Recipe - Polish Christmas Cookies You Need To Try! (9)
  7. Place the jam in the center of each square (½ teaspoon for each).Easy Kolacky Recipe - Polish Christmas Cookies You Need To Try! (10)
  8. Pinch the opposite corners of the squares to form the cookie.
  9. Place kolackys on the pan lined with baking paper.
  10. Bake for about 15-20 minutes.
  11. Cool off. If you want the cookies to be sweeter, sprinkle them with powdered sugar.

Notes

  1. Be sure to pinch the opposite corners of the squares REALLY tight, otherwise, the cookies may open up in the oven.
  2. Kolacky are sweet enough without the powdered sugar, I didn't use it at all.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

20

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 324Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 82mgSodium: 80mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 0gSugar: 9gProtein: 3g

These data are indicative and calculated by Nutritionix

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Did you like this Polish kolacky cookies recipe? Let us know in the comments below!

Easy Kolacky Recipe - Polish Christmas Cookies You Need To Try! (2024)

FAQs

Are kolaches Polish or Czech or Polish? ›

In fact, this staple of Central Texan gastronomy actually hails from Czech Republic, where a koláček (the diminutive form of koláč, pronounced kolach; plural koláčky) is a round yeast pastry with a sweet filling in the center!

How long will kolache dough last in the fridge? ›

If you don't want to work with all the dough at one time, return rest to refrigerator and use next day; this dough is supposed to last in refrigerator for 6 days.

What's the difference between kolache and kiffles? ›

Kiffles are similar to Polish Kolacky or Czech Kolache (small, sweet yeast buns with fruit filling poked into its side) but use a different dough. Kiffle dough has cream cheese and butter in it. They're filled with different types of filling and then they're rolled up into a crescent shape, and baked.

Are kolaches German or Polish? ›

Kolaches are Czech pastries made of a yeast dough and usually filled with fruit, but sometimes cheese.

Do Polish people eat kolaches? ›

The Ministry writes that the custom of kolach/korovai making has been present in present-day eastern Poland (particularly in Podlachia, Suwałki Region, Lublin Voivodeship, Mazovia) since the Middle Ages and is also celebrated by Serbs, Bulgarians, Ukrainians, and Belarusians.

What flavors are Kolachkes? ›

The most common flavors are: prune, poppy seed, cream cheese, and apricot. I've also seen blueberry, cherry, and lemon. I'm willing to talk about savory kolaches with eggs, bacon and sausage, but honestly, I didn't grow up on those.

Why refrigerate kolache dough? ›

Kolache dough is enriched with A LOT of butter and A LOT of egg. It is a pretty sticky dough and because of that, I find that it benefits from a long overnight rise in the refrigerator. This makes the dough much easier to handle, shape and work with so that it is not over-floured and tough.

Can kolaches be left out overnight? ›

If kept at room temperature, kolaches should be eaten within 24 hours.

Is it OK to leave bread dough in the fridge overnight? ›

When you put your dough in the fridge it slows the yeast activity down. It takes ten times longer for dough to rise in the fridge than it does at room temperature. This means you can put your dough in the fridge overnight or whilst you are at work and come back to it when you are ready.

What is the meaning of kolache? ›

plural kolacky or kolaches. : a bun made of rich sweet yeast-leavened dough filled with jam or fruit pulp.

What is a kolache with meat called? ›

Klobasneks are much more commonly known as kolaches in Texas, but should not be confused with traditional Czech kolaches, which are also popular and are known by the same name. Klobasneks are similar in style to sausage rolls, but the meat is wrapped in kolache dough.

Are kolaches healthier than donuts? ›

Smith said one kolache only contains between 100 and 250 calories, depending on the size and filling. Compared to a plain doughnut, which ranges between 160 and 300 calories before any filling or icing is added, it definitely makes more of a mark in the healthy arena.

Why do Texans love kolaches? ›

Kolaches are arguably one of the most popular pastries in Texas. Brought to the Lone Star State by Czech immigrants, the pastries were a weekly mainstay and snack in local households, made with sweet yeast dough with a center filled with fruits typically available in Eastern Europe.

Are kolache Czech? ›

Kolache are a sweet Czech pastry made of yeast dough. Kolache are flat, generously filled in the middle with fruit, poppy seed, or cream cheese filling. They always have a round shape and are about 3–4 inches (8–10 cm) in diameter. Before baking, the sides of the pastry are brushed with a beaten egg.

What heritage are kolaches? ›

This is the new world of the kolache, a food that now straddles several constituencies: the descendants of Czech immigrants, who still make the pastry in the broad swath of central Texas known as the Czech Belt; the highway commuters who have made it a coveted road food; and the artisans and entrepreneurs around the ...

Is Czech language like Polish? ›

Czech is closely related to Slovak, to the point of high mutual intelligibility, as well as to Polish to a lesser degree. Czech is a fusional language with a rich system of morphology and relatively flexible word order. Its vocabulary has been extensively influenced by Latin and German.

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