These Kolaczki are easy-to-make Polish fruit-filled cookies that are the perfect sweet treat for holidays or any day! It takes just 5 ingredients to make these incredibly delicious cookies, so they’re guaranteed to become a part of your cookie rotation! They make a stunning addition to your Christmas cookie gift baskets too!
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Instructions
In a large mixing bowl combine the softened cream cheese and butter. Beat until thoroughly combined, light and fluffy.
Add the flour into the creamed butter mixture 1 cup at a time until your dough is fully mixed. Wrap the dough in cling film and flatten slightly so that it chills quickly. Chill for an hour.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line your baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Dust your working surface with an equal combination of sugar and confectioners' sugar, then roll out the cream cheese dough until it is ¼-inch in thickness. *I use a quarter portion of the dough at a time, meanwhile, it is important that the remaining dough is returned to the refrigerator and kept chilled.
Cut the dough into 2-inch squares or rounds then place ½ to 1 teaspoon of your pastry filling into the centerline of each cut square or round of the dough.
Overlap the opposite corners or sides and brush the bottom corner with water or egg white to seal the dough. Pinch or press the dough together to seal securely.
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 12-15 minutes, or until the cookie bottoms just begin to show a light golden color. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Once your cookies are completely cooled, dust with confectioners' sugar (or just before serving).
Notes
Unsure what to use for the fruit filling? You can absolutely make your own or try pre-made pastry or pie filling! Try my raspberry, cherry, pineapple, blackberry, or apple pie fillings!
It isn’t recommended to use jam, as it typically does not use starch as a thickener and can seep into your cookies.
When cutting out the circles or squares for the Kolaczki, try using a cookie cutter! You can use a sharp paring knife or bench cutter to cut the dough, but a cookie cutter is an easy way to cut those rounds or squares out quickly and evenly!
The dough for the cookies can easily become sticky and hard to work with, so it’s best to keep it refrigerated.
You should chill the dough for at least 1 hour before handling it to make rolling and shaping easier! I also recommend only using a quarter portion of the dough at a time and then keep the remaining dough in the refrigerator.
When filling and folding the dough, try to work quickly so the filling doesn’t soak through or spill out of the cookie.