Recipes know no borders, Kolaczki are popular in Poland as well as Czech Republic, Russia, Austria, Denmark, and probably more places.
As you might expect there multiple spellings for this pastry, but Kolaczki seems the most Polish to me.
Normally, I’d expect to see these on a Christmas cookie tray, but I made them recently, as things are starting to warm up in Tucson because I needed a breakfast pastry to share with new friends.
Earlier this year, Ed and I heard about a small group of people who gather at one of the bars in downtown Tucson early on Sunday mornings to watch Premier League football (soccer) from the UK.
The time difference does make for early matches in our time zone. Let’s just say that at 8:00 AM on a Sunday morning, there is no traffic; we have no trouble finding a parking place.
We found the most wonderful community. Small but tightly knit and very inviting. European football doesn’t have a huge following stateside, but these die hard fans support our local, semi-pro team, and on Sunday mornings, they get together to watch the big guys.
People will ask who we’re rooting for, but we don’t really have a favorite in the Premier League. It’s just fun to watch a good match, the more scoring the better.
As I said, the customers and the bartender are very hospitable, every Sunday, someone stops to pick up donuts or cookies on their way. The box gets passed around the bar, and if you’re still hungry, about 9:00, they’ll serve breakfast to go with your coffee.
After a few weeks, Ed suggested that I bring something the following week. Thanks to all of you who chimed in on the PH facebook page when I asked about your favorite flavor.
In the end, I made apricot, probably the most popular response and cranberry because I had a big Costco sized bag in the pantry. A couple of recipes in particular inspired this baking: Allrecipes and The Spruce.
I cooked the dried fruit in a little water with a squirt of lemon juice and just a smidge of sugar until if was soft, then I blitzed it with an immersion blender. You could also use a canned filling or jam if you’re pressed for time.
The hard part was getting them to stay folded over while baking. I’m a pretty experienced baker and I was surprised by how stubbornly many of the Kolaczki opened up like a blooming flower while baking. It was a pity, but we had to eat those. I couldn’t take imperfect baked goods!
I’m sure I’ll be making these again.
Smacznego!
Lois
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A rich pastry with fruit fillings
Ingredients
For the pastry:
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1 1/2 cups butter
- 3 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the filling
- 3/4 cup dried apricots (or other dried fruit)
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Cream the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy
- Stir in flour and salt
- Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for an hour
- Preheat oven to 350
- Roll out the dough by first dusting the surface (mat or counter top) with sugar
- Roll to 1/4 inch and cut into 2 inch squares
- Place a teaspoon of filling in the center of each square
- Fold over opposite corners and seal well
- Bake for 15 minute or until corners just begin to brown
- Cool and dust with powdered sugar
For filling:
- Add apricots and water to a saucepan
- Add 2 tablespoons sugar
- Simmer until apricots are tender, about 15 minutes
- Mash or puree with immersion blender
Oh drool! I grew up on these and they are truly irresistible. It’s sad though, that when you purchase them at a Polish store, they are truly awful. When you make them at home they disappear very quickly. Sinfully good! I always use the Solo (canned) apricot filling.
★★★★★
Store bought falls short with so many things!
I made them with cherry and apricot filling
They were a hit with friends and family
★★★★★
Same. My family makes these every year and we only use solo apricot and plum. These are my absolute favorite thing and since my dad passed recently, this year will be in honor of him. I’m going to teach my best friend Danielle how like my father taught me.
★★★★★
I’m sorry for your loss, Tori. Continuing the Kolaczki tradition is a wonderful way to honor his memory.
Is this the recipe that you use. As you said I’ve had bad ones. And have been disappointed with a recipe I’ve tried.
You can’t go wrong with this recipe. Absolutely delicious.
I make powidla every autumn and use them as filling. Thank you for your stories, Lois….I enjoy reading them before I get into the recipe.
★★★★★
Thanks Elizabeth!
I make these every Christmas, with Solo poppyseed and almond. Solo has the dough recipe on the cans My grandma made these and also the rolls. I can’t find a good and successful recipe for the nut rolls.
Love these!!! My grandma and her sister would come to visit us every summer for 2 weeks, and this is one of the things we would make – lots of them, except instead of butter, we used lard… We used the Solo filling, too. Thanks for the directions on using dried apricots!
My grandmother used to use lard for baking too!
I love fruit-filled cookies like this, Lois! Can’t wait to try them.
Super, I hope you enjoy them, David!
Very Nice.. i read it… its awesome.. love these..!!
Crazy question but when you say spread sugar out before rolling. Do you mean regular or confectioners?
Not crazy at all, Colleen. I dusted the rolling surface with regular sugar rather than flour.
Can we use preservatives
I think it would be fine.
I use half powdered sugar and half granulated sugar. The granulated sugar works like ball bearings to keep the dough from sticking to the rolling surface.
Thanks for the tip!
I think it’s about 4 dozen
My son has a mill allergy. Is there a dough without dairy?
Most of them seem to have cream cheese or sour cream. You might try used a vegan cream cheese or vegan sour cream.
I love these cookies and just made some. Some of mine don’t stay closed, any tips?
Thank you and Merry Christmas!
I just got this tip from Darlene today:
Good Day! I just finished baking some cookies- out family favorite- and I wanted to post about them so I wanted to ensure that I was spelling the name correctly, so I asked Siri. Within the list of results was your recipe for kolaczki’s! ahHA! So that’s how it is correctly spelled! I read your article and saw that you had difficulty keeping the folded edges closed while baking so here’s the key to success: After filling, using a small bowl of ice water, lightly moisten a fingertip and touch one corner of your cookie. Take that corner, lift it to the center, lift the opposite corner and pinch the wet spot onto the opposite corner to meld them together. Finally, roll it down or fold it over. Sealed. They will not open if you have sealed it by blending both sides of the cookie together.
Thank you!
Same. My family makes these every year and these are my absolute favorite. We only use solo filling and apricot and Plum only. Since my Dad recently passed, in honor of him I’m going to teach my best friend how to make these like he taught me.
★★★★★
In Poland do they say kolaczki or kołaczki? My family says kolaczki but I’ve heard the other pronunciation too. Thanks!
I see it most often as kołaczki on Polish websites.
It’s KOŁACZKI, since in English there is no “Ł” it sounds like kolaczki. Born and raised Polak here . Have not done them in long time, guess it’s time to make it again. Wesołych Świat
Can you write out how you pronounce it phonetically?
Hi Nancy, I’m not good at phonics, but something like: ko-LACH-key
This is my first attempt to make these. I’m having a terrible time teying to roll the pastry. I used granulated and powdered sugar but it stickes like glue to my rolling pin. Chilled the dough for several hours. Too hard to roll at first then it suddenly gets too soft too work. Do i need more flour? My first few expanded alot when baked- way too big.
I thought it was s difficult dough too, Mary. With what you’re describing, I would go with your thought of adding a little more flour.
Hi there, I have made these for years. My Irish mother taught me! Made them from her Polish mother-in-laws recip, my Busha!
It is really a technique cookie over an ingredient one. My ingredients are simple, 2-2-2. Cups of flour, sticks of softened butter, and squares of cream cheese, softened. Cream cheese came in 4 oz. squares back then.
I think it is helpful to chill the dough for hours, overnight, days if you want to have it ready to make before a party. Then when you roll it out, I use more flour, it is important to roll it when it is just soft enough To Stick. Meaning, dont let it get too soft so that you roll in too much flour and then it won’t stay wrapped. Practice helps. Enjoy!
.
Good pointers, thanks, Elizabeth!
My grandmother was Pennsylvania Dutch/German, she called these Kiffels, and used flour mixes with granulated sugar on the board and rolling pin, and we used walnuts, apricot and lekvar – prune butter for gillings. A tradition to make these every holiday.
What a lovely tradition!
My family always made them with a crushed nut/cinnamon/sugar filling held together with just a little milk. Egg wash right before they bake. They always stayed rolled nicely. Old family recipe.
This cookie sounds fabulous but have never heard of it. My parents were both Polish so I’m surprised they never made them or spoke if them. I will try to add these to my repertoire of Christmas cookies. Kruschiki have always been on the Christmas list.
Where in Tucson do you all meet? I get to the cottage when we can and make stuff as I can.
It’s a group of soccer fans watching the English Premier League. It’s fun! I just made these so I could take something and blog about it.
https://playgroundtucson.com/event/epl-soccer-viewing-2/
I am so excited to find this page and this recipe! My Grandma makes apricot and walnut kolaczki but also a walnut/brown sugar filling one as well. I’m so excited to try this out!
★★★★★
I’m delighted that we’ve connected, Tracy. Happy baking!
I am Hispanic and I love these. I chill the dough and roll out between sheets of wax paper. No problems with
dough sticking to the rolling pin.
Good to know; thanks for the tip, Laura!
Had a hard time keeping fold together. will try and use more water on the edges when I fold them next time. Filled with a cream cheese filling. Taste was very good.
I had a hard time keeping them folded together too. One reader has suggested a bit of water on the corners and then pinching the points tightly before folding.
This is the same recipe my polish mom used. Homemade apricot filling is the best . She also rolled out in powdered sugar and sprinkled more powdered sugar before filling them and after they are baked. I found the easiest way to roll out the dough is between 2 pieces of parchment paper dusted with powdered sugar. Then to remove the paper easily, lay it in the freezer for a couple of minutes and it peels off nicely. My problem was getting the thickness of the dough right. Alas she is no longer here to help with that.
★★★★★
Thanks for sharing, Eileen! <3
Hi, I love the cheese filling but how do I make that or what can I use? I have to agree with buying these in a bakery, I just went to the bakery today and they were aweful, stale!! Yuk.(shouldn’t a bakery cookie be fresh?) I swore never again will i buy cookies like these from a bakery so I will be making them from now on.
Hi Carol, I havene’t made them with a cheese filling, but this is a recipe I would recommend. https://www.thespruceeats.com/sweet-cheese-strudel-filling-recipe-p2-1137457
I ate a few of these at a cookie swap. They were addictive! Please tell me the correct size for the squares. Another suggestion for keeping them sealed would be an egg mixture. A little dab on one corner should do it.
At our church we cut a 2.5-2.75 inch square. That allows you to tuck the edge under the pastry eliminating the need to use water or egg “glue.” We also roll the dough between parchment paper (no added flour or sugar) to 1/4 inch and refrigerate the sheets of dough for a half hour or more. Take one sheet out of the fridge at a time. Gently peel one side. Flip it over with the parchment still on then gently peel the 2nd side. Cut squares and fill diagonally. Fold one corner over the filling with the dough tightly against the filling. Roll the already folded side over the second corner. Tuck the second corner under the pastry and place on a parchment covered sheet. They look differently- longer and slightly taller. Our dough recipe is 1 pound each of cream cheese and butter blended well then add 660 grams of flour. This recipe is baked at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. We make more than 1,000 kolachy (another spelling) every month and sell them at farmers markets.
After chilling roll out between 2 sheets of floured parchment paper. So easy to roll out.
how are these best stored
Best to store tightly covered and add powdered sugar at the last minute.
Amazingly easy to make and my Polish spouse raved about how they tasted like childhood!
★★★★★
Thanks great news, Anne! ❤️❤️❤️
Hi. I’m looking for a recipe my family always made for Christmas. It is a braided bread not sure of the spelling in polish but phonetically it would be plachunka. Can you help?
My family has made a cookie very similar to these filling with egg white whipped stiff and laced with nuts, also have used solo almond filling and prune filling. Mom would make these between Thanksgiving and Christmas and store them in a large roasting pan on the stairs to the attic, or at least she did until my brother and I found them and would raid the roasting pan. I had hoped to make the this year but life as gotten in the way where I’ve run out of time. We lived in ?Detroit MI until the early 60’s when we moved to Tucson AZ because of my father’s health. We have always called the cookies European Cookies or Roski.
Try using a 1/2 cup of sour cream instead of the cheese – really good and what my great gram used 150 years ago.
I am very confused. I grew up in a community with a large eastern European immigrant population. Have had lots of kolachi in my life. Made kolachi and still admire the churches that still gather the old Babba’s to make them for the yearly church fundraiser. Most were nut filled. Llevar and sometimes apricot. They never look like a pastry. Your cookies look like Rugulas, which I believe is a German cookie. They are good cookies, but do not compare to the Kolachi of our ethnic neighborhoods.
My daughter and I just made these tonight for a party that she has scheduled for Wednesday in school. How would you recommend I store these? (I haven’t dusted any powder sugar on them yet.) I wondered if they’ll get soggy? By the way, they turned out AMAZING! My 8 year old said they’re better than chocolate chip cookies!!! Thank you!
★★★★★
Hi Kate, I’m so happy to hear that your family loved the kolaczki. Better than chocolate chip is high praise indeed! I would store the cool cookies, tightly covered, and sprinkle with powdered sugar when you’re ready to send them to school.
I have a kolachki recipe from a Russian lady that truly isn’t as easy as this but my family really loves it. I make and used to sell many, many dozens every year and gave many to friends and family. My girls all make them and now the grands have started making them as well.
What a lovely tradition!