Recipes know no borders, Kolaczki (Polish filled cookies) are popular in Poland as well as the Czech Republic, Russia, Austria, Denmark, and probably more places.
As you might expect there are 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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Kolaczki (Polish filled cookies)
- Yield: 4 dozen 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Polish
Description
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 countertop) with granular sugar
- Roll to 1/4 inch and cut into 2-inch squares. I used a fluted pastry cutter to get the zig-zap along the edge of the cookies.
- Place a teaspoon of filling in the center of each square
- Fold over opposite corners and seal well
- Bake for 15 minutes or until corners just begin to brown
- Cool on a rack 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
Laurel
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.
★★★★★
polishhousewife
Store bought falls short with so many things!
Kimberly Overby
I made them with cherry and apricot filling
They were a hit with friends and family
★★★★★
Tori Stark
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.
★★★★★
polishhousewife
I’m sorry for your loss, Tori. Continuing the Kolaczki tradition is a wonderful way to honor his memory.
Teri
My mom filled it with walnuts, when she passed, I tried making them, and I too had a problem keeping them closed, what was your father’s trick to keep them from blooming…thanks
Rosemary
My mom made with the walnuts as well! To keep them closed I pinch the ends together and then I baste with egg whites.
Linda
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.
Laurel
You can’t go wrong with this recipe. Absolutely delicious.
Kathleen Davis
My mom made the crust the same but she used apricot jam and chopped walnuts mixed together.
★★★★★
Steven Chlebowy
If you use solo do you still add sugar water lemon juice cook it down?
polishhousewife
I just the solo as is, straight out of the can.
Rosemary
Do not add anything to Solo and do not use a jam, it will be too loose and will melt out of the cookie.
Susan
My mom is German and grew up eating these. So of course as an adult she began making them herself. After making them with a simple dough that had little flavor,she came up with her own recipe of basically flour,butter,vanilla ice cream,and I think something else. Vanilla I e cream makes a huge difference. We use the Solo fillings and find poppyseed, prune,apricot,cherry,and blueberry to be huge hits. For the diabetics in my family we simply use sugar free jelly for the filling and its great!
polishhousewife
Great ideas, thanks for sharing, Susan!
Tina
Did you make the cranberry ones with dried or fresh/frozen cranberries, Did you make the cranberry with the lemon juice and sugar too?? Asking cause I have lots of frozen cranberries
Going to try this they sound really good,
I have some prunes I could use too. Thanks, I enjoy your recipes and articles
polishhousewife
Hi Laurel, I used dried cranberries with lemon juice and sugar, but I’m sure you could use fresh ones too. Thanks!
Elizabeth Beaudoin
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.
★★★★★
polishhousewife
Thanks Elizabeth!
Vicki
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.
Mary Ellen
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!
polishhousewife
My grandmother used to use lard for baking too!
David
I love fruit-filled cookies like this, Lois! Can’t wait to try them.
polishhousewife
Super, I hope you enjoy them, David!
Namaste India
Very Nice.. i read it… its awesome.. love these..!!
colleen
Crazy question but when you say spread sugar out before rolling. Do you mean regular or confectioners?
polishhousewife
Not crazy at all, Colleen. I dusted the rolling surface with regular sugar rather than flour.
Rosalee
Can we use preservatives
polishhousewife
I think it would be fine.
Liz
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.
polishhousewife
Thanks for the tip!
Marie
Do you use all purpose flour?
polishhousewife
Yes.
polishhousewife
I think it’s about 4 dozen
Dawn Landl
My son has a mill allergy. Is there a dough without dairy?
polishhousewife
Most of them seem to have cream cheese or sour cream. You might try used a vegan cream cheese or vegan sour cream.
Annette
I love these cookies and just made some. Some of mine don’t stay closed, any tips?
Thank you and Merry Christmas!
polishhousewife
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.
Annette
Thank you!
Louise
we have used lekvar butter – prune butter – and different flavored jams but the lekvar is my favorite. Also, to keep them closed, we used a little egg wash and pinch the corners together. some stick and some don’t. Enjoy!
★★★★★
polishhousewife
Thanks, Louise!
Eunice M Palumbo
My Grandmother alway used lekvar and walnuts ground they are still my favorites she was from Hungry God do I miss her homemade noodles and all those traditional meals used many main dishes with salt pork, real salt pork not like they sell now with bacon not the same.
Chris E.
Thank you for the sealing tip My first batch all opened. I will try it on next batch.
★★★★★
Tori Stark
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.
★★★★★
Laurel
In Poland do they say kolaczki or kołaczki? My family says kolaczki but I’ve heard the other pronunciation too. Thanks!
polishhousewife
I see it most often as kołaczki on Polish websites.
Sylvia Koss
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
Nancy Gabrielson
Can you write out how you pronounce it phonetically?
polishhousewife
Hi Nancy, I’m not good at phonics, but something like: ko-LACH-key
carol Couturier
I’ve been making these since the 60’s. Mu grandma was Lithuanian , I learned from her.
Se was the baker in the family !
★★★★★
Mary
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.
polishhousewife
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.
Jolee
I rolled them out on a silicone baking mat. Works great!
Elizabeth Johnson
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!
.
polishhousewife
Good pointers, thanks, Elizabeth!
Cathy
Love these cookies. My Mother-in laws made them. I am going try.
Jayne
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.
polishhousewife
What a lovely tradition!
Nicole Webb
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.
Lynne Cotton
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.
Alia
Where in Tucson do you all meet? I get to the cottage when we can and make stuff as I can.
polishhousewife
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/
Tracy B
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!
★★★★★
polishhousewife
I’m delighted that we’ve connected, Tracy. Happy baking!
Laura Delgado
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.
polishhousewife
Good to know; thanks for the tip, Laura!
Michael K Alexa
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.
polishhousewife
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.
Eileen Weglicki
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.
★★★★★
polishhousewife
Thanks for sharing, Eileen! <3
Carol
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.
polishhousewife
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
Helen
For a cream cheese Filling the Kołaczki with cheese I use 8 oz cream cheese 1/4 c sugar and 1 egg yolk. mix it together well and fill the cookies .
GSK
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.
John Danovich
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.
Liz
After chilling roll out between 2 sheets of floured parchment paper. So easy to roll out.
Nancy D
how are these best stored
polishhousewife
Best to store tightly covered and add powdered sugar at the last minute.
Anne Gardner
Amazingly easy to make and my Polish spouse raved about how they tasted like childhood!
★★★★★
polishhousewife
Thanks great news, Anne! ❤️❤️❤️
Ann
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?
Julie Mills
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.
Robert J. Golubski
Try using a 1/2 cup of sour cream instead of the cheese – really good and what my great gram used 150 years ago.
Gail Mpintos
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.
Kathy
Are yours rolled in a circle and then cut triangles, fill with nut or apricot and roll them like a crescent? We call them roski/rhodske, not sure on spelling. Grandmothers from Czechoslovakia. Also made nut rolls or poppyseed rolls.
Kate Herring
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!
★★★★★
polishhousewife
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.
Diane Szlucha
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.
polishhousewife
What a lovely tradition!
Diane
I have made kolaczkifor over 50 years, since I married into a Polish, Lithuanian family. I have always gotten a flaky, sweet dough with a much more complicated dough of egg yolks, heavy cream, butter, Crisco, flour, yeast and vanilla. I will try these to see if they are close to mine since they are so easy. I love the sweetness of my dough, but I am getting old for this heavy duty Stuff!
polishhousewife
Good luck, Diane!
Donato
These have always been my favorite cookie since I was a child. I find the trick to keep them from opening is to use a tiny bit of the filling on the top of your finger as a “glue” as you’re folding them. This will help but if they still open up on you there is another little trick I’ve used. They’re very moldable while they’re still hot. As soon as they come out of the oven I will re seal them and but other cookies up against them to keep them closed as they cool. It will really cut down on the “rejects”…. even though they’re always the first to get eaten lol
And
polishhousewife
Thanks for the tips! They are a challenge, but yes, it’s so easy to justify eating the open ones! 🙂
Rebecca Slizowska
I’m really looking forward to trying these out. Can you tell me if it’s possible to make in advance and freeze the dough? Or even if anyone has ever successfully frozen them when made? Thank you
polishhousewife
Hi Rebecca, I have frozen them. I don’t add powdered sugar until ready to serve. If they seem a little soft when they thaw, pop them in the oven for a couple of minutes, then cool and add powdered sugar.
Terri
1st time I made this didn’t read the recipe and used flour for rolling, which I should have rolled the dough thinner but when I realized it asked for sugar I said oops then went ahead and sprinkled sugar on top before I filled, to give the dough a little bit more sweetness. This time I did it exactly as the recipe stated and there was too much sugar in the dough when rolling it. It’s more helpful to use flour first then sprinkle the top with sugar when you’re about to cut them. I will try again, they are delicious I just want to perfect it.
polishhousewife
Thanks for the suggestions, Terri!
Ashley
These are the best cookies. Honestly it feels so good to have such wonderful recipies from my roots. My whole family devoured these last Christmas. I even sent some to the hospital with my Dad for my Mom while she was in the ICU to cheer her up and they did just that. Your genuine love of Polish culture and cuisine is felt and I am so happy to have found your website. I cannot wait to receive my cookbook. I live in Canada and my friend in Colorado will be sending it to me as I eagerly await. Keep up the amazing work!
★★★★★
Ashley
I forgot to mention, while I made the traditional apricot, which were amazing, I also made one’s with a prune, golden raisin and cranberry filling that was probably my favorite. I ran out of apricots so I threw together what I had, it worked wonderful. I did freeze some as well and I second the pop in the oven, but even soft they were great.
★★★★★
Linda
Stumbled across your site by accident, but was so excited to see your recipe! My mom, and now I, made kolachkies every Christmas. Our dough is similar, except we add powdered sugar to it. We always used Solo apricot filling, but this year I want to make cranberry. Happy holidays!
polishhousewife
Thanks for your note, Linda. I hope you enjoy the cranberry. Happy holidays to you too!
Rita
I’ve made these all the time. I only use apricot filling and prune plum. Love them. Old recipe from.my mom..
★★★★★
Nancy
My Czech grandmother always made these for the holidays with nut filling and apricot. The apricots were my absolute favorite! Unfortunately, she passed away many years ago and we were unable to get the recipe. So I am very happy to find this and am looking forward to trying it out. I just have two questions concerning these: 1) Can these be made ahead and frozen? And 2) I see many comments from people who use the Solo brand filling. I have not seen that brand in the local stores where I live (Southwestern PA). Can someone suggest where I might locate it, or recommend another brand? Thanks!!!
polishhousewife
Amazon carries it:
https://amzn.to/38GMrhp
Micki Grant
You could also look for Baker brand – I believe it’s related to the Solo brand, but perhaps in different markets.
★★★★★
Angela M Kaptur
Help! I just made these for my husband today and they keep opening while they are baking. I did 1/4 thickness but are they still too thick ya think? They are delicious anyways but I’d love for them to stay closed!! Or punch them more? Thanks in advance!
polishhousewife
Maybe even a little thinner with the dough. I’ve had the best luck putting a dot of water on one corner and pinching it to the opporsite corner before foling them down. Some bakers stick a toothpick through the top flap to hold it down while baking.
Jacqueline
I made all my Polish dishes from scratch this Christmas, one being this recipe for kolaczki cookies. Never having made these before, they turned out to be a big hit for dessert! This is a five star recipe! Thank you so much!!
★★★★★
polishhousewife
Thanks, Jacqueline; I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed them, and congrats on all the from-scratch dishes you made – a labor of love!
Jasmine
When you say to dust with sugar before rolling, do you mean granulated sugar or confectioners sugar? I’m super excited to try this recipe out!
polishhousewife
Hi Jasmine, I’ve edited to say granular, but you could use a mix of the two.
r two.
AJ
How many dues this make?
polishhousewife
About 4 dozen.
Greg Swierzbinski
try Kolazcki with Nutella as the filling….super yummy!!
Hannah J Parrish
So easy and delicious! I’m so glad I found this recipe!
Fran Doll
This is recipe used for generations . . I changed the “roll”. I make balls, then flatten out a bit and make deep thumbprints. You then fill depressions with teaspoons of fav fillngs. We prefer the minced walnuts with beaten eggwhites, meringue,second preference is poppyseed mix, and the kids make it with cherry, blueberry or other canned pie filling. No rolling . . kids can help me!
Dana Anderson
Hi. A few days ago I made (sour) cherry jam – first harvest from my little tree in the yard. Sour cherries are impossible to get here in NZ, so I planted a tree 2 years ago. Mum said it reminded her of the kolaczkis her mother used to make (her mother was German), so I looked up recipes and liked yours best. Will make them for Christmas with the cherry jam filling. Thank you for your wonderful post 🙂
In regards to the difficulty with rolling out pastry – growing up Mum always rolled out her pastry between two pieces of Glad wrap. I use baking paper. Makes it so easy!
polishhousewife
Thanks for the tip. I’m jealous of your sour cherry trees!
Barbara
I belong to a cookie baking group and someone suggested using small thin spaghetti (uncooked) like a toothpick yo anchor the end together while baking. Works like a charm! And no more opening up while baking.
polishhousewife
What a great trick, thanks for sharing!
Donna
The trick to eliminate the “open flower look” on your kolaczki is, as you fold over the 2 opposite tips, take the one that will lie over the other & dip into the filling, this makes it stick together. As they bake, most of the time will not open back up. But if they do, I just fold back to the center as soon as you remove them from the oven while dough is still pliable. It will lie flat after cooling. Once you cover in powered sugar, you will not notice if there is any cracking from the fold over if should occur.
Karina
Do you keep them in an airtight container in the fridge and how long will they keep for?
polishhousewife
I keep them in an airtight container for up to 5 days. If we won’t eat them all in that time (almost unheard of), I freeze them.
BigG
Made these the other day for a small gathering of friends. Big hit! Used solo apricot, homemade apple butter and homemade cranberry – orange filling. I did have trouble with the dough being too flimsy, but added 1 cup flour – too dry, then a half stick of melted butter – worked perfectly. Thank you
★★★★★
Michelle Kovacevick
Do you have a recipe for the version that uses egg yoke, vanilla and lard? It was my Grandma’s recipe that I cannot find
polishhousewife
Hi Michelle, I haven’t seen a recipe like this, but maybe you could start with this recipe, and adjust if needed. https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/dessert/pie/egg-yolk-pastry.html