These kolaczki cookies consist of flakey, cream cheese dough stuffed with a gooey jam center. Classic Polish holiday cookies made with just 5 ingredients!
Polish kolaczki cookies are on repeat every year when I put together my holiday cookie trays for family and friends. In a sea of chocolate, maple, and pumpkin, the fruit filling is such a refreshing, tart contrast and the light and fluffy dough is to die for. But let’s be real – I don’t limit myself to kolaczki during the holidays. I make these morsels all year round and soon you will too!
Of note, the cookie dough requires an hour of chilling time, so plan accordingly. You can always make this dough the night before and keep it refrigerated until you’re ready or freeze the dough for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe bag.
What are Kolaczki?
Kolaczki are super popular Polish cream cheese cookies that are typically served during Eastern European holidays and on special occasions. You’ll find them stuffed with a wide variety of fillings, including jams, poppy seeds, almonds, and sweet farmer’s cheese. Below, find a quick rundown of the flavor, texture, and cooking time of this recipe.
- Flavor: Cream cheese-infused dough is contrasted by a sweet, tart filling of any jam of your choice. The cherry on top? A generous dusting of powdered sugar.
- Texture: You’ll love how the jam seeps into the shortbread-like dough and creates such a tender bite.
- Cooking Time: From start to finish, these cookies take about an hour and 35 minutes to make with most of that time accounting for the dough chilling in the fridge for an hour.
How to Make Polish Kolaczki
Making Polish kolaczki only requires 5 simple ingredients and a little elbow grease. Below, find a quick hitter overview of the recipe before you dive in.
- Prep the Dough: Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the softened butter, flour and cream cheese together until fluffy.
- Chill the Dough: Next, roll the dough into a big ball and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Allow the dough to chill in the fridge for at least an hour.
- Assemble the Cookies: Preheat the oven to 350°F. On a floured surface, roll the dough out into a thin, flat piece. Cut it into even-sized square shapes and place a dollop of jam into the center of each. Next, pinch the corners of each square together.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake the cookies at 350°F for 15 minutes or until they turn golden brown. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool. Once they’re no longer hot, dust them with powdered sugar. Enjoy!
Tips & Tricks
Below, find a couple of tips and tricks to help you make the best Polish kolaczki.
- Use softened butter and cream cheese. Allowing the butter and cream cheese to soften at room temperature makes them so much easier to incorporate into the dough. To do so, take them out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you get started.
- Dust the cookies with powdered sugar after they cool. Refrain from sprinkling powdered sugar on hot cookies or else it will melt and disappear into the dough. To get that signature white dusting, wait until they cool down to coat them.
- Pinch the cookie corners together tightly. To prevent the cookies from falling apart during baking, pinch the corners together tightly. If you’re having a hard time getting them to seal, use a bit of water or egg wash.
Storing Kolaczki
- Room Temperature: Store leftover cookies in an airtight container between layers of parchment paper to prevent sticking. They should keep for up to 3 days before they start to turn soggy.
- Freezer (Raw Cookies): Freezing raw, assembled kolaczki is a great way to get ahead of holiday or party prep. To do so, assemble the cookies as directed. Then, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and pop the sheet in the freezer uncovered. Once the cookies are completely frozen, layer them between parchment paper in an airtight container. Store them for up to 3 months. Once you’re ready to bake them, simply pop them in the oven frozen and bake according to the recipe.
Hot Tip: If you don’t plan to serve the cookies right away, refrain from dusting them until right before. This will help keep them fresh and from turning soggy.
FAQ
How do I keep my kolaczki closed?
To keep your kolaczki closed, make sure to pinch the corners of the dough together tightly. If the dough is being finicky, wet your fingertips a bit to help seal it.
Can I freeze kolaczki?
Yes, you can freeze raw kolaczki. To do so, assemble the cookies as directed. Next, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and pop the sheet in the freezer uncovered. Once the cookies are completely frozen, layer them between parchment paper in an airtight container.
What’s the difference between a kolaczki and a kolache?
Kolaczki are traditional Polish cookies made with a cream cheese-infused dough and filled with jam. A kolache, on the other hand, is a bun stuffed with fruit or poppyseed filling.
Why do I need to chill the dough?
Chilling the dough allows the fat to harden and prevents the kolaczki from spreading too much during baking.
What kind of jam or jelly should I use for the filling?
You can use any kind of jam or jelly you wish. Raspberry, strawberry, and apricot are a few that work really well.
Other European Cookies to Try
- Jam and Nuts Rugelach – Pretty spiral cookies
- Pavlova with Chocolate and Pecans – Tasty cookie recipe from our friends at Simply Homecooked!
- Pecan Crescent Cookies – Classic pecan and butter cookies
- Madeleine Cookies – Shell-shaped sponge cookies
Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese softened at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter softened at room temperature
- 3 cups flour
- 2 cups jam
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Gather all your ingredients. While you can use any jam you like, raspberry and apricot work particularly well.
- Using a stand mixer or a hand mixer, beat the softened butter, flour and cream cheese until it turns fluffy.
- On a well-floured surface, roll the dough into a big ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and let it rest in the fridge for at least an hour.
- On a well-floured surface, roll the dough out into a thin, flat piece. Cut the piece into even-sized squares. Place a dollop of jam in the center of each square. Fold the sides of the squares in, pinching the corners together to secure the jam inside.
- Bake the cookies at 350°F for 15 minutes. Once the cookies completely cool, dust them with powdered sugar. Enjoy!
Hello!
Can I freeze the dough for these cookies?
Hi Beth! Yes, you can freeze raw kolaczki. To do so, assemble the cookies as directed. Next, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and pop the sheet in the freezer uncovered. Once the cookies are completely frozen, layer them between parchment paper in an airtight container.
I am stressed out
However 🤞first batch in oven
🥴
Hi Jane, I hope they turned out wonderfully! Let me know how it went! Happy Holidays!
I followed the directions. Not sure why butter & cream cheese wasn’t creamed first then flour added 1 c at a time.
My refrigerated dough is hard as rock. Setting it on the counter to soften not sure how many hours that will take??
I lack baking experience and it seems these instructions assume I know basic baking techniques. FYI
Hi Jane, yes the dough will be hard. Its good to flatten the ball lightly and as you work by rolling it out, it will soften. The dough should be still cold not completely at a room temperature because this is what will create the flaky layers. Please let me know how it goes. Thanks
Is there a way to prevent jam from running all over the place?
I ended up closing mine like crescents and it worked well.
Hi Olga - You'll want to use a thicker, more gelatinous jam. Hope this helps.
I made these for a guy im seeing and wow! Very well recieved! He said they are the best he has ever had. Compliments to the recipe
Hi Hannah - Love it! There's no better way to someone's heart than food (including my own). Thank you for the kind words and Happy New Year!
How big do make/cut the dough squares? I’m also having trouble with the pastries opening whole baking.
Hi Hieu - You can use a knife, pizza cutter, or dough cutter to cut the squares. If the dough is opening during baking, use a bit of egg wash to seal it. Hope this helps!
Thanks. How big do you make the squares, like 2” by 2”? And is there a size that’s just too small?
Hi Hieu - Yes, 2in.x 2in. is perfect. Hope this helps!
what's the secret to keeping them closed mine opened
smell good
Hi Lorraine - To prevent the cookies from falling apart during baking, pinch the corners together tightly. If you’re having a hard time getting them to seal, use a bit of water or egg wash. That should do the trick!
Hello Lorraine, Do you pinch them together on top? Another thing you can do is fold over where the edge is underneath the cookie. Hope this helps!
Absolutely amazing - simple to make and delicious! Definitely making again!
Melissa, I'm so glad you found this recipe easy to follow and enjoyed the results 🙂
I just made these Polish cookies and they are delicious! I couldn't resist eating more of these cookies, can't wait till my family tries them, I think they will love it as well.
How sweet, Natasha! Thank you. Polish cookies are some of the best out there IMO. Hope your family loves them as much as ours does!
These were delightful and surprisingly easy to make! Thank you for a Christmas cookie recipe that would make my Polish grandmother proud. 🙂
I am so glad you loved them, Samantha! Thank you for taking the time to comment your feedback!
How many cookies is a serving?
The nutrition facts are per 1 cookie. That said, they're on the smaller side, so I usually enjoy 2-3 at a time. Hope this helps, Nataliya!
Good evening.What do you think about poppy seed filling for this cookies?Thanks
Hey Inessa, yes, I love the idea. This sounds so good!
these cookies look delicious. I'd like to try the recipe, but could you tell me how much do the flour and the butter weigh?
We measured everything in cups. I would recommend looking up conversations on google. This recipe is amazing, enjoy!
Do you have to chill the dough? What happens if you don't?
Hey Sara, it will not be very flaky and airy.
Huge hit! My father-in-law who’s 100% polish said it brought back his moms cooking. He hadn’t had those polish cookie since he was a kid! Big hit with everyone else too! Nice dipping into my polish heritage as well 💖 just be careful with these bit sized cookies it’s easy to pack away way more calories than you may want, they’re just too delicious!
I'm so glad your family enjoyed the cookies. Thank you for your comment!
I have difficulty pinching the edges together...is there a special way to do it?
You can brush the edge with egg wash and pinch together. Also, you can fully wrap them around to have edges stay on the bottom.
Hi, I’m making these this morning and just want to know if it’s best to soften the butter and cream cheese first?
Hi Kristen, the butter and cream cheese should be softened. Enjoy!
How long do they keep
They stay crispy and fresh for a few days. But you can also make dough in advance and bake right before you need them.
What weight of butter is needed please?
It would be 340 grams. Enjoy
My jam always runs out of the cookie, how do I prevent this?
This will depend on the brand of jam you are using. My jam does run out a bit also but not a lot. You want to use a jam that has some chunks in it.
Can you freeze them baked or unbaked?
You can freeze them baked or just keep dough refrigerated on hand.
What flavor jam did you use?
My favorite is always prune jam and apricot.
For some reason my kolaczki keep opening!! Any advice?
Do you pinch them together on top? Another thing you can do is fold over where the edge si underneath the cookie.
How long do they keep?
They would stay nicely fresh for a few days. Keep them in an airtight container. You can also freeze them for a few weeks.
I love your recipes going to try to do them soon, will let you know
Awesome, so happy to have you here! Keep me posted what you try!
Hi Natalya,
I just placed my dough into the fridge. How thick did you roll out the dough? And how large were each individual squares? Are these large Kolaczki?
Thanks for your help. They look yummy. Looking forward to trying them.
Hey, roll out the dough as thin as you can without ripping it. And the size would really depend on your preference, I did about 3-inch squares.