Kolachky Cookies Recipe (2024)

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Posted by Aimee 39 comments
Published: Nov 30, 2018 Last Updated: Oct 23, 2023

These Easy Traditional Kolachky Cookies Recipe for Christmashave a melt in your mouth cookie base and are topped with sweet preserves. Don’t forget the extra powdered sugar!

For more easy holiday treats, be sure to try this soft and chewy Cake Mix Cookie recipe! Or make a batch of Chocolate Dipped Oreos with festive sprinkles!

Why This Recipe is Best

OK, I know. You don’t need to tell me that these aren’t authentic because your Polish Nana makes these cookies and pinches them into the center over the jelly.

I get it. My mom usually does that too.

But know what happens when I try to fold them over and pinch the centers? After baking, I open the oven and they all look deformed and have opened up.

So now I started making them this way and I couldn’t be happier. They are easier and so much prettier!

I’m sure some of you have tricks up your sleeve for pinching these closed. Feel free to leave a comment below so others can learn!

For now, I will make mine open.

• We’re making our Kolachky Cookies BIG! I use a 2 1/2 inch cookie cutter and this allows me to add even more jelly, which makes me happy. If you prefer them smaller, feel free!
• Apricot Preserves are a traditional filling and so delicious! I’ve got other ideas for you below, as well.
• Making them open also means they are fuss-free and fool proof!
• These cookies are perfect for rounding out your holiday treats!

You can also try my Jam Thumbprint cookies for a similar melt in your mouth cookie topped with almond glaze.

Ingredient Notes

• Butter – We use unsalted butter in all of our recipes to control the amount of sodium. If you only have salted butter, that will work fine here, too.
• Cream Cheese –Full fat cream cheese will give you the best results for these cookies. Be sure to let itsoften at room temperaturefor a few minutes before starting.
• Flour –Regular all-purpose flour works great to create that melt-in-your-mouth texture we’re striving for. Make sure to use our guide onhow to measure flourproperly.
• Preserves – Apricot and strawberry preserves both work great for these cookies. You can use both or pick one. You can even substitute a different flavor if you want to change it up.

Easy Instructions

STEP 1. Make the cookie dough. Cream together the butter, cream cheese and sugar. Add baking powder and flour and beat until a soft dough forms.

STEP 2. Assemble cookies. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll to about ½ cm thickness. Cut with a2 ½ inch circle cookie cutter(or biscuit cutter) and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread about 1 Tablespoon of preserves into the center of each cookie.

STEP 3. Bake, cool and finish cookies. Bake the cookies at 350 degrees F for 15-18 minutes. Cool completely then sprinkle generously with powdered sugar.

Tips and Tricks

• Allow the butter and cream cheese tosoften at room temperaturebefore you start making the dough.
• When rolling out the cookies, any scraps can be smooshed back together and rolled out again to get more cookies, but you won’t want to repeat this process more than once, or else the cookies will become tough.
• Don’t overbake the cookies! They should come out of the oven BEFORE they start to brown.
• Make sure the cookies are compeletly cooled before sprinkling with the powdered sugar. Otherwise, it will just melt in.
• You can also add extra powdered sugar when serving to make the cookies look extra festive!

Recipe FAQs

Traditional Fillings for Kolachky Cookies

• Apricot Preserves. The Apricot Kolache cookie is one of my favorite flavors!
• Strawberry Preserves. I make this flavor Kolach cookie for the kids, as it seems to be THEIR favorite, even though it’s not traditional.
• Poppyseed filling. You can buy cans of poppy seed filling (near pie filling). This is so good and Poppy Seed Kolache cookies are a family favorite!

What traditional cookies do YOU make for the holidays?

Looking for the BEST sugar cookie cut out recipe? TheseCream Cheese Sugar Cookiesare so flavorful and they always hold their shape. Don’t forget to add the deliciousVanilla Bean Frostingtoo!

Don’t want to make cut out sugar cookies? These are the best, chewySugar Cookieswith a no-chill dough. Topped with a creamy sugar cookie icing, you’ll love this Copycat Swig Sugar Cookie recipe!

If you’re looking forthe best Lemon Barswith Shortbread Crust, this one is it. Easy cookie crust with a sweet and tangy lemon filling and lemon glaze, topped with powdered sugar!

TheseTwix cookieshave a buttery shortbread cookie base with creamy caramel and chocolate on top! I’m not even kidding when I say they are addictive!

Gingerdoodle Cookiesare chewy, soft cookies that taste like a cross between a gingersnap and a snickerdoodle. Add this to your baking list ASAP! You’ll love the texture of the cookies, but more importantly the molasses flavor with the cinnamon, ginger, and cloves is irresistible!