Cookies! Apricot Kolaczski, Kolachke, Kolache or Kolacky

Kolaczski, or whatever you call them, 

are a tradition here, 

as they are in many homes at Christmastime.

Forgot to sift the sugar on top!

There’s a plethora of names for this cookie, all with the same basic ingredients, and a plethora of fillings.  Put simply:  they’re a type of pastry, that holds a dollop of fruit, surrounded by supple dough.

This old recipe is from Helen, a friend of my mother’s in Louisville, whose Polish grandmother made these great cookies. 

I particularly like this recipe because it has a healthy dose of cream cheese, more than most kolaczski recipes.  The dough is what makes them exceptional!

Kolaczski come in many shapes ~ I cut the dough into squares, fold the opposing corners together and pinch the dough to seal the cookie.


Fill these delicious little morsels with a nut filling, pastry filling, jam filling or a cream cheese filling; I use apricot jam.

Dust a little powdered sugar over the cookies when cooled…

They’re perfect tasty little gems!


Apricot Kolaczski

Ingredients:

4 packages (3 ounces each, totaling 12 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
4 sticks (2 cups) butter, room temperature
3 cups flour
1½ cups apricot jam, more or less
Confectioner’s sugar

Method:

Beat together butter and cream cheese in bowl of electric mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Add flour, 1 cup at a time, until well combined.
Divide dough into thirds; wrap each third in plastic wrap.
Refrigerate at least 4 hours.
Heat oven to 350°.
Remove 1 dough packet from refrigerator, roll to ⅛” to ¼” thickness on a floured surface.
Cut into 2” squares with a pizza cutter or knife.
Fill scantily, ½ teaspoon or less, with jam.  (If you use too much filling, it will run out onto the baking sheet.)
Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake until bottoms are lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes.
Transfer to wire racks to cool.
Repeat with remaining refrigerated dough.
Generously sprinkle with sifted confectioner’s sugar.
Makes about 5 dozen cookies.
Printable recipe


Enjoy!