🤍 Polish Cream Cheese Cookies (Kolaczki)
Tender cream cheese pastry wrapped around a sweet fruit-jam center and finished with a generous dusting of powdered sugar. These classic Polish-inspired cookies have a wonderfully delicate, flaky texture that makes them feel more like tiny pastries than ordinary cookies.
Kolaczki are traditionally made with a cream-cheese-and-butter dough and can be filled with fruit preserves such as apricot, raspberry, cherry, plum, or prune. (Delish)
⏱️ Recipe Information
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Chill Time: 1 hour
Bake Time: 12–17 minutes
Total Time: About 2 hours
Yield: 30–36 cookies
Difficulty: Easy–Intermediate
🛒 Ingredients
For the Cream Cheese Dough
- 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2¼ cups (270 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
For Filling & Finishing
- ¾–1 cup thick fruit jam or preserves, such as raspberry, apricot, cherry, or plum
- ½–1 cup powdered sugar, for rolling and dusting
Tip: Use a thick jam or preserve rather than a very runny one. A loose filling is more likely to bubble out during baking. (My Omni Kitchen)
Instructions
🧈 1. Make the Cream Cheese Dough
Place the softened cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl.
Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2–3 minutes, until completely smooth and creamy.
Add the vanilla and salt.
Mix until combined.
🌾 2. Add the Flour
Gradually add the flour, mixing on low speed just until a soft dough forms.
Don’t overmix.
The finished dough should be soft and smooth but not excessively sticky.
❄️ 3. Chill the Dough
Divide the dough into 2 equal portions and flatten each into a disk.
Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
For easier handling, the dough can also be chilled overnight. Keeping the dough cold makes it considerably easier to roll, cut, and shape. (Delish)
🍓 4. Prepare the Baking Sheets
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Set aside.
🍬 5. Roll Out the Dough
Remove one dough disk from the refrigerator while keeping the other chilled.
Generously dust your work surface and rolling pin with powdered sugar.
Roll the dough to approximately ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick.
Don’t make it too thin—the dough needs enough strength to hold the filling.
🔪 6. Cut Into Squares
Cut the dough into approximately 2-inch (5 cm) squares.
Gather any scraps, chill them briefly if necessary, and reroll once.
Place the squares on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch (2.5 cm) between them.
🍓 7. Add the Jam
Place approximately ½ teaspoon of jam in the center of each square.
Resist the temptation to add too much.
A small amount is enough because the filling expands slightly as it heats.
🤍 8. Fold the Cookies
Bring two opposite corners toward the center, overlapping them slightly over the jam.
Press the corners together firmly to seal.
If needed, lightly brush the meeting point with a little egg white to help secure the fold.
Repeat with the remaining squares.
❄️ 9. Chill Before Baking
Place the assembled cookies in the refrigerator or freezer for approximately 10 minutes.
This firms the butter and helps the cookies retain their delicate shape during baking. (Delish)
🔥 10. Bake
Bake for approximately 12–17 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn pale golden brown.
The cookies should remain relatively light in color rather than becoming deeply browned.
Don’t overbake—this is what helps preserve their tender, flaky texture. (My Omni Kitchen)
🌬️ 11. Cool
Remove the baking sheets from the oven.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.
Transfer them to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely.
❄️ 12. Dust With Powdered Sugar
Once completely cool, generously dust the cookies with powdered sugar.
For an especially pretty presentation, dust them once, allow the sugar to settle, then add a second light coating just before serving.
⭐ Chef’s Tips
Keep the Dough Cold
This is the most important trick for beautiful Kolaczki. Warm cream-cheese dough becomes soft and difficult to handle. (Delish)
Don’t Overfill
About ½ teaspoon of jam per cookie is usually plenty. Too much filling can leak out and make the cookies difficult to seal. (My Omni Kitchen)
Use Thick Preserves
Raspberry, apricot, cherry, plum, and prune fillings all work beautifully. (The Polonist)
Don’t Overbake
Kolaczki should be tender and flaky, with only lightly golden edges.
Dust When Completely Cool
If powdered sugar is added while the cookies are hot, it can melt into the pastry instead of remaining beautifully visible.
Work in Batches
Keep half the dough refrigerated while rolling and assembling the first batch. This keeps everything easier to handle.
🍓 Favorite Filling Ideas
Raspberry: Bright, tart, and classic.
Apricot: Sweet, fruity, and especially good with the buttery dough.
Cherry: Rich and slightly tangy.
Plum: Deep, jammy, and wonderful for winter baking.
Strawberry: Sweet and familiar, perfect for afternoon tea.
Mixed Berry: Adds a vibrant combination of berry flavors.
☕ Serving Suggestions
Serve these delicate cookies alongside:
- Coffee
- Espresso
- Black tea
- Chai
- Hot chocolate
- Fresh berries
- Whipped cream
They’re especially lovely on a holiday cookie platter or afternoon tea tray.
🧊 Storage
Store completely cooled Kolaczki in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days.
For longer storage, refrigerate them for up to 5 days.
Because powdered sugar can gradually absorb moisture, you can give them another light dusting immediately before serving. (Midwest Nice)
❄️ Freezing
Freeze the Dough
Wrap the unbaked dough tightly and freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling.
Freeze Baked Cookies
Place completely cooled cookies in an airtight freezer-safe container, separating layers with parchment paper.
Thaw at room temperature and dust with fresh powdered sugar before serving.
🤍🍓 Recipe Summary
These Polish Cream Cheese Cookies (Kolaczki) are wonderfully delicate: a rich cream-cheese pastry dough is rolled thin, cut into little squares, filled with fruity jam, folded into charming envelopes, and baked until just lightly golden.
Finish them with plenty of powdered sugar for that classic snowy appearance.
Buttery, flaky pastry + sweet fruit jam + powdered sugar = an irresistible little cookie that’s perfect with coffee or tea. 🤍🍓☕✨