Kolaczki (Polish Cookies) | Mom On Timeout (2024)

Kolaczki (Polish Cookies) are the perfect tea time treat and lovely addition to a Christmas cookie plate. The delicious flaky pastry comes together with 4 simple ingredients and pairs beautifully with sweet and tart jewel-toned, jam fillings. A sprinkle of powdered sugar makes these cookies a show-stopper!

Looking for more easy to make cookies? Make sure to try my Almond Joy Cookies and these Coconut Macaroon Blossoms!

There is nothing better than an easy cookie that looks incredibly elegant and festive during the holidays. I am always looking for time saving recipes that don’t call for a lot of ingredients. These Kolaczki cookies fit the bill perfectly.

With just 6 ingredients total, these cookies are a breeze to make and are sure to be a crowd pleaser this holiday season. With sweet, sparkly jam peaking out from underneath the folds, these cookies are a delight to behold as well as to eat.

We of course love these cookies for Christmas but they are a must-make for Easter and other holidays as well. They are just incredibly easy to make and are just so pretty and delicious!

What are Kolaczki Cookies?

Kolaczki are standard fare at Christmas time in Poland and are called a number of names (I’m sure Americanized over the years) including Kolacky, Kolachy Cookies and Polish Cookies. They are a simple cookie that features a lovely, flaky pastry made with only four ingredients. The filling is commonly jam or jellies, which we’re using here today.

There is really no limit to the flavors you can put in these little Polish Christmas cookies but you’ll want to select a jam that is nice and thick so the filling doesn’t run out of the cookie while baking.

I’d love to hear from my Polish readers as to when they serve these cookies and what other fillings they love!

More Must Make Christmas Cookies

Planning a baking session? These cookies are so much fun and incredibly delicious!

1. Peppermint Shortbread Cookies
2. The BEST Peanut Butter Blossoms
3. Peppermint Snowball Cookies
4. Cookie Empanadas
5. Soft and Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies

Polish Cookies: What You’ll Need

There are so many things I love about these Polish Cookies and as someone who keeps butter and cream cheese on hand year round, I always have the ingredients I need to make these easy Kolachy cookies. As always, you can find the full printable recipe with complete instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.Let’s take a look at what you’ll need:

• unsalted butter– softened to room temperature.
• cream cheese – softened and you’ll want to use full fat cream cheese for this recipe.
• almond extract – other extracts can be used if you prefer.
• salt – for flavor.
• all purpose flour
• jam– I used Bonne Maman Raspberry jam and also Apricot preserves, use a nice thick jam.
• water –to seal pastry dough.
• powdered sugar– for rolling dough and dusting on finished cookies.

Lemon curd would also be delicious in these cookies!

How To Make Kolacky

This dough does need to be chilled before baking so keep that in mind as you are planning for this recipe. Let’s take a look at how to make these lovely cookies:

Prepare the Cookie Dough

1. Cream together butter and cream cheese until smooth.
2. Add the salt and flour in 3 additions, scraping down the bowl as needed.
3. Form it into a ball, flatten down into a square shape and wrap with plastic wrap. Chill for 1 hour.
4. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
5. Sprinkle a clean work surface and a rolling pin with powdered sugar.Divide the dough in half and roll into a large square, 1⁄4 inch thick.
6. Trim the edges with a pizza cutter. Cut into 2 1⁄2 inch squares. (Re-roll the scraps to cut more cookies.)

Fold and Bake the Polish Cookies

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Transfer the squares to the prepared baking sheets.
2. Spoon 1⁄2 teaspoon of jam in the middle of each square.
3. Cross one corner of the pastry square over the jam filling.
4. Rub a small drop of water on the corner of the pastry square and then seal the cookie by overlapping with the opposite pastry square corner. Carefully pinch the dough to seal it with your thumb and index finger.
5. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are just slightly golden.
6. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack after 3 minutes to cool completely.
7. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving and enjoy!

Storage Information

This Polish Kolaczki cookies recipe can be stored in an airtight container on the kitchen counter for up to 3 days. They do start to get soggy and the jam separates after a few days so the texture really is best the day they are made or 1 to 2 days after.

To Freeze: These cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months. Bake and cool cookies. Do not dust with powdered sugar. Transfer to a freezer safe, airtight container and line each layer with parchment before stacking. Thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Trish’s Tips and Tricks

• Be sure to roll the Kolaczki dough to one-quarter inch thickness and be sure the pastry is sealed tightly before baking. Dough that is too thick will expand and open as the cookies bake in the oven and you will be left with undercooked squares of pastry oozing with jam. Not good.
• If you don’t want to use jam you can use Solo brand pastry fillings. Keep jam in the middle of the square so that it doesn’t drip out of the pastry when baking.
• Feel free to experiment with extracts for different flavors of Kolacky. Vanilla, orange or lemon zest would all be great additions to try.

More Christmas Treats To Try

1. Christmas Crack – An Easy Saltine Toffee Recipe!
2. Better Than Anything Toffee
3. Penuche
4. Buttermilk Pecan Pralines
5. Divinity Candy

How To Make Kolaczki