Kolaczki – Polish Cream Cheese Cookies Recipe
Who does not like jam-filled cookies?
If you’ve ever wanted a cookie that’s delicate, buttery, and just lightly sweet, kolaczki should be on your radar. These little Polish cream cheese cookies, made with simple ingredients, are filled with fruit jam, dusted with powdered sugar, and yeah, they look fancy.
This version takes the traditional Polish cookies up a notch: a browned butter, citrus-cardamom tender dough, filled with a tiny bit of plum butter or homemade persimmon butter.
A sprinkle of raw sugar and crushed hazelnuts along the folded edges adds crunch, while the fillings provide a perfect pop of seasonal flavor. Perfect to celebrate special occasions or for the holiday season.
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How is this recipe different?
- I used browned butter
- I added orange zest to the dough
- I added cardamom
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
Browned Butter – brings a deep, nutty richness that takes these kolaczki way beyond “just a butter cookie.” It adds caramelized flavor that pairs beautifully with both the plum and persimmon fillings. It’s subtle, but you feel it in every bite.
Cream Cheese – the secret to that tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture that kolaczki are famous for. It keeps the dough soft, slightly tangy, and impossible to over-dry. Basically, it guarantees the “oh wow, these are soft” moment.
Cardamom – adds a gentle, aromatic warmth that plays so well with the winter fruit fillings. Not spicy, but it makes people wonder why your kolaczki taste extra special.
Orange Zest – brightens the whole dough with a hit of fresh citrus. It complements the plum and persimmon filling perfectly.
Other ingredients: plum butter, persimmon butter, all-purpose flour, vanilla extract, toasted hazelnuts, powdered sugar (classic, but optional), salt.
Equipment you will need
- Mixing bowls
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Measuring cups + spoons
- Microplane or fine grater
- Rolling pin
- Bench scraper or knife
- Square cookie-cutter, or pizza cutter
- Parchment-lined baking cookie sheet
- Small piping bag or zip-top bag
- Pastry brush
- Cooling wire rack
- Fine mesh sieve
- Spatula
Top Tips
Chill the dough sufficiently – this dough is essentially butter in disguise. If it’s soft, it’ll melt, stretch, and fight you. Cold dough = clean cuts, neat folds, and zero stress.
Roll it thin… but not too thin – about ⅛ inch is the ideal thickness. Too thick, and they puff up like little pillows; too thin, and they crack when folded.
Don’t overfill – I know it’s tempting, but kolaczki are delicate. A ½ teaspoon is plenty; anything more and you’ll get jam escapees. Use a piping bag – it keeps the filling centred and consistent, which helps the cookies stay closed and bake evenly.
Seal with egg white, not water – egg white is a strong, invisible glue. Water will cause your cookies to slowly unroll.
Bake until just barely golden – kolaczki should stay pale. Edges with the tiniest blush indicate a soft, tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Cool completely before dusting – if they’re warm, the powdered sugar will turn into icing.
Keep fillings thick – loose fruit jams will bubble and spill.
Work in small batches – roll, cut, fill, fold, and bake one tray at a time. Warm dough loses its shape faster.
How to make Kolaczki
- Place 1 cup of unsalted butter in a saucepan. Melt over medium heat, stirring occasionally
- Once melted, it will foam and bubble. Keep stirring and watch carefully. The butter will change from yellow to golden to amber brown, developing a nutty aroma (about 5-7 minutes total).
- Immediately transfer to a heatproof bowl to stop cooking. Let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until solidified (about 2-3 hours, or 30 minutes in the freezer).
- Once solid, it should have a softened consistency similar to regular softened butter.
- In a large bowl, using an electric mixer or by hand, beat the re-solidified browned butter and cream cheese together until smooth and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add orange zest and vanilla; mix until well combined.
- Gradually add flour, salt, and cardamom, mixing on low speed until just incorporated.
- The dough will be soft and a little sticky.
- Divide the dough into two discs, then wrap each in plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight—this step is essential!
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Lightly beat the egg white in a small bowl.
- Have your filling(s) ready and at room temperature.
- Mix raw sugar with crushed hazelnuts.
- Work with one dough disc at a time (keep the other refrigerated).
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about ⅛-inch thickness.
- Cut into 2-inch squares using a knife, pizza cutter, or square cookie cutter.
- Place the squares on the prepared baking sheet, about 1 inch apart.
- Place about a dollop of jam (I used ½ teaspoon) in the center of the cookie.
- Don’t overfill—less is more here!
- Fold two opposite corners toward the centre, overlapping slightly. Gently press the corners together.
- Lightly brush the folded corners with egg white. Pinch to seal, as egg white acts as glue.
- Lightly brush the remaining egg white over the folded portions.
- Sprinkle with raw sugar or nut mixture (or plain raw sugar).
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until the edges just start to turn golden. The bottoms will brown slightly; that’s perfect.
- Don’t overbake; they keep cooking in the pan after you take them out of the oven.
- Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once fully cooled, dust generously with powdered sugar.
Best ways to enjoy
- with hot tea or coffee
- on a cookie tray
- with a spoonful of whipped mascarpone or cream cheese
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Storage instructions
Room Temperature
- Store fully cooled kolaczki in an airtight container.
- Layer with parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking.
- They stay fresh for 3–4 days at room temp.
- Powdered sugar will soften slightly over time.
Refrigeration
- Not strictly necessary, but if your kitchen is warm: keep in an airtight container in the fridge up to 1 week.
- Let cookies come to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
Freezing Dough
- Shape the dough into a disk, wrap it tightly in plastic, and freeze it up to 1 month.
- Thaw in the fridge overnight before rolling, cutting, and filling.
Freezing Baked Cookies
- Cool completely, then layer in an airtight container or freezer bag with parchment.
- Freeze up to 3 months.
- Thaw at room temperature; you can refresh them with a 5-minute bake at 325°F if you want the edges crisp again.
Make-Ahead Tips
- Dough can be made 1–2 days ahead and kept in the fridge.
- Fillings can be prepped days in advance; just keep tightly covered.
- Assemble right before baking for best shape and texture.
- Sprinkle raw sugar right before baking.
- Powdered sugar dusting is best done after baking and cooling.
Kolaczki – Polish Cream Cheese Cookies Recipe
Equipment
- mixing bowls
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- measuring cups, spoons
- Microplane or fine grater
- Rolling Pin
- Bench scraper or knife
- Parchment-lined baking sheets
- Small piping bag or zip-top bag
- pastry brush
- cooling rack
- fine mesh, sieve
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup butter browned and softened
- 8 oz cream cheese full-fat, softened
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon orange zest finely grated
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- Pinch salt
- 2 tablespoons crushed and toasted hazelnuts
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg white for sealing the corners
- raw sugar
- powdered sugar
- Plum Butter
- Persimmon Butter
Instructions
- Place 1 cup butter in a light-colored saucepan. Melt over medium heat, stirring occasionally
- Once melted, it will foam and bubble. Keep stirring and watch carefully. The butter will change from yellow to golden to amber brown, developing a nutty aroma (about 5-7 minutes total).
- Immediately transfer to a heatproof bowl to stop cooking. Let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until solidified (about 2-3 hours, or 30 minutes in the freezer).
- Once solid, it should have a softened consistency like regular softened butter.
- In a large bowl, beat the re-solidified browned butter and 8 oz cream cheese together until smooth and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add 1 teaspoon orange zest and 1 tsp vanilla extract; mix until well combined.
- Gradually add 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, Pinch salt, and ½ teaspoon ground cardamom mixing on low speed until just incorporated.
- Dough will be soft and a little sticky. Divide the dough into two discs and wrap them in plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours, or overnight—this step is essential!
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Lightly beat the 1 egg white in a small bowl.
- Have your filling(s) ready and at room temperature.
- Mix raw sugar with 2 tablespoons crushed and toasted hazelnuts.
- Work with one dough disc at a time (keep the other refrigerated)
- On a well-floured surface, roll the dough to about ⅛-inch thickness.
- Cut into 2-inch squares using a knife, pizza cutter, or square cookie cutter.
- Place the squares on the prepared baking sheet, about 1 inch apart.
- Place about ½ teaspoon of Plum Butter or Persimmon Butter in the center of each square. Don't overfill, less is more here!
- Fold two opposite corners toward the center, overlapping slightly. Gently press the corners together.
- Lightly brush the folded corners with egg white. Pinch to seal, as egg white acts as glue.
- Lightly brush the remaining egg white over the folded portions.
- Sprinkle with raw sugar or nut mixture (or plain raw sugar).
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until the edges just start to turn golden. The bottoms will brown slightly; that's perfect.
- Don’t overbake; they keep cooking on the pan after you take them out of the oven.
- Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once fully cooled, dust generously with powdered sugar
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
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Conclusion
These Polish Christmas cookies – kolaczki bring together everything we love about winter baking: tender flaky pastry, bright citrus, warm cardamom, and fruit filling.
They’re delicate and very delicious cookies.
FAQ
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Absolutely! The dough can be made 1–2 days ahead and kept wrapped in the fridge. It also freezes beautifully for up to 1 month. Just thaw in the fridge before rolling and cutting.
What’s the best way to prevent the filling from oozing?
Use thick fillings (plum butter, reduced persimmon butter) and don’t overfill — ½ teaspoon per square is ideal. You can also chill the filled cookies 10–15 minutes before baking to help them hold their shape.
Can I swap the filling for a regular jam?
Yes! Apricot, raspberry, or even fig fruit preserves work well. You can also make a nut filling. Just make sure the filling is thick enough so it doesn’t run during baking.
Can I make mini kolaczki?
Definitely! Reduce the square size to 1–1.5 inches. Baking time may be slightly shorter — start checking around 10 minutes.
Why are my kolaczki tough instead of tender?
Overworking the dough or rolling it too thin can make it tough. Chill the dough, handle it gently, and roll evenly to about ⅛ inch thickness.
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If you’ve ever wanted a cookie that’s delicate, buttery, and just lightly sweet, you need to make kolaczki. They are so delicious, soft buttery crust and a crunchy topping. Best ever
Tender dough, delicious filling and crunchy topping. Best of all