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Kolaczki cookies

cream cheese shortbread cookies with jam
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Chilling time in fridge. 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 2 Tablespoons Crisco vegetable shortening
  • 3 Tablespoons butter, salted
  • 1/8 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups flour, all-purpose
  • 1/2 cup apricot preserves (or other flavor)
  • 2 tsp corn starch (to thicken jam/preserves)
  • 1/3 cup powdered sugar for dusting

Equipment

  • 1 mixer
  • 1 Small Bowl
  • 1 medium bowl
  • 1 Set of measuring spoons
  • 1 set of measuring cups
  • 1 spatula for scarping bowl
  • 1 butter knife
  • 1 spatula for removing cookies
  • 1 roll of parchment paper
  • 1 Rolling Pin
  • 1 Pastry knife
  • 1 spoon
  • 1 small ruler (optional)
  • 1 cookie sheet
  • 1 small saucepan (1 quart)

Method
 

  1. Place jam into sauce pan and heat over medium heat. Heat jam until it becomes liquid. When it starts to turn into liquid remove from heat and add corn starch. Mix cornstarch until well incorporated. Set aside to cool.
  2. In a small bowl add cream cheese, butter, Crisco, vanilla extract, and sugar, mix well. Scraping down the sides of the bowl while mixing.
  3. After the wet ingredients are mixed well add flour 1/3 at a time. Mix until well incorporated before adding more flour.
  4. After all of the flour is mixed in make into a dough ball. Flatten ball and wrap in plastic and place into fridge to chill at least one hour.
  5. On your work surface dust some powdered sugar on the surface. Remove chilled dough and place on prepared work surface.
  6. Take your rolling pin and roll the dough to approximately 3/16 inch, but 1/4 inch is ok.
  7. While rolling and flipping dough, sprinkle with powdered sugar to prevent sticking of dough to work surface and rolling pin. You also may need to use your pastry knife to help separate the dough from the work surface from time to time.
  8. When dough is about 1/4 inch thickness the dough will be approximately 8 1/2 inches by 12 inches.
  9. Cut a piece of parchment paper the size of the cookie sheet and place it on top.
  10. Cut dough into 2 inch x 2 inch squares, or 2 inch circles.
    11. Before cutting out cookies, either squares or circles, use pastry knife to loosen the dough from the work surface.
  11. Place the squares or circles onto prepared cookie sheet.
  12. Place 1/2 teaspoon of jam onto each cookie. (circle or square)
  13. Take opposite corner of square dough and wet the opposite corners and fold over.
    14. By wetting the opposite corners this helps them bake together. It may take a couple of tries to get this right. If the dough is thinner this is easier and less likely to separate during cooking. If dough is a little thicker, try the round shapes. Make a slight impression in the center of the circle of dough before adding the jam.
  14. Bake in a 350 degrees F. oven for 12-15 minutes.