Kolachkes

Kolachkes (kolaczki in proper Polish) are the cookie counterpart to the larger Czech and Polish kolache pastry. Every Polish grandmother in Chicago and the Midwest has a slightly different version, and this one nails the technique: rich cream cheese dough, generous filling options, and the powdered-sugar rolling trick that defines them.

The dough is just butter, cream cheese, flour, and heavy cream. No sugar at all, which is the secret. The filling and the powdered sugar dusting provide all the sweetness, while the dough itself stays neutral and impossibly tender. The overnight chill is mandatory: cold dough rolls thin without sticking and keeps the butter from melting during shaping.

The powdered sugar dusting on the work surface and rolling pin is the move most home bakers miss. Flour toughens the dough and changes the flavor. Powdered sugar lubricates the rolling, dissolves into the surface, and adds gentle sweetness that bakes right in.

Fill scantily. A teaspoon at most. Overfilled cookies burst and leak their jam into puddles on the baking sheet.

Pro Tips

• Soften the butter and cream cheese to room temperature before beating. Cold ingredients will not fully cream and you will fight lumps.
• Divide the dough into 4 portions and roll only one at a time. The other three stay cold in the fridge until you need them.
• Sprinkle powdered sugar generously, not sparingly, on the rolling surface. This is the entire trick.
• Use thick fruit preserves, not runny jelly. Thin fillings will boil out during baking.

Variations

• Apricot, raspberry, and prune lekvar are the most traditional fillings.
• Try poppy seed filling (mak) for an even more Old World version.
• Make miniature ones (1 inch cutter) for an elegant tea tray or holiday cookie platter.