Cream Cheese Kolacky

4.5
(338)

Kolacky are delicious cream cheese pastries with a fruit filling. The dough for these cookies is what makes them exceptional. The most popular fillings are peach, apricot, raspberry, and date but you can use whatever you like. This year I'm trying Michigan cherry preserves and cranberry marmalade. I always quadruple this recipe for the holidays. You better hide a few for Christmas day — these are the ones that go first!

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close up view of a pile of Cream Cheese Kolacky garnished with powdered sugar on a platter
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Prep Time:
15 mins
Cook Time:
10 mins
Additional Time:
3 hrs
Total Time:
3 hrs 25 mins
Servings:
30
Yield:
2 1/2 dozen

This kolacky recipe starts with a 3-ingredient that seems too good to be true, but it's very real. Fill the kolacky cookies with your choice of fruit jam for a deliciously festive treat.

What Is a Kolacky?

A kolacky is a bite-sized pastry with Czech origins. The rich dough (which is made with cream cheese, butter, and flour) can feature different fillings, but jam is one of the most popular choices.

Kolacky Ingredients

This impressive kolacky recipe is easy to make with just five ingredients:

· Cream cheese: The irresistibly rich dough starts with cream cheese.
· Butter: A stick of softened butter adds more richness and moisture.
· Flour: A cup of all-purpose flour gives the dough structure.
· Jam: You'll need ½ cup of store-bought or homemade jam.
· Confectioners' sugar: Dust the kolacky with confectioners' sugar before serving.

How to Make Kolacky

You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here's a brief overview of what you can expect when you make homemade kolacky:

1. Make the dough, shape it into a ball, and chill.
2. Roll out the chilled dough on a floured surface and cut into squares.
3. Add the jam and shape the kolacky.
4. Bake in the preheated oven and dust with sugar.

close up view of Cream Cheese Kolacky on a parchment paper lined baking sheet
DOnald Antonucci

How to Store Kolacky

Store your leftover kolacky in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about four days. If you make the kolacky ahead of time, dust them with powdered sugar just before serving.

Can You Freeze Kolacky?

Yes, but it's best to freeze them before you bake. Fill and shape the kolacky, then arrange them on a baking sheet. Flash freeze for a few hours or up to overnight. When the kolacky are frozen, transfer them to an airtight container or in a zip-top freezer bag. Thaw in the refrigerator and bake according to the recipe.

Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise

"Great addition to our Christmas Cookies," according to KATHP4. "I made a double batch and filled 1/3 each with homemade muscadine wine, homemade peach jam, and dark chocolate."

"Excellent," raves Marie-Elena Cronin. "My family could not stop eating them. I will say...I was confused how only these 3 ingredients could come together for the dough but the recipe worked perfectly and made plenty."

"This is a great recipe, the pastry is flaky and wonderful," says knvarm. "No pictures since they disappeared so quickly. I roll them in powdered sugar instead of flour and it caramelizes on the bottom during baking."

Editorial contributions by Corey Williams

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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 30 servings

  • 3 ounces cream cheese

  • ½ cup butter, softened

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • ½ cup any flavor fruit jam

  • cup confectioners' sugar for decoration

Directions

  1. Gather all ingredients.

    All ingredients gathered to make cream cheese kolacky.

    Allrecipes/Oana Ennis

  2. Mix cream cheese and butter together in a bowl until smooth.

    Butter and cream cheese combined until smooth in a glass mixing bowl.

    Allrecipes/Oana Ennis

  3. Gradually stir in flour until just combined. Shape dough into a ball; cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.

    Cream cheese and butter mixed together and flour gradually being stirred in.

    Allrecipes/Oana Ennis

    Ingredients mixed together and formed into a ball, ready to be refrigerated.

    Allrecipes/Oana Ennis

  4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).

  5. Roll out dough on a floured pastry board to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Cut into 2 1/2-inch squares and place about 1/2 teaspoon of jam or preserves in the center.

    dough rolled out to 1/8inch thickness and cut into squares.

    Allrecipes/Oana Ennis

    Dough rolled out into small squares with jam placed in the center.

    Allrecipes/Oana Ennis

  6. Overlap opposite corners and pinch together. Place on ungreased baking sheets.

    overlapping the corners of a jam filled dough square

    Allrecipes/Oana Ennis

    overlapping corners of a jam filled dough square.

    Allrecipes/Oana Ennis

  7. Bake in the preheated oven until golden, about 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Dust kolacky lightly with confectioner's sugar.

    close up on a plate full of cream cheese kolacky, topped with confectioners' sugar

    Allrecipes/Oana Ennis

Cook’s Note

My grocery store carries Solo cake and pastry fillings, which are also good.

556 home cooks made it!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

72 Calories
4g Fat
8g Carbs
1g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 30
Calories 72
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 4g 5%
Saturated Fat 3g 13%
Cholesterol 11mg 4%
Sodium 32mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 8g 3%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 1g 1%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 5mg 0%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 13mg 0%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.