Kolachkes dusted with powdered sugar are filled with bright jam for a classic holiday cookie plate.
Photo by Iuliia Nedrygailova
Makes about 7 dozen (feel free to halve recipe)
2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
4 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup confectioner’s sugar, plus more for rolling out dough
1 cup jam or preserves of choice, for filling
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and cream cheese until pale in color. Reduce speed and add in flour until well mixed. Divide dough into four portions. Enclose each quarter in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 F. Have ungreased baking sheets ready. Sprinkle clean work surface with confectioner’s sugar. Roll out one portion of dough ¼ inch thick. Using a 2-inch round cookie/biscuit cutter, cut out cookies. Place on baking sheet, leaving 1 to 2 inches between cookies. Make a small indention in the center of cookies with your fingertip or back of a teaspoon. Fill the indention with about ¼ teaspoon jam or preserves. (If you use too much filling, it will run out during baking.) Repeat process until you reach desired number of cookies.
Bake until bottoms are lightly browned, 15–18 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Sprinkle generously with confectioner’s sugar while still warm.
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TIPS AND TECHNIQUES
Alternate way to shape kolachkes. Cut out cookies using a 3-inch square cutter. Spoon 1 teaspoon jam in the middle. Fold two of the opposite ends and pinch together. Continue with cooking directions.
Slicing cold cookie dough. If cookie dough is too cold to slice, let it sit for a few minutes to warm up.
Storing cookies. In general, cookies will last for 1 week at room temperature, 10 days in the refrigerator and 3 months in the freezer.
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