Kolachki, Kolacky, Kolachy, Kolace, Kolachi, Kolache, Kolachke,

CoolMonday's Note:

Call these cookies whatever you want but there are very small differences... This recipe was given to me by my Slovakian MIL... I must admit that I bought some of the fillings premade one year but I usually make my own. ... but they are delicious anyway... Check the Jewish or International section of your grocery store for premade.. The brand name is SOLO.... This will take several hours to prepare and cook... You can cut the dough recipe in half or quarter if you wish to make less.

• Total Time: 10 hrs
• Prep Time: 6 hrs
• Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients:

Yield: 15 dozen

COOKIE DOUGH

• 24 ounces cream cheese (3 pkgs)
• 2 lbs butter
• 8 cups flour

Filling A walnut

• ½ lb walnuts , chopped fine
• honey , enuff to bind

Filling B Lekvar

• 1 ½ cups pitted prunes , tightly packed
• 2⁄3; cup water
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1⁄3; cup brown sugar

Filling C apricot or peach

• 1 ½ cups dried fruit
• ½-¾ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla or 1 teaspoon almond extract

Filling D Cream Cheese

• 16 ounces cream cheese (2 pkgs)
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 beaten egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Filling E Pineapple

• 1 (16 ounce) can crushed pineapple
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 pinch salt

Filling F Cherry-Choc-nut

• 1 cup drained canned sweet cherries
• ¼ cup semisweet chocolate , chopped fine
• ¼ cup walnuts , chopped fine
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract

Filling G poppyseed

• 2 cups scalded milk
• 1 lb ground poppy seed
• 1 ½ cups sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. COOKIE DOUGH_____________ Allow cream cheese and butter to soften to room temperature Mix till well Blended.
3. Add Flour a little at a time and mix in till well blended.
4. Divide into balls. one ball for each filling you will make and wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
5. Using one ball at a time, Roll out square about 1/8 inch thick on board sprinkled with flour or confectioners sugar or a combination. You can cut the dough into 2 inch squares and place a little filling on each square and fold the dough over. As a time saver, I place a little filling in a line across the bottom of the dough and roll till filling is covered. Should be about 1/2 inch in diameter (or a little more).
6. With a knife, cut through the dough at that point and cut the roll into 1 1/2 to 2 inch pieces. Then place a little filling in a line across what is now the bottom and repeat steps.
7. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for about 20 minutes.
8. (I found that they were better if I turned them over after about 10 minutes) Check them at 10 and see how they are doing on the bottom.
9. Cool for a couple of minutes then place on wire rack to cool.
10. FILLING A (walnut) Mix ingredients until blended.
11. FILLING B (Lekvar) Simmer ingredients (except brown sugar) covered for 25-30 minutes until very soft and most of the water is evaporated Uncover last few minutes if necessary remove from heat and mash Stir in brown sugar will keep in refrigerator for a long time in a covered jar Lekvar can be purchased in the Jewish section of grocery store already made.
12. FILLING C (Apricot or Peach) Place fruit in medium saucepan and cover with water until about an inch over the fruit bring to boil and reduce to simmer for 35- 45 minutes until very tender mash until fruit is smooth Add cinnamon and vanilla add 1/2 cup sugar to taste-- and more if desired.
13. FILLING D (Cream Cheese). Allow Cream Cheese to soften to room temperature. Mix all ingredients until well blended.
14. FILLING E (Pineapple). Combine, Cook until thick, cool.
15. FILLING F (Cherry-Choc-nut). Chop cherries in food processor until finely chopped. Add remaining ingredients and blend well.
16. FILLING G (poppyseed) -- Mix together and set aside till milk is absorbed and mixture is cooled.

Reviews

[Nikoma]

This is a keeper. Much easier to work with then some other kolachy doughs I've tried. Very flakey and light. I made the apricot filling and love it! I also tried the cream cheese filling completely out of curiousity (only planned on making a couple to try, ended up sending my friend to the store for more cream cheese at 1am lol) We call the cream cheese filled ones "smiles" because they puff up and show the white filling but it doesn't run out at all! Delicious. I also made poppyseed but used store bought filling...which ran everywhere...next time I'll try your recipe. I couldn't get the hang of making these from squares so I cut circles and folded over. Half recipe gave me about 5 1/2 dozen. I'll dfinately be useing this again, and trying the rest of your fillings.

[Chef #1071114]

These are fantastic. I have used this recipe for a few years, but lost it, so was very happy to see it posted. Thanks! I like adding pineapple and golden raisins to the walnut mixture. It adds a wonderful bit of sweetness and texture to them. If you don't want to roll into small pieces, it also works making one large roll, though you may need more filling that way. That's how I usually make it. I just don't have the patience to roll them into small pieces. I have to admit, I didn't think to do it as listed here. I'll have to try it. Either way, these are wonderful. A long holiday tradition in my family.

[BrattiPattiB]

I am new to making Kolacky. I eat them often but first time making them. As a newbie, I did not realize the dough would be so sticky when making it. Before refrigation, the dough is sticker than a chocolate chip dough. I thought there is no way I can roll this out and added another 1/2c to 3/4c flour and it was still sticky. In the morning when I went to roll out the dough, duh! the butter and cream cheese hardened and it was very hard. I left it out for about 5 minutes just to make it a little more pliable. Once you start with the dough, you really have to work fast. Once it starts to soften again it gets very sticky and tacky again. btw I did use powdered sugar on the surface to help with sticking. Since I had already added extra flour I was afraid I would lose intergety with it. I used the bohemian brand apriot and raspberry filling and dusted with powdered sugar. These were great despite my errors. I did need to cook for the full 20 minutes.