Red Raspberry Kolache Cookies

A stack of red raspberry kolache cookies on a Christmas plate with a sprig of red berries.

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4.47 from 39 votes

These classic Eastern European cookies can be a bit tricky to make, but they are worth the effort.

Prep Time20

Total Bake Time30

Chill2

Total Time2 50

Course: Cookies, Holiday

Cuisine: Polish

Difficulty: Medium

Servings: cookies

Calories: 131kcal

Ingredients

1 cup (227 g) Butter unsalted room temperature
6 ounces (170.1 g) Cream Cheese
2 ½ cups (312.5 g) All-purpose flour
5 ounces (141.75 g) Red raspberry jam
¼ cup (30 g) Powdered sugar For dusting on top of the cookies
1 (1) Egg whites lightly beaten for sealing

Instructions

Weigh or measure the flour and set aside. You may use a stand or hand-held mixer to cream the butter and cream cheese together. Turn the mixer speed down and gradually add the flour.
Incorporate the flour into the butter and the cream cheese mixture. You can always dump it onto a pastry sheet and finish kneading it together. Flatten out the dough and wrap in plastic wrap, put into the refrigerator for 2 hours.
Taking the dough out of the refrigerator, I break it into quarters. I used my hands to knead it a little, so it made it easier to roll out. Line your cookie pan with parchment paper and preheat your oven. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to ⅛" thickness. I have a cookie cutter that is 2-½ inch square-shaped, which made the perfect size. I kept rolling out the excess dough till I had 12 squares on a cookie pan.
Putting about ½ to 1 teaspoon of red raspberry jam (you can substitute another favorite jam if you like) in the middle of the square cookie dough. Next, I take the end of a long teaspoon that you use for ice tea and hover over the jam. I then take the corner over the spoon end and dab the top with the slightly beaten egg white. Then bring the opposite corner over and press lightly to seal. I put the spoon between the jam and the cookie dough corners so I can press and seal without pushing all the jam out of the ends. I dab a little egg white on top of the pressed corner edges to make sure they seal.
Bake at 350°F (175°C or 180°C) for 14-16 minutes or until lightly browned on the corner edges. Move them to a cooling rack after taking them from the oven. Dust them with powdered sugar after they have cooled.

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