Friday, December 2, 2011

12 Days of Christmas Cookies: Day 2


This is a kolache.  It's pronounced Ko-Lahtch-Key.   It is awesome.  Like beyond awesome.  And you cover it with sugar until it looks like snow!  Traditionally, you would use apricot jam, but strawberry or raspberry make it so pretty for Christmas.  I used the tayberry I bought from Blue Cottage Jams.  And if you don't care what color it is, blackberry is great, too.  Basically, put jam on it.  It'll make you happy.

Jam Kolaches
1/2 C butter, softened
1 sm package ( 3oz) cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 C flour
1/4 C strawberry (or other) jam
1/4 C confectioner's sugar

Cream butter and cheese in a medium bowl.  Beat until fluffy.  Add flour, then mix well. Roll dough to 1/8 inch thickness on lightly floured surface.  Cut with 2 inch round cutter.  Place 2 inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheet.  Spoon 1/4 tsp jam on each cookie.  Fold opposite sides together.  Bake at 375° for 15 minutes.  Cool completely on wire racks and sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.
Yield about 2 dozen

Tips:  
  • I used a square fondant cutter to cut the shapes, but you can use a round biscuit cutter or even a glass if it's all you have.
  • If you're having trouble getting the sides to stick together, a little water or milk applied by fingertip should do the trick.

Review:
These are crispy and melty and light.  Not too sweet.  You will wonder where they have been all your life.  Just ask Cara at Fork and Beans!  She has made a gluten-free vegan version for our joint venture.  Go and see it!

UPDATE!!
Hi guys!  We're doing the 12 Days of Christmas again this year!  Check it out!

37 comments:

  1. Already checked out Cara's version of this ;) These really look pretty Brooke! I am quite exited to see your remaining cookie recipes :)

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  2. How did you get yours to have that perfect shape??? I must know! I love the points on the ends :) Come help me, my kolache guru...

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  3. Thanks, Chinmayie! Cara did a beautiful job on hers, didn't she? Keep checking on the weekdays! I've got a couple of recipes coming up that I invented. Never invented a baked good in my life. A little nervous... But excited!

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  4. Cara, I used a square fondant cutter. But you could cut out a square with a knife if you don't want to go all the way to Michael's before making these again... Just fold two of the corners over, and voila! Points!

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  5. Squares!!!! AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! I thought it was supposed to be a cirle.

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  6. Yeah, the original recipe calls for a round one, but my Polish friend told me square was the real way to go... (Sorry I didn't give you the heads up on that...) *looks around sheepishly*

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  7. Listen all ya'll it's a Sabotage!

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  8. Those cookies look awesome! I saw them on FoodGawker and was immediately like ummmmmm, bookmark!

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  9. Thanks, Tina! I hope you'll stick around for the rest of the series! =)

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  10. Check out the hook wile my DJ revolves it. No wait...

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  11. I am sooo going to make this tomorrow...:)

    ~Gloria~

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  12. Gloria, you will not be disappointed!

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  13. These look so good. Would love for you to share this with us over at foodepix.com.

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  14. I love how the rap references made it in to these comments. That is one of my favorite Beastie Boys songs. :)

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  15. It's amazing how fast Cara and I can veer a post off the rails! =)

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  16. These look perfect for the holidays

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  17. Thought these were kifles?

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    1. Well, I'm not sure, I never heard them called that before. When I looked it up on Yahoo! all I seem to find is a recipe with sour cream in it and nuts. On Google, it's virtually the exact same recipe! They do seem to have a similar appearance in the end. Hmmm... I do know that some people make kolaches with nuts instead of jam. Perhaps it's a regional name for a similar cookie. Kolache is a Polish name, while Kiflies seems to be Hungarian. At any rate, they're delicious, right?!

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  18. oh I grew up on these cookies except we had a creamcheese filling and a walnut filling. Our recipe calls for lard, yeast , and flour. It brings back memories of my mom and greatgrandmother backing these.

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    Replies
    1. I have never had them with nuts or cream cheese, but it sounds so yummy! =)

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  19. omg, i love these, my mom and babka made these every christmas and party. they are to die for! i especially love the ones with apricot jam <3 btw, kolach can also be slovak, but i think its a very wide spread dessert.

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  20. real Kolace are round. With yeast and lard.filled with tvaroh-special cheese, raisins
    Very rich. Thus you have only one or two.
    My grandma, mom and i grew up on them.

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    Replies
    1. Apparently there are a lot of different cookies with the name kolache. This particular version is apparently the Polish one. At any rate, they are delicious even if you decide to call them Fold-up Jam Cookies. Or Bob.

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  21. Can you make these a head of time and freeze them?

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    1. Dino, from what I understand, these freeze really well. I have done a little research online and asked around and found that you can both freeze them before baking (it's OK to bake them without thawing) or after baking (some suggest warming them again slightly after thawing to return the crispiness). I have not done it myself as they are usually half gone before the rest are done baking, but I hope one of these techniques works well for you!

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    2. I am starting to think holiday baking. I like the way these cookies look and would love to add these to my list of goodies for this season. I wonder could I use a Silpat mat or parchment paper vs. lightly greasing the cookie sheet?

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    3. Silpat or parchment paper would be just fine! Hope you like them!

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    4. THANKS. I have been practicing baking these cookies and can't keep them pinched closed while they bake. I have been sealing them with a dab of milk and pinching them tightly. I still have some dough in the fridge waiting for test baking #2. I wonder if putting the cookies back into the refrigerator and chilling them a bit after assembling them would help? What do you suggest I try now?

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    5. Sorry to be getting back to you so late! I wonder if your dough is rolled out thin enough? Otherwise, it wouldn't hurt to try refrigerating it again.

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  22. Can you make these a head of time and freeze them?

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  23. I was so excited to see this on Pinterest. Nobody I have ever met knows about Kolaches! I grew up on these cookies at Christmas a small town in Indiana. Always with the apricot jam filling! My mom started making them with an walnut and honey filling when she got the recipe from my Great Grandmother (that was totally frowned upon!) I make them now and we live in the Pacific Northwest and huckleberries and marionberries are big here, so I make the traditional apricot along with the others for my family. No walnut filling, I wouldn't want my greatgrandma turning in her grave! I love that these old recipes are still around for people to see!

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  24. Is the flour plain or self rising?

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