Best Grandpas Hungarian Kolacky Recipes

KOLACKY

Steps:

• 1. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese, butter, and sugar on medium speed until light, about 2 minutes. On low speed, gradually beat in the flour just until mixed. The dough will be soft and sticky.
• 2. Divide the dough in half. Pat each half into a thick disk and wrap separately in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm enough to handle, at least 1 hour or up to 1 day.
• 3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease or spray cookie sheets.
• 4. Dust a pastry cloth or board with flour or confectioners' sugar. Remove 1 dough disk from the refrigerator and place it on the pastry cloth. Keep the remaining dough disk refrigerated. Roll out the dough into a square or rectangle 1/8 inch thick. Cut into 2 1/2-inch squares.
• 5. Place 1 teaspoon of the filling in the center of each square. Pull 2 opposite corners of the square into the middle, and pinch the edges together to seal. Place the cookies on the prepared cookie sheets, spacing them about 1 1/2 inches apart. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
• 6. Bake in the center of the oven until lightly golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool on the cookie sheets for 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks. Dust the tops with sifted confectioners' sugar while still warm, then let cool completely.

EASY KOLACKY

Steps:

• Place the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl; beat with electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Beat 1/2 cup of confectioners' sugar into the butter mixture. Slowly beat in the flour; mix well. Cover bowl and refrigerate at least 3 hours, or overnight.
• Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• On a well floured board, roll out chilled dough to 1/8 inch. Use a pizza wheel to cut dough into 2 1/2 inch squares. Spoon approximately 2 teaspoons of filling in the center of each square; do not overfill. Fold opposite corners of each square into the middle to encase dough, pinching dough together in center. Filling should peek out a little at each end. Transfer cookies to an ungreased baking sheet.
• Bake the kolacky in the preheated oven until set but not brown, about 12 minutes. Remove to racks to cool. Dust cooled kolacky with remaining powdered sugar.

GRANDMA'S KOLACKY COOKIES

Steps:

• Cut butter into flour with two forks to resemble small peas, as you would pie crust. Stir in sour cream with serving spoon and mix well.
• Form into 2 balls and store, covered, in refrigerator to chill. Taking out one ball at a time, dust each with flour and roll on floured surface to approximately 1/8 thickness. (Note: If dough starts tearing, it may need more flour or to be chilled a bit more.).
• Cut with larger round cookie cutter or coffee cup, Fill center with approximately 1-2 teaspoons Solo, Bring up each side and pinch to close.
• Bake at 350 dg. for 12-15 minutes, until bottiom of cookie is just beginning to brown. Cool on wire racks then dust with powdered sugar. Enjoy!

CREAM CHEESE KOLACKY

Steps:

• Mix cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add flour slowly until well blended. Shape into a ball and chill overnight or for several hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
• Roll dough out 1/8 inch thick on a floured pastry board. Cut into 2 1/2 inch squares and place about 1/2 teaspoon jam or preserves in the center. Overlap opposite corners and pinch together. Place on ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool on wire racks. Sprinkle kolacky lightly with confectioner's sugar.

GRANDPA'S HUNGARIAN KOLACKY

Steps:

• Combine butter and cream cheese completely, add flour and mix well.
• Divide dough into 4 balls; wrap each in plastic wrap and chill 24 hours.
• Roll out each ball (on floured surface) to 1/8". (Be sure to keep them thin, as this keeps them "light!")
• Cut out silver-dollar sized cookies; place on ungreased cookie sheets.
• Drop 1/2 teaspoon jelly in center of each cookie and bake at 350* for 7-8 min. (Just until edges begin to brown.) I always bake the cookies flat; however, the edges may be pinched or rolled together as well!
• Lightly sift powdered sugar over cookies and serve.

TRADITIONAL HUNGARIAN APRICOT KOLACHES

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, use a hand-held mixer to beat together the butter and the cream cheese until light and fluffy.
• Add the flour and salt. Beat into the butter mixture.
• Divide the cookie dough into four equal portions and flatten each portion to 1/2 inch thick. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• When ready to assemble and bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
• Remove one portion of the dough from the fridge and roll to 1/8th of an inch thick on a lightly floured surface. The dough is sticky so be sure to flour your rolling pin too.
• Cut the rolled dough into 2 inch squares. Remove scrap dough to the side to use later once the currant batch is baking.
• Place one tablespoon of the apricot preserves into the center of each square of dough. Gently fold up two opposite corners so that the slightly overlap. Push down just slightly with your finger to seal the dough together.
• Transfer the cookies to the baking sheet, leaving at least 2 inches of space between each cookie.
• Sprinkle each cookie with a little sanding sugar and bake for 12 minutes or until the edges are a light golden brown.
• Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then, remove the cookies from the baking sheet to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
• Repeat steps 5 to 10 with the remaining 3 portions of dough in your fridge.

KOLACKY

Steps:

• Mix softened cream cheese, softened butter, baking powder, and egg yolks with a pastry blender.
• Mix in sour cream and sift in flour.
• Add vanilla and knead the dough until your hands are clean (i.e. it all sticks together and is a uniform mixture).
• Roll into 1/4 cup balls and refrigerate overnight (~8 hrs).
• Prepare the filling (if store-bought, skip this step). Beat the egg white until it is foamy. Mix with crushed walnuts, melted butter, sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon. Store in the refrigerator.
• Preheat the oven to 350.
• Roll dough flat, using flour to prevent sticking to surface and rolling pin. Only remove what dough from the refrigerator that you are currently rolling (leave the rest of the dough balls in the fridge to keep firm).
• Use a square-shaped cookie cutter to cut squares out of the dough. Place a little filling in the middle of the square. Then pinch 2 opposite corners together. Fold this over and pinch again. (This step is a bit of a personal preference, there are many different ways to shape and fill kolacky).
• Bake 9-12 minutes on a non-stick pan, or until light brown.

SOPHIE'S KOLACKY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease cookie sheets.
• Using a pastry blender or food processor, cut butter into cream cheese.
• In a small bowl, sift dry ingredients together except for confectioners' sugar.
• Work dry ingredients into butter/cream cheese mixture until you have an even, mealy texture.
• Knead to form a stiff dough. If the dough gets too soft, refrigerate for about five minutes before continuing.
• Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness.
• Using a cookie cutter or glass, cut into about 3 inch diameter cookies. Keep re-rolling dough until you have used it all. Use your thumb to make a depression in each cookie. Place a 1/2 teaspoon of filling in the depression.
• Bake for about 20 minutes (until lightly golden). Let cool on a cookie rack. Dust lightly with confectioners' sugar. Store in an airtight container

KOLACHKY

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese and butter until well blended. I like to use my hands, but you can also use a wooden spoon. Mix in the flour 1 cup at a time. As the dough becomes stiff, turn it out onto the counter and knead in flour until it is no longer sticky. Continue to knead the dough for 5 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Crush the walnuts to a fine consistency in a food processor. Stir in the egg and honey. On a well floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut the dough into 3x3 inch squares. Place a teaspoon of filling in the center of each square. Use walnut for some and poppyseed for the rest. Roll the squares up and seal the edges. These can also be formed into triangles. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Brush with egg white.
• Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly browned. When cool, dust with confectioners' sugar.

GRANDPA'S COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, water and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture, and mix well. , Shape into two rolls; wrap in plastic. Chill 4 hours or overnight. , Preheat oven to 375°. Cut rolls into 1/4-in. slices; place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake until lightly browned, 8-10 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.