I did a little research and kolacky were originally from Central Europe and exclusively a sweet pastry.  I wanted to stick with that tradition even though I see savory versions of this at some bakeries (primarily cheese filled).  Since raspberry is one of my favorite flavors I decided to use this as the filling, but think it would also be delicious with apricot preserves.  While I have seen these cookies in a variety of different shapes, the shape in my recipe below is the most common.  Actually, you can make it any shape you’d like, but don’t overlook the most important feature – the size.  This should only be a tw0-bite treat!

Makes 18 cookies

Ingredients

• 6 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1-12 oz. jar raspberry preserves

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Using a pastry blender or food processor, cut the butter into the cream cheese. In a small bowl, sift the flour, granulated sugar, salt and baking powder.  Work the dry ingredients into the 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 finishing.  Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least two hours.

Roll the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness.

Using a cookie cutter, cut the dough into 3 inch diameter cookies (I used a square cutter).  Keep re-rolling the dough and cutting until you have used it all.

Position each piece of dough so that it’s facing you in a diamond shape.  Using your thumb, make a depression in the middle of each cookie.  Place 1/2 teaspoon of filling into the depression and fold opposite ends over each other and pinch to seal.

Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until lightly golden.  Let cool completely on a rack.  Before serving, dust lightly with confectioners’ sugar.  Store in an airtight container.

adapted from a recipe found here

Makes 64 (about 16 per puff pastry sheet, so adjust to meet your needs)

Ingredients

• 4 sheets puff pastry
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Sprinkle confectioners’ sugar on a work surface and cover it with a square sheet of puff pastry.  Then sprinkle the granulated sugar evenly over the pastry sheet and roll it out into a 10-inch square with a rolling pin.  Fold two opposite sides toward the middle without letting them touch. Repeat this folding (again bringing the ends to the middle), then finally fold one half of the pastry over the other.

Cut the pastry crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices.  Dip cut sides of each piece into sugar and arrange, cut side down, on a lightly greased baking sheet.  Repeat with the three remaining pastry sheets.

Bake palmiers in batches in the middle of the oven until golden on bottom, about 10 minutes.  Turn over and bake about 5 minutes more.  As soon as the palmiers are cooked, transfer to a wire rack using a spatula, but don’t lay them on top of each other or they will stick together as they cool.  These are best enjoyed the same day.

adapted from a recipe found here

Makes 24 cookies

Ingredients

• 2  1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• pinch of cracked or coarsely ground black pepper
• 1  1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1 extra-large egg
• about 1/2 cup sugar, for rolling

Directions

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, allspice and pepper.

Working with a mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy.  Add the brown sugar and molasses and beat for 3 minutes to blend, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Add the egg and beat for 2 more minutes.  Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing until the flour and spices disappear.  If some flour remains in the bottom of the bowl, to avoid overbeating the dough, mix in the last of the dry ingredients by hand with a rubber spatula.  You’ll have a smooth, very soft dough.

Divide the dough in half and wrap each piece in plastic wrap.  Freeze for 30 minutes, or refrigerate for at least 1 hour.  The dough can be kept refrigerated for up to 4 days.

Preheat the oven to 350°F and center a rack in the oven.  Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Put the sugar in a small bowl.  Working with one packet of dough at a time, divide it into 12 pieces, and roll each piece into a smooth ball between your palms.  One by one, roll the balls around in the bowl of sugar, then place them on one of the baking sheets.  Dip the bottom of a glass into the sugar and use it to press down on the cookies until they are between 1/4 inch and  1/2 inch thick.  Leave plenty of room between the cookies on the baking sheet, as they will spread.

Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the tops feel set to the touch.  Remove the baking sheet from the oven, and if the cookies are touching, use the edge of a spatula to separate them while they are still hot. Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool to room temperature.  Repeat with the second batch of dough.

original recipe found here

With the holiday season in full swing, I thought it would be fun to spend the next week sharing some of my favorite cookie recipes.  Hopefully these recipes will inspire or at least keep you motivated while you do some of your holiday baking. I’m kicking off cookie week at The Urban Spork with Chocolate Crackles – these light, chewy treats have a snowy white appearance and seem like the perfect cookie for the season.

Makes 4 dozen

Ingredients

• 8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1  1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1  1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar
• 2 extra-large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Directions

Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring. Set aside, and let cool.  Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

Mix butter and brown sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.  Mix in eggs and vanilla, and then the melted chocolate.  Reduce speed to low; add flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the milk.  Divide dough into 4 equal pieces.  Wrap each in plastic; refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Divide each piece into 1-inch balls.  Roll in granulated sugar to coat, then in confectioners’ sugar to coat.  Space 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

Bake until surfaces crack, about 14 minutes.  Let cool on sheets on wire racks. Cookies can be stored between layers of parchment in airtight containers up to 3 days.

adapted from a recipe found here

• I use a small melon or ice-cream scoop to ensure consistency when forming dough
• the cookies taste great regardless of whether or not you use sanding sugar!

Makes a little over 3 dozen

Ingredients:

• 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2  1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 extra-large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• sanding sugar, for rolling

Combine and sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl, set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Add eggs and vanilla, and beat to combine.  Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture, beat to combine.  Form dough into a flattened disk, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and chill until firm, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Shape dough into 1  1/4-inch balls.  Roll each ball in sanding sugar.  Place on baking sheets lined with parchment paper about 2 inches apart.  Bake until set, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating halfway through.  Transfer to a rack and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.  Transfer cookies from baking sheet to wire rack to cool completely.

These cookies can be stored between layers of parchment paper in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

original recipe can be found here

A weekend of baking wouldn’t be complete without tackling one of Dorie Greenspan’s foolproof recipes.  Traditional madeleines are one of my favorite cookies – perfect with coffee of tea, it’s the ideal mix of lemon, vanilla and butter. Be sure to enjoy these the same day you bake them!

Makes 12 large or 36 mini cookies

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• grated zest of 1 lemon
• 2 extra large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt – set aside.

Working in a mixer bowl, or in a large bowl, rub the sugar and lemon zest together with your fingertips until the sugar is moistened and fragrant.  Add the eggs to the bowl.  Working with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, beat the eggs and sugar together on medium-high speed until pale, thick and light – 2 to 3 minutes.  Beat in the vanilla.

With a rubber spatula, gently fold in the dry ingredients, followed by the melted butter.  Press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the batter and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or up to 2 days.

Preheat the oven to 400°F and place the baking rack in the middle of the oven.  Butter 12 full-size madeleine molds, or up to 36 mini madeleine molds, dust the insides with flour and tap out the excess.  Spoon the batter into the molds, filling each one almost to the top.  Bake large madeleines for 11 to 12 minutes and minis for 8 to 10 minutes (when done they will be golden and the tops will spring back when touched).  Remove pan from the oven and release the madeleines from the molds by rapping the edge of the pan against the counter.

Just before serving, dust the madeleines with confectioners’ sugar.