Kolatchkies

Kolatchkies (also spelled kolacky or kolachke) are the flaky, cream cheese pastry cookies that show up at every Eastern European holiday table and church bake sale. The dough is dead simple: a pound of margarine, two packages of cream cheese, and four cups of flour mixed until soft. That’s it. No eggs, no sugar, no leavening. The cream cheese and margarine do all the work, creating a tender, buttery pastry that shatters when you bite into it.

Chill the dough until firm before rolling. This is non-negotiable. The dough is extremely soft and rich, and at room temperature it will stick to everything and tear when you try to cut or fold it. Once it’s cold and workable, roll it to ⅛ inch thick, cut into 2-inch squares, and drop half a teaspoon of filling in the center of each. Pinch two opposite corners together to seal, leaving the filling peeking out at the sides.

Use any canned filling you like: apricot, prune, poppy seed, raspberry, or cherry are all traditional. The filling should be thick enough to hold its shape. Runny filling leaks out during baking and burns on the pan.

Bake until light golden, about 18 to 20 minutes, then dust generously with powdered sugar while still warm.

Kitchen Tips

• Refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, or overnight for easiest handling
• Roll on a well-floured surface and work quickly; the dough softens fast
• Pinch firmly to seal; loose seams open during baking and the filling escapes
• Store layered between parchment paper to prevent sticking

Variations

• Nut filling: Use a walnut or almond paste filling instead of fruit
• Chocolate: Fill with Nutella or chocolate ganache for a modern twist
• Butter version: Substitute butter for margarine for a richer, more flavorful dough