Best Cookie Ever

When we were kids, my mother had a good friend from Poland who gave her a family cookie recipe. The cookies were called Kolacky's (also spelled Kolache). They became a staple in our house because they were so easy to make, even an eight year old (me) could make them. These were the cookies we would leave out for Santa on Christmas Eve. We grew up, left home and somewhere along the way my Mother lost the recipe. Last week I was in Florida and met a group of ladies from Chicago. I chanced asking them if they had ever heard of these cookies. To my amazement each of them had not only heard of Kolacky’s, but they all had recipes that they were only too eager to share with me.

Both the Czech and Polish cultures claim the Kolacky as their invention. A sweet flaky pastry usually made with a cream cheese and butter dough, has several traditional fillings, including poppy seed, cream cheese, jam, nuts, and berries or other chopped fresh fruit. This is absolutely the best cookie I have ever eaten. And you will see that they are the easiest cookies you will ever make. The only thing easier, would be buying them ready-made at the supermarket. But good luck finding them. Traditional Kolacky’s are made with just five ingredients, start to finish, with no sugar - except that which is in the filling used. That should make you Mom’s out there very happy.

Kolacky's

Ingredients:

2 cups unsalted butter, softened

6 ounces cream cheese, softened

3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

jam, jelly or preserves of choice

confectioner’s sugar

Preparation:

1. Beat butter and cream cheese in large bowl of electric mixer until light. Beat in flour and cream until well mixed. Divide dough into 4 portions. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

2. Heat oven to 350℉. Have ungreased baking sheets ready.

3. Sprinkle the work surface and the rolling pin generously with confectioners' sugar. Roll out 1 dough portion at a time to about ¼-inch thickness. Use a small (2-inch diameter) round cutter or glass to cut out cookies. Transfer to ungreased baking sheets, leaving 1 or 2 inches between each cookie. Make a small depression in the center of the cookies with your fingertip or back of a teaspoon. Fill dough with approximately 1/4 teaspoon of jam, jelly, preserves, cheese or nut filling. (If you use too much filling it will run out onto the baking sheet.)

4. Bake until bottoms are lightly browned, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Sprinkle generously with confectioners' sugar while still warm.