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Home » Cookies

Published: Nov 26, 2016 · Modified: Dec 18, 2024 by Kathy

Kolache Cookies

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Raspberry filled cookies topped with powdered sugar.

A soft cookie filled with raspberry jam, these kolache cookies are also called raspberry bow tie cookies and always get plenty of raves!

Raspberry Bow Tie Cookies are a perfect cookie to add to your holiday cookie tray.

A pile of cookies filled with raspberry jam.

Bow Tie Cookies

Making kolacky or bow tie cookies are a holiday tradition in my house. I started making these over 10 years ago and have perfected my technique over the years. My favorite filling is using my homemade raspberry jam. I love the flavor, but also the color is perfect for using during the holidays.

What is Kolacky, kolache or kolaczki?

Kolacky, kolache, and kolaczki are similar cookies known by various names. Kolacky, a Hungarian treat, features a cream cheese dough filled with fruit and is often shaped like a bow tie. These cookies are also referred to as kolaczki, a name rooted in Polish tradition.

Kolache Ingredients

  • Egg White - The egg white is used to help seal the folded ends of the cookies together.
  • Cream Cheese - Use regular cream cheese, not low fat. Make certain the cream cheese is at room temperature.
  • Butter - I use regular salted butter at room temperature.
  • Powdered Sugar - Helps make the cookies melt in your mouth delicious. If your powdered sugar is lumpy, sift before measuring.
  • Vanilla - Use pure vanilla extract.
  • Flour - This recipe uses all-purpose flour. When measuring, use a fluff and scoop technique.
  • Filling - Any type of jam can be used in these cookies. I typically use raspberry jam or apricot jam.
A small layer of raspberry jam on a square of cookie dough.
Cookie dough with raspberry jam in the center.

How to Make Kolache Cookies

  1. Cream butter and cream cheese together.
  2. Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla.
  3. Add flour and mix.
  4. Divide dough in half and form into flat discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours.
  5. When dough is fully chilled, roll it out into a square either 10x10 inches or 12x12 iches.
  6. Trim edges and then cut into 2 inch strips. Cut each strip into 2 inch squares.
  7. Fold opposite corners together and dab with egg white to help seal. Pinch ends together.
  8. Bake in a preheated 400°F oven for 8-10 minutes until golden
  9. Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.
Raspberry Bow Tie Cookies out of the oven on a baking sheet.

Kolacky Cookie Tips

  • Be certain to allow dough to fully chill before rolling out
  • Place just a small amount of jam in the center of each cookie
  • Use cookie sheets lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat
  • Just before serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar
  • When cookies come out of the oven, allow the cookies to cool just slightly and then place cookies on a baking rack to continue cooling.

Kolacky Cookies Recipe FAQs

How do you keep kolaches from opening?

Use a dab of egg white between the two tips. Press the tips firmly together.

What is the difference between kolaczki and kiffles?

Kolaczki and kiffles are two different names for the same style of cookie. Both cookies are similar.

How do you keep the filling from leaking during baking?

Only add a small amount of filling right down the center of the cookie. If the filling is leaking during baking, reduce the amount.

Can you freeze kolach cookies?

Yes, these cookies freeze well. Place in a single layer in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to three months. Dust with powdered sugar after the cookies have fully thawed.

More delicious cookie recipes

  • Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Coconut Macaroons
  • Chocolate Crinkles
  • Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Toffee Chip Cookies
  • Cranberry Orange Swirl Cookies
  • Dark Chocolate Oat Cookies
  • Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies
  • Thumbprint Cookies
Three jam filled cookies next to a plate of cookies.

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop

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A pile of cookies filled with raspberry jam.

Kolache Recipe

Kathy Berget
Holiday cookies with raspberry jam.
4.89 from 140 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
Prep Time 30 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Refrigerate 1 hour hr
Total Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins
Course Cookie
Cuisine American
Servings 45 cookies
Calories 181 kcal

Equipment

  • Measuring Cups
  • Measuring Spoons
  • Stand Mixer
  • Cookie Sheet
  • Cooling Rack
  • Pizza Cutter
  • Rolling Pin
  • Parchment paper
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients
 
 

  • 8 oz cream cheese (softened)
  • 8 oz butter (1 cup) (softened, I use salted butter)
  • ¾ cup powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 ½ cups flour
  • ½ cup raspberry jam
  • 1 egg white (for sealing the ends together, optional)
  • 1 Tablespoon water (optional)
  • powdered sugar for dusting cookies

Instructions
 

  • In a mixing bowl, mix cream cheese and butter together.
    8 oz cream cheese, 8 oz butter (1 cup)
  • Mix in powdered sugar and vanilla.
    ¾ cup powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • Mix in flour. Beat until all flour is incorporated into dough.
    2 ½ cups flour
  • Divide dough in half. Wrap each half in plastic wrap, flattening into a 4 inch disc.
  • Refrigerate for at least one-two hours or overnight. If the dough is too sticky, it needs more time in the refrigerator.
  • When ready to bake, work with one disc of dough at a time.
  • Place on a lightly floured surface and roll into a square about 10x10 inches or if you can a 12x12.
  • Trim edges and cut into 2 inch squares.
  • Place ½ teaspoon of jam on each square.
    ½ cup raspberry jam
  • Mix egg white together with water. (Using the egg white is optional. You can also fuse the two points that come together with your fingers.)
    1 egg white, 1 Tablespoon water
  • Fold two corners together over your index finger.  Place a dab of egg white mixture between overlapping corners of cookies. Press firmly together so the dough is fused.  
  • Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Press folded sides down slightly so they are not rounded.  This will help prevent cookies from coming apart while baking. 
  • Bake for 8-10  minutes in a preheated 400 degree oven until slightly golden.
  • Cool on a baking rack.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar when completely cooled.
    powdered sugar for dusting cookies

Video

Notes

  • Be certain to allow dough to fully chill before rolling out
  • Place just a small amount of jam in the center of each cookie
  • Use cookie sheets lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat
  • Just before serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar
Updated with more specific dimensions and options for sealing tips together. 12/18/24

Nutritional Disclaimer:

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookieCalories: 181kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 2gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 100mgPotassium: 34mgSugar: 7gVitamin A: 365IUVitamin C: 0.7mgCalcium: 15mgIron: 0.7mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @BeyondTheChickenCoop or tag #beyondthechickencoop!

 

 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Liz says

    December 24, 2024 at 11:26 am

    3 stars
    Just made these for the first time. I've never had Kolache so i didnt know what to expect. They taste more like a soft pastry than a cookie and I definitely added too much jam to each ( the amount per cookie is missing from the steps but found later in the notes- might want to change that) and it turned into a big mess. Altogether they are good- not great but thats just me. For a pastry like treat they work!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      December 24, 2024 at 2:31 pm

      Thanks for trying them. I double checked the recipe and it already states to add ½ teaspoon of jam to each cookie in step 9. Sorry you missed that step.
      Kathy

      Reply
  2. Louisa orologio says

    November 25, 2024 at 12:43 am

    Can I use lemon pie filling instead of jam

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      November 25, 2024 at 5:23 am

      Hi,
      Yes, you can use lemon pie filling. Just make certain it's a type that can be baked.
      Enjoy!

      Reply
  3. Tim says

    December 11, 2023 at 8:50 pm

    2 stars
    I didn't care for this recipe. The dimensions were wrong and the cookies were bland. It was too bad, because they looked so good in the photo.

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      August 18, 2024 at 7:08 am

      Sorry you didn't care for these cookies.

      Reply
  4. Lynette says

    November 27, 2023 at 10:17 am

    I wonder if pumpkin pie filling would be good in these?

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      November 27, 2023 at 12:38 pm

      Hi Lynette,
      I have only used raspberry and apricot jam.
      Kathy

      Reply
  5. Michelle says

    November 20, 2023 at 2:07 pm

    Has anyone froze these?

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      November 21, 2023 at 4:46 am

      Hi Michelle,
      You can freeze these cookies. Freeze in a single layer in a freezer safe bag or container. Allow cookies to thaw at room temperature.
      Kathy

      Reply
  6. Sue Collins says

    November 19, 2023 at 8:31 am

    5 stars
    I cut toothpicks in half and use to hold the cookie together for baking and remove before the cookies cools. Works perfectly! Love the recipe! My husband and I do them together.

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      November 19, 2023 at 8:44 am

      Hi Sue,
      Thanks so much! And thanks for sharing your tip!
      Kathy 🙂

      Reply
  7. Rick says

    May 12, 2023 at 6:06 pm

    5 stars
    How long will the uncooked cookie dough keep in the fridge?

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      May 13, 2023 at 5:40 am

      Try to use the dough within 2-3 days.

      Reply
  8. Beth says

    December 20, 2021 at 10:51 am

    these are also really YUMMY made with pineapple filling!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      December 20, 2021 at 5:05 pm

      Hi Beth,
      I haven't tried pineapple filling, but it sounds delish! I'll need to give it a try.

      Reply
  9. Carol Zane says

    December 05, 2021 at 10:37 pm

    How long will these cookies keep in containers? I make a lot of different cookies to plate up and deliver to people. I don't have a deep freezer (broke a few months back) and normally not a lot of room in my kitchen freezer. I'm trying to plan my attack starting with the cookies that will keep the longest first. I do have airtight containers for storage.

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      December 06, 2021 at 5:26 am

      Hi Carol,
      I would plan on 3-4 days in an airtight container. Store in a single layer with waxed paper or parchment paper between each layer. Don't add the sprinkling of powdered sugar until the day you will use.
      Enjoy and Happy Baking,
      Kathy 🙂

      Reply
  10. Jan says

    December 05, 2021 at 4:23 pm

    4 stars
    It looks delicious, but I have a question, typical Kolacky uses two sticks of butter.
    This does work well then with one stick? These look amazing!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      December 06, 2021 at 5:13 am

      Hi Jan,
      I use 8 ounces of butter which is two sticks or 1 cup of butter.
      Enjoy! 🙂

      Reply
  11. kasia says

    June 19, 2021 at 8:48 am

    …these are polish kołaczki.

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      June 19, 2021 at 9:03 am

      Hi Kasia,
      These favorite cookies seem to go by a lot of different names, but whatever you call them they are always delicious!
      Thanks for the information! 🙂

      Reply
      • Katherine says

        August 08, 2024 at 2:41 pm

        We would make them for Christmas and Easter and with different kinds of jams that work will like apricot, strawberry, blueberry and not only raspberry jam.

      • Kathy says

        August 09, 2024 at 5:46 am

        Sounds great! 🙂

  12. DENISE says

    March 23, 2021 at 2:26 pm

    Can you freeze them after they are baked?

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      March 23, 2021 at 4:35 pm

      Hi Denise,
      You can freeze these cookies after they are baked. Allow the cookies to fully cool and then place in a freezer safe container. Place a layer of waxed paper between each layer of cookie to help prevent sticking.
      Enjoy 🙂

      Reply
      • Chandra says

        December 19, 2021 at 10:31 pm

        2 stars
        Polish Klotchi cookies (which these are) do not freeze well after baking. The dough gets dense and mushy. You can freeze before baking. They also only last well a couple of days so plan accordingly.

      • Kathy says

        December 20, 2021 at 5:03 am

        Thank you for your comment. Freezing the dough is a great idea. I have also been able to successfully freeze the cookies after they are baked.
        Kathy 🙂

  13. Fiorella says

    December 23, 2020 at 11:37 am

    I tried it but it’s difficult to keep them from falling apart during baking. I used water and also egg whites. I also tried to fuse them very carefully and allowed them to rest and re pressed them once more before entering the oven. They are pretty good.

    Reply
    • Mary says

      September 06, 2021 at 4:55 am

      5 stars
      After many tries, I found putting egg wash again right before baking kept them all together. Woo hoo!!

      Reply
      • Kathy says

        September 06, 2021 at 6:04 am

        Hi Mary,
        Thanks for your tip!!! 🙂
        Kathy

    • Cathleen says

      November 30, 2021 at 4:24 pm

      About how many cookies does one batch make?

      Reply
      • Kathy says

        November 30, 2021 at 5:15 pm

        This recipe yields 24 cookies.
        Enjoy! 🙂

    • J says

      December 18, 2022 at 10:22 am

      The easiest way to keep them from unfolding is to use two toothpicks in the overlap at apposing angles to form a v, instead of the egg white.

      Reply
  14. Alyssa says

    December 21, 2020 at 3:45 pm

    5 stars
    So delicious! Made these for the first time and they turned out great! Im thinking about making them with a nut filling next?? would anyone recommend that ?

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      December 21, 2020 at 5:48 pm

      Thanks, Alyssa! So glad you loved them!!! I have only filled these with raspberry and apricot jam. If you try a nut filling, you might try something similar to a rugelach filling. Let me know if you give it a try. I'd love to know how they turn out.
      Happy Baking!
      Kathy 🙂

      Reply
    • Dee says

      March 09, 2021 at 3:20 am

      absolutely make these with nut filling
      Ground walnuts, mixed with sugar, milk and butter

      Reply
    • Nancy says

      October 30, 2021 at 5:23 am

      Yes, these cookies are a tradition in my family. All different flavors...poppyseed, nut, prune, raspberry, etc..
      Sooo delicious and makes for a pretty dish of cookies with all the different colors

      Reply
      • Kathy says

        October 30, 2021 at 6:48 am

        Sounds good! 🙂

  15. Rebecca says

    December 21, 2020 at 9:59 am

    4 stars
    This recipe is absolutely delicious and I made it with apricot preserve. The I changed the temperature to 375 and the time to 9 minutes because my first three batches burned on the bottom and seemed to open around the last two minutes! Very frustrating!
    This way worked 👍great

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      December 21, 2020 at 10:06 am

      Thanks for sharing your tips!

      Reply
  16. Lori says

    December 20, 2020 at 6:00 pm

    Just divine!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      December 20, 2020 at 6:08 pm

      Thanks 🙂

      Reply
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4.89 from 140 votes (116 ratings without comment)

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I'm Kathy, and I love to create delicious recipes from scratch utilizing many ingredients that we grow and raise. I'm a recipe creator, food photographer, and cookbook author!

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