Kolaczki Polish Cookies Recipes

KOLACZKI - THE GREATEST POLISH COOKIE

Steps:

• 1. In a big mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar and salt.
• 2. Add butter, egg yolks, egg whites, sour cream and lemon peel. Work it all together with your hands for about 15 minutes, until soft. Might be easier to transfer to a big flat work area. If dough gets too wet, splash some flour on it. If too dry, splash milk on it. You will know it is ready when it is not sticking too much to your fingers.
• 3. Shape dough into a big ball, cover with a flour dusting and place into a flour-dusted bowl (you can use the same mixing bowl). Cover with plastic plate or plastic wrap and chill in refridgerator for at least 2 hours (overnight, if you can!).
• 4. When ready to make the cookies, preheat oven to 375*. Cut off pieces of dough and roll out flat, and use top of a small glass or cup to make cookie circles.
• 5. Place cookies in ungreased cookie pan. Create depressions in the middle with your thumb. Spoon in about a teaspoon of jelly.
• 6. Bake for about 12-15 minutes, until golden brown edges form at the sides. The dough makes lots of cookies, so I usually put two pans in the oven at a time (next to each other), and when one is done, load up the pan with more cookies and keep going like that until you are done.
• 7. Remove cookies from pan and let cool. When completely cooled, sift powdered sugar on top. YUM; ENJOY!

KOLACZKI

Steps:

• Warm milk to just above room temperature. Dissolve the yeast in the milk, set aside. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, salt and baking powder. Cut in the shortening until the mixture is mealy. Stir in the egg yolks and milk mixture. Knead the dough together and then refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Dust a clean, dry surface with confectioners' sugar. Knead the dough for a few minutes. Carefully roll out your dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out circles with a cookie cutter. Place a teaspoon of jam on the center of each circle, fold the dough over, and seal the edge with a fork.
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Do not store in an airtight container or they will become soggy.