Selecting a package of Pepperidge Farm cookies was one of the greatest thrills when I was little. Rarely was this privilege bestowed upon me; when it was my choice, I'd carefully weigh my options. There were nubby, cobbled Brussels cookies with their thin layer of bittersweet chocolate. Milanos were a classic choice, and I loved the buttery Chessmen, shiny with an egg wash finish. But, usually ,I'd pick the crumbly, sweet Verona circles, which sported jammy centers of strawberry preserves.
The combination of a crunchy, buttery cookie and sweet jam is still irresistible to me. So I was happy to discover this excellent recipe, from the Nielsen-Massey archives, for traditional Polish holiday cookies (called kolackzi). The addition of cream cheese makes the dough tender and less crumbly than most cookies.
I filled mine with apricot and raspberry jam, but you could use any flavor you like. Or, try frangipane or chocolate hazelnut spread.
This being said, using jam makes the cookies look like pretty little jewels. They're the perfect addition to a dessert platter or holiday cookie swap. Just dust them lightly with confectioners' sugar, if you like, before serving.
Be sure to roll your dough out very thinly. It will be sticky when you mix it up, but don't worry: Rolling the dough in a blend of flour and confectioners' sugar to prevents it from clinging to the work surface.
For successful cookies, don't add too much filling (it's tempting, I know!), or they won't hold their shape during baking. It's also important to press the edges of the dough together firmly when you roll it up around the jam, to make sure the little "envelopes" stay closed.
In the world of Christmas cookies, these are, as the saying goes, most certainly my jam.
| 8 | ounces cream cheese, softened |
| 1 | cup butter, at room temperature |
| 1/2 | cup sugar |
| 1 | tablespoon vanilla extract |
| 1/2 | teaspoon almond extract (optional) |
| 3/4 | teaspoon salt |
| 1 | egg |
| 3 1/4 | cups all-purpose flour, divided into 2 3/4 cups and 1/2 cup |
| 1/4 | cup confectioners' sugar |
| 1/2 | cup jam |
| 8 | ounces cream cheese, softened |
| 1 | cup butter, at room temperature |
| 1/2 | cup sugar |
| 1 | tablespoon vanilla extract |
| 1/2 | teaspoon almond extract (optional) |
| 3/4 | teaspoon salt |
| 1 | egg |
| 3 1/4 | cups all-purpose flour, divided into 2 3/4 cups and 1/2 cup |
| 1/4 | cup confectioners' sugar |
| 1/2 | cup jam |
Posie Harwood is a writer, photographer, and food stylist based in New York. You can read more of her writing here.
What would you fill these little envelopes with? Let us know in the comments below!
Written by: Posie (Harwood) Brien
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KIFFLES
4-EGG YOLKS
1LB. BUTTER, SOFTENED
12 OZ. (1 LG 1 SMALL) PHILLY CHEESE, SOFTENED
4C.-FLOUR
PINCH SALT
IN BOWL, CREAM TOG. BUTTER AND PHILLY AND PINCH SALT.
ADD EGG YOLKS, BEAT WELL.
ADD FLOUR CUP AT A TIME. WRAP IN PLASTIC. CHILL OVERNIGHT. I PINCH OFF LIL DOUGH [BOUT THE SIZE OF A SHOOTER MARBLE] ROLL OUT THIN IN POWDERED SUGAR, PUT ABOUT A QUARTER tsp. OF FILLING (WHATEVER KIND) AND ROLL UP PUT ON PARCHMENT LINES COOKIE SHEET. BAKE ABOUT 14 OR MORE MIN. AT 325-350° GOLDEN ON BOTTOM AND DON'T LOOK TO RAW (like dough that's not baked long enough), ON TOP. TAKE OUT OF OVEN AND LET SIT ON SHEET A FEW MIN TILL STABLE. COOL COMPLETELY ON WIRE RACK. ROLL IN POWDERED SUGAR I'D YOU WANT. STORE WITH PARCHMENT BETWEEN LAYERS SO THEY DON'T GET STICKY. CAN BE RE POWDERED OF NECESSARY.
APRICOT BUTTER:
1LB. DRIED APRICOTS IN A POT. WATER TO COVER BOUT A PINT. BRING TO BOIL REDUCE TO SIMMER COOK TILL SOFT ABOUT A HALF HOUR-ADD LIL WATER IF NECESSARY. TAKE OFF HEAT USE A STICK BLENDER TILL PRETTY SMOOTH. ADD 1-C. SUGAR BACK IN LOW HEAT COOK TILL THICK IF IT ISN'T ALREADY. KEEP AN EYE ON IT SO IT DOESN'T BURN. NOT LONG. YOU'LL KNOW. 😊 you can mix up unused egg whites with ground walnuts, a lil sugar and a lil milk to bind, and use that to fill kiffles as well. You won't be sorry.
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