Sophies Kolacky

This is my grandma’s (Sophie) kolacky recipe, and it probably came from her grandmother in Poland. My family can’t get enough of these at Christmas.

Step: 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease cookie sheets.

Step: 2

Using a pastry blender or food processor, cut butter into cream cheese.

Step: 3

In a small bowl, sift dry ingredients together except for confectioners' sugar.

Step: 4

Work dry ingredients into butter/cream cheese mixture until you have an even, mealy texture.

Step: 5

Knead to form a stiff dough. If the dough gets too soft, refrigerate for about five minutes before continuing.

Step: 6

Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness.

Step: 7

Using a cookie cutter or glass, cut into about 3 inch diameter cookies. Keep re-rolling dough until you have used it all. Use your thumb to make a depression in each cookie. Place a 1/2 teaspoon of filling in the depression.

Step: 8

Bake for about 20 minutes (until lightly golden). Let cool on a cookie rack. Dust lightly with confectioners' sugar. Store in an airtight container

Per Serving: 216 calories; protein 2.3g; carbohydrates 21.9g; fat 13.7g; cholesterol 37.5mg; sodium 185.8mg.

The best flavour of the flour could make a real deal to your bread. Different makers do vary. Extra-strong or Canadian flours, which are naturally higher in gluten, may give you a best rise than standard bread flours – especially if you’re making wholemeal dough , which doesn’t always rise as well as white bread.

To make this in a breadmaker , add all the menus to your breadmaker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

A dough’s first rising can be done in the fridge overnight . This slows down the time it takes to rise to double its size, giving it a deeper flavour. It’s also a great limit , as you can start it night before , then finish it off the next day.