There are many different styles (and spellings) for Kolache cookies; some are made with yeast, some made with cream cheese, some are round, some are rolled up.

This recipe is a cream cheese and butter crust that bakes up light as air and flaky and sweet. Instead of using dried fruit (like some recipes call for), it uses jam (any flavor you like) They are truly delicious and look SO PRETTY on any cookie tray.

2  1/4  cups all purpose flour
1  cup butter at room temperature
8  ounces full fat cream cheese at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix flour and salt and set aside. NOTE: If you are using UNsalted butter, increase the salt in this recipe to 1/2 teaspoon. 

In a stand mixer, beat the room temperature butter + the room temperature cream cheese + sugar and vanilla on medium high speed for 3 minutes.

After you have beaten the butter-cream cheese for 3 minutes, slowly add the flour-salt  mixture (I usually add it in fourths), mixing well after each addition.

Divide the dough in half and shape into two flat disks about 3/4" thick. Cover and chill for about an hour.

After the dough has chilled for an hour, turn it out on a counter that has been coated with GRANULATED SUGAR. Roll dough to 1/8" thickness and make sure the sugar coats both sides of the dough (this dough is VERY easy to work).

NOTE: If you are like me, I often don't get back to this dough within an hour and it is rock hard when I go to roll it out. If that happens, just let it sit out at room temperature for about 20 minutes and it will soften up enough to be workable. 

Cut dough into (roughly) 2 1/2 inch squares. Pick up each square and pinch two opposite corners together (see above photo). Lay it on a parchment lined baking sheet and spoon 1/4 teaspoon of favorite jam into each end of the cookie. Personally, I like to do this step with a disposable frosting bag and I just squirt it into each end opening.

Bake in preheated 375° oven for 12 to 14 minutes (my electric oven takes exactly 12 minutes). Cool on wire rack.

ENJOY !!

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December 19, 2021

These beautiful little tarts make ANY dinner special. They are absolutely delicious tiny bites (about the size of a tassie) of cinnamon spiced sweet potato and pecans all baked in a pre-prepared mini-phyllo cup. They are impressive looking, great tasting, ultra-easy and (believe it or not) the recipe says they are only about 45 calories each!! It doesn't get much better than that!!!

1 cup cooked and mashed sweet potato
3 tablespoons white sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup chopped toasted pecans
¼ cup brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon dark corn syrup (I used light)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg white

2 (2.1 ounce) packages mini-phyllo shells

Poke sweet potatoes a few times with a knife and place them in a pie plate with 2 tablespoons of water; cover loosely with waxed paper and microwave on high for five minutes (mine took 7 minutes) or until tender.

Mash and measure out 1 cup of sweet potato. Add sugar, cinnamon and salt and stir well (I used my electric mixer to really mash the potatoes). Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine toasted pecans, brown sugar, syrup, vanilla and egg white. Stir well and set aside.

Set mini phyllo shells on a baking sheet and put about 1 teaspoon of the sweet potato mixture into the bottom of each shell (gently push down-in a little). Spoon 1/2 teaspoon of pecan mixture over the sweet potato mixture. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

ENJOY!!!

NOTE: Our super-store sells these little pre-made phyllo shells in the ATHENS brand.

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October 29, 2021

I think of my Dear Sweet mother every time I make these pecan sandie's, they were her favorite kind of cookie; I think Keebler made them if I remember correctly. 

 

This cookie is buttery, sweet, tender and  they melt in your mouth!! The cookie dough is formed into logs, then chilled for about an hour, then sliced (abt. 1/4" thick) and baked at your convenience. 

This recipe makes 4 nice big logs (each log makes about a dozen cookies). I often make this cookie dough and (after it's formed into logs) I freeze them. When I need another batch of cookies, I just pull the dough out of the freezer and (after  you let it warm up enough to slice) you have hot cookies in a flash!!

2 cups butter (no substitutions) room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract (important see note)
4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the room temperature butter, sugar, salt and extracts until the mixture is light and fluffy (takes a few minutes and looks sort of like whipped cream when you are done).

Add the flour, one cup at a time, until well mixed. The dough will seem VERY thick, so a stand mixer works best but it isn't absolutely necessary. You will know you have mixed it enough when the cookie dough starts to come away from the sides of the mixing bowl. Mix in nuts.

Divide the dough into 4 logs about  2" in diameter. Roll the logs in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for about an hour (or up to several days).

When it's time to bake, slice the cookie dough logs into 1/4" slices and roll (tops and bottoms) in granulated sugar.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for  18-20 minutes (my oven takes exactly 18 minutes) or until the edges are JUST STARTING to turn golden.

 

NOTE: You will not taste the coconut extract in the final cookie, but it lends a wonderful "background" flavor that is reminiscent of those great Royal Dansk Danish Butter Cookies that come in round tins at Christmas time.

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February 06, 2021

Remember those crispy holiday cookies that came in the bright blue tin containers at Christmas? Yes, those!!! They are Danish Butter Cookies and they are TOTALLY addicting!!! 

These cookies don't have that fancy swirl that came on the holiday cookies in the tins, but that is a SMALL price to pay in exchange for how easy these are to make.

1 cup butter at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Cream the room temperature butter and sugar until it is light and creamy (about a minute or so).

Add 1 egg and the vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy (about another minute).

Mix the flour, baking soda and cream of tarter in a small bowl and add it to the beaten butter, half cup at a time, mixing only long enough to combine well after each addition of flour.

Roll into 1" balls and then roll them in granulated sugar. Place them on lightly greased baking sheet 3" apart. (Note: I spray my cookie sheet with vegetable spray, then wipe most of it off with a paper towel).

Once on the cookie sheet, lightly press them down a little with a fork and add an extra pinch of sugar on top of the raw cookie.

Bake in pre-heated 350F oven for 10-11 minutes or just until the outer edges are golden. My electric oven takes 11 minutes.

Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool ON THE PAN for 3-4 minutes, then transfer them to a cookie rack to cool completely.

The cookies will crisp up as they cool.

This recipe makes about 4 dozen cookies.

ENJOY !!!

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February 04, 2019

I make these cookies for Christmas; individually wrapped, these BIG COOKIES make nice thank you treats for teachers, the mail man, the UPS man, etc.

The flavor of this chocolate chip cookie the best I've ever found, with tons of chocolate and walnuts.  This recipe makes about 24 HUGE 5" cookies.

1/2 cup rolled oats 
2  1/4 cups flour
1  1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1  teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup butter (room temperature)
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup regular white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
2 eggs
3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts chopped

Put the rolled oats in the food processor and process until you get a fairly fine powder. In a bowl, mix the oat "powder" with the flour + baking soda + salt + cinnamon and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the room temperature butter, sugars, vanilla and lemon juice until it is smooth and creamy. Add the eggs and mix until smooth.

Add the dry ingredients, 1 cup at a time, mixing well in between each addition. Dough is going to be very stiff, so a stand mixer works well for this.  

Add the chocolate chips and nuts and mix until well combined.  CHILL THE DOUGH FOR ABOUT 1 HOUR.

Each cookie takes a little less than 1/4 cup of cookie dough. I use my ice cream scoop to measure them out.

Roll the 1/4 cup of cookie dough in your hand and place six cookie dough balls on every large cookie sheet (at least 5" apart).  Bake in pre-heated  350 degree oven and bake for 16 to 18 minutes. My standard electric oven takes 16 minutes exactly.

Let the baked cookies sit on the hot cookie pan for about 3 minutes before you move them to a cooling rack (the cookies will fall apart if you try to take them off of the cookie sheet too soon).

Once the cookies are completely cooled, I wrap them individually in plastic wrap and then freeze them in a freezer zipper bag until I'm ready to give them away.

They are completely delicious!!!

ENJOY !!!

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December 21, 2018

This is the best sugar cookie we've tried in years.It's super light with crispy edges,sweet with roasted almonds. It is a great cookie. I found the original recipe on a web site called Chocolate, Chocolate and More, but of course I had to tweak it.

Roast 1 1/2 cup of whole almonds in a 350° oven for about 10 minutes or until you notice a nutty aroma. Let cool and then put them in your food processor. Pulse them a few times until you get nice small pieces (sift out the "fines" if you have any).

1 1/2 cups butter (room temperature)

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon coconut extract (see note)

1 teaspoon baking powder

dash salt

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup roasted chopped almonds 

In stand mixer, beat room temperature butter plus brown sugar plus granulated sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).

Beat in 2 eggs (one at a time) plus extracts.

In another bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt. Add this flour mixture to butter mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well in between each addition. Fold in chopped nuts. Chill for about 1/2 hour to make handling easier.

Form into 1" balls and roll in granulated sugar. Chill another half hour (or put in freezer for 10 minutes like I do).

Bake on parchment lined cookie sheet (I use that new "no stick" aluminum foil).  Space cookies at least 2" apart because they spread a little. Bake at 375 for 8 to 10 minutes (my electric oven takes exactly 9 minutes) or until the edges are golden.

IMPORTANT: Let baked cookies sit on cookie sheet for about 2 minutes before you try to remove them, or they will break apart.

Finish cooling on baking rack.

The cookies get nice and crispy 

in a few minutes

NOTE: Don't leave out the coconut extract. You won't taste coconut specifically in the finished cookie, but it blends well with the vanilla and enhances the overall  buttery taste of this cookie.

This recipe makes about 4 dozen cookies....depending on how big you make them.

ENJOY !!

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March 03, 2018

Chocolate wafer cookies can be used for so many things. They are great in the ever popular no-bake eclair "cake", and they look so pretty coated with mint chocolate at Christmas, they are perfect for ice cream sandwiches, and much more. Unfortunately, commercial chocolate wafer cookies are sometimes hard to find in the store, especially around the holidays.

Problem solved: I found a recipe that tastes just like Nabisco's chocolate wafer cookies.

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I use 1/2 cup)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar   (I use 1 cup)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) UNsalted butter, 
3 tablespoons whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Put the flour, cocoa, sugar, salt and baking soda in the bowl of your food processor and pulse several times to mix thoroughly.

Cut the SLIGHTLY softened butter into 12 chunks and add them to the flour mixture. Pulse several times.

In a small cup, mix the milk and vanilla and drizzle it into the cookie batter while the food processor is running. Continue pulsing until the batter clumps around the blade or the sides of the bowl.

Transfer dough to the counter (no extra flour needed) and knead a few times to form into a 12" x 2" log. Cover in plastic wrap and chill at least an hour. I like to square off the sides of the log to give me more of a square cookie.

The original recipe says to slice into 1/4" thick slices, but I find that 1/8" slices are better. Bake them on parchment lined cookie sheets (1 1/2" apart) in a pre-heated 375° oven, for 12-15 minutes. My electric oven takes 13 minutes.

Cool the cookies on the cookie sheet for a couple minutes, then place them on a wire rack. They will crisp up as they cool.

You can store these cookies in an airtight container for up to two weeks or they can be frozen up to 2 months, so they are a perfect "make ahead" baking project.

At Christmas, I dipped these

chocolate wafers into melted

Andres Creme de Menthe chocolates

they were Deee-licious!!

Chocolate wafers in the (ever popular)
Eclair Cake is a nice twist

No Bake Eclair Cake

Overnight in the fridge, the cookies 

turn into "cake"...delicious!!

Here's the link: No Bake Eclair Cake

ENJOY !!!

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November 17, 2017

Sweet and tender, these old fashioned classic shortbread cookies are easy to make and ALWAYS a big hit. Picky-picky husband loves them frosted in pink (for some weird reason), they are one of his all time favorites.

CLASSIC SHORTBREAD COOKIES

2 cups UNsalted butter (room temperature)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract
4 cups all purpose flour
(NO EGGS)

The cookie batter in the recipe is fairly heavy, so it works best in a stand mixer if possible.

Add 2 cups (one pound) of room temperature butter and 1 cup regular sugar into the bowl of your stand mixer. Beat until fluffy (about 2 minutes). The last 30 seconds or so, add the salt and extracts and beat until well mixed. (see note about salt)

Add the flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing well between each addition.
Dump cookie batter onto counter and divide into 4 sections. Roll each section into a "log" about 2" in diameter. Wrap each "log" in plastic wrap and chill for one hour. You can roll the entire CHILLED log in sprinkles or finely chopped nuts before you slice them if you like.

Pre-heat oven to 350° and slice chilled cookie dough "logs" into 1/4" slices. Place on UNgreased cookie sheet and bake for 18 minutes or until the very edges just start to turn golden.

Cool cookies and frost if you like.  If you aren't going to frost them, roll the sliced cookie's in granulated sugar BEFORE BAKING.

NOTE: If you do not have UNsalted butter on hand (no big deal), just use regular salted  butter, but LEAVE OUT the salt in the recipe.

ENJOY !!!!!

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March 22, 2017

Everyone seems to have their own favorite Pecan Tassie recipe, but the crust in 99% of the recipes out there is the same..... flour, butter and cream cheese.

This year, I added just a little extra something to the crust part of the recipe and it made a HUGE difference to the overall cookie, they were a big hit.

Tassie Crust
1 cup butter (room temperature)
6 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream the butter and cream cheese (with electric mixer) until it is light and fluffy. Add rest of the ingredients and beat until the dough comes cleanly away from the inside walls of your mixing bowl. Flatten dough into a disk, wrap in plastic and chill for one hour.

Tassie Filling
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
1 3/4 cups light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Beat the eggs until very well mixed and lemon colored. Stir in everything else.

ASSEMBLYRoll pastry into 1 inch balls and place them into an ungreased mini-muffin pan. Using your fingers, press the balls of dough into the bottom of each cup and up the sides. (I use the floured end of my rolling pin to press the dough into place instead of my fingers). Put a few chopped pecans in the bottom of each pastry shell and top with about a tablespoon of filling. (see note)

Bake in pre-heated 375F oven for 15-20 minutes or until the pastry is golden and the filling is set, yet still a little soft in the center. Remove from oven and sit the pan on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before you try to lift them out. Lift tassies out of pan and cool on a wire rack.

NOTE: Keep in mind that the filling puffs a little as it bakes, so don't overfill the unbaked shells. If you overfill them, they will be harder to get out. For those stubborn Tassies that want to stick, just use the tip of a knife to help you lift them out of the pan.

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December 09, 2016

This cookie has a very traditional shortbread cookie texture, yet it is light as a feather, sweet and literally melts in your mouth!!! These cookies are one of my families favorites and they are gone in a snap!!

 

1 1/2 cups butter (room temperature)
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

Beat the room temperature butter for about a minute, or until it is smooth. Add the powdered sugar, salt and extracts and beat on medium high for another minute.

Add the cornstarch and beat until well mixed. Add the flour, one cup at a time, beating well in between each cup.  Beat everything for one more minute, then cover and chill for about 30 minutes (I seldom chill the dough and it does ok).

Roll the dough into 1" balls and then roll the balls in granulated sugar. Use a fork to gently press down on the cookie ball (see photo).

Bake on ungreased baking sheet for 10-12 minutes at 350°. You will know when they are done because they get lightly golden around the edges. Cool on the cookie sheet for about 30 seconds before removing them.

These are excellent frosted AND unfrosted.  Makes 36 cookies.

NOTE: If you don't have coconut extract, you can just use 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla, however, the coconut extract truly adds a wonderful taste. The finished cookie does NOT taste like coconut, but it adds a wonderful yummy-ness to it, so I hope you will try it.

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August 26, 2016

It is time to start planning your Christmas cookie list, isn't it? Today's cookie is truly a five star keeper!!

These festive cookies taste just like Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies(only better!!) and they only take TWO INGREDIENTS to make!!! People will think you've been working on them all day.

 

I drizzled some white chocolate
decoration on these, just for fun,

but it certainly isn't necessary. You
can use holiday sprinkles instead.

You will need some Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers and some Andes (creme de menthe) chocolates.....that's it!!
 

 

The chocolate wafers come in a 9 ounce package and I found the Andes Mints (those creamy little chocolate mints with the green center) in a 4.67 ounce package.  There are 28 mints in the package and one package will do a dozen cookies (I found the mint packages for $1.60 here in Alaska, so hopefully you can find them even cheaper.

I unwrapped and then melted the chocolates in my microwave for about 30 seconds...stirred and then microwaved them for another 10 seconds (stir until the chocolate is smooth and shiny). Dip the chocolate wafers in the melted chocolate (both sides) and place on some parchment paper (or waxed paper).

Stick them in the fridge (I used the freezer) for about 5 minutes to "set" the chocolate......that's it!!  

 

 

NOTE: If you are having trouble finding the Andes Mints, just use the Andes Mint baking chips (next to the chocolate chips) they will work just as well. 

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!



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December 04, 2014