12 Days of Cookies: #3 Apricot Bow Ties
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Growing up, my aunt was the primary cookie-maker in our family. Every Christmas Eve we would all look forward to the giant plate of cookies she would bring (actually, it was usually a sweater box from Marshal Fields that she had lined with waxed paper and filled with cookies). Her cookies were famous. There were an assortment but what I really looked forward to were what we always called kolaches, or more phonetically: kolachkies. They were an unsweetened pastry dough with assorted fruit fillings, somewhere between a cookie and a pastry. Man, I loved those cookies.
This recipe from Fine Cooking is the closest thing to those cookies that I have found. Oddly enough, it comes from another Chicago native who also called these kolaches— maybe it is some weird Chicago thing. The dough has a very pleasant sourness which pairs nicely with the sweet fruit filling and the dusting of confectioner’s sugar. The flavor is a real blast from my past and a nice addition to my very own box of cookies.
Tomorrow I am back with another cookie and another special guest!
Apricot Bow Ties (or Kolaches) (Recipe by Debbie Reid via Fine Cooking)
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 8 oz. (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 11 1/4 oz (2 1/2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour, sifted; plus more for rolling
- 1 12-oz. jar good-quality apricot preserves (about 3/4 cup)
- 1 large egg, beaten
- Confectioner’s sugar, for dusting
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and paddle. With the mixer on low, gradually mix in the flour until a smooth dough forms.
Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and the dough gently to form a ball. Divide the dough in thirds, wrap each in plastic wrap, and flatten into squares. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. Heat the oevn to 400 degrees F. Line 3 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Remove one piece of dough from the refrigerator and roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a 1/8-inch thick rectangle. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, trim the rough edges of the dough so the sides are straight, and then cut into 2-inch squares. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of the preserves onto the center of each square. Fold one corner into the center, dab with the beaten egg, and then bring the opposite
corner into the center and pinch firmly together to seal the corners. With a thin spatula, transfer the cookie to the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat the process with the remaining dough.
Bake one sheet at a time until golden and very lightly browned and puffed, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely and then dust with confectioner’s sugar.
Previously on the 12 Days of Cookies:
December 3rd, 2009 at 9:28 am
Kolaches are not a “weird Chicago thing” they are eastern European cookies. Many people of Polish descent live in Chicago and therefore are fans of these cookies. I’ve never found any to match my grandmother’s version (which was round, not folded, with the jam in the center) but these look good, I may try them.
December 3rd, 2009 at 9:31 am
Hi Cindy, I know what Kolaches are and I am in fact of Polish decent and grew up in Chicago. These do not look like traditional kolaches to me and that is what I was commenting on. I always knew kolaches to be round with jam in the center as well. If you find a good recipe like that, pass it along! Thanks!
December 3rd, 2009 at 9:47 am
The Czechs in central Texas also make traditional kolaches (round, with jam in the center), but I’ve never seen them quite like this. I wonder how they came about?
December 3rd, 2009 at 9:53 am
Awesome Tim! Go Chi-town! Thanks for the recipe. I have always wanted to make this classic. I’ll take them any which way — folded or otherwise. Loving the 12 days!
December 3rd, 2009 at 10:26 am
The round is good too—if you’re looking for something less formal.
December 3rd, 2009 at 10:32 am
Very funny, Bryan, very funny.
December 3rd, 2009 at 10:45 am
Beautiful Kolaches! I did a sampling this march during my tour of central TX.
What you doing with all your extra cookies?? *wink*
December 3rd, 2009 at 11:24 am
This is mortifying, but I have quite literally just caught myself drooling over this image. Gorgeous, I’m getting on this immediately!
December 3rd, 2009 at 12:52 pm
I’m on a little commenting marathon here at L&D, hope that’s okay. With photos and recipes like these, how can I stay silent? It’s impossible. I have to ask – where do you find the time? Between work and my kids, I’ll be lucky to get one kind of cookie out this holiday season, much less 12. I’m a bit envious of all the holiday baking going on around the internet, but… I wouldn’t trade my kids. (ha!) ;)
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:00 pm
Hi,
Check Martha Stewart’s website for round kolaches. I saw them in an old cookies magazine of hers. I am not used to a round shape but the shape you have pictured. Thanks for the recipe.
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:05 pm
so adorable. i’ve never heard of these cookies but they surely look tasty. can’t wait to tomorrow’s recipe!
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:31 pm
Thanks, Georgine!
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:34 pm
Hey Dawn, I am loving the commenting marathon. I do not have kids, which makes a HUGE difference! Also, I am crazy. And honestly, starting to feel a little overwhelmed by the amount of cookies being produced in my kitchen. Feels like we live in a bakery!
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:40 pm
Pointy is definitely more formal than round.
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:43 pm
How funny, this dough looks a lot like my rugelach recipe! I just roll my fillings up into a twist and slice. This seems like a great solution for when I overdo it on the fillings… which is very often!
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:57 pm
I’m of Czech descent as well and my dad grew up in Chicago. I make Kolachky every year at Christmas time and will send you my Czech grandma’s recipe if you want. It’s quite similiar to yours only we always use Solo brand filling. Not sure if that was a family thing or a Chicago thing . . .
Great site by the way!
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:59 pm
Hi Anne, my aunt always used solo filling too! Yes, I would love it if you could send the recipe. tim@lottieanddoof.com thanks so much!
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:19 pm
Pointy is to bow tie as round is to baseball cap.
December 3rd, 2009 at 3:09 pm
I am loving the whole idea of apricot bow ties!
Well done.
December 3rd, 2009 at 6:23 pm
‘m going to try your recipe this weekend! I haven’t seen this cookie since I left Chicago ten years ago.
December 4th, 2009 at 1:51 am
Thanks, Tim, Keep those cookie recipes coming!
December 5th, 2009 at 9:40 am
Hi! I’m new here, I found you from 101 Cookbooks, and in reading about you, we are neighbors kind of. I live in Oak Park, not far from Chicago.
Anyway, I got a tear in my eye when I saw those pastries you made because it brought back memories of my dad making those all through out the year. He went to culinary school when I was in Jr. High and used to do his “homework” in our kitchen! It was pretty sweet and my friends were super jealous! He passed away 11 years ago, and I had forgotten how much I loved his pastries! I think I’ll make these for my kids this Holiday. Thanks for posting the recipe!
I’ll be coming back again. Have a great weekend!
December 5th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
Oh! kolaches are the best. My German mother made them with a yeast dough with prune and apricot filling. Yum!
December 5th, 2009 at 7:26 pm
I just bought some amazing Apricot Rose Cardamom Jam that I feel would be uber amazing in these cookies.
December 5th, 2009 at 9:01 pm
Whoa, Beth- that does sound like it would be good.
December 6th, 2009 at 10:44 am
These cookies are actually from Fine Cooking magazine (December 2009, page 94), NOT Saveur magazine. You’re right that Debbie Reid, a reader of Fine Cooking from Clearwater, FL, provided the original recipe in the magazine. Either way, I’m looking forward to trying them.
December 6th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
My aunt (from Poland) used to make these. As a child, I helped with the baking…they looked just like your photo. Thanks for the recipe. All I could remember was to use 1 pound of cream cheese and 1 pound of butter.
December 7th, 2009 at 8:20 am
hi–both sides of my family are Czech. The recipe from the Chicago side is similar to this–my grandmother used poppy seed (solo?) or apricot preserves and folded them bow-tie shape. the other grandmother grew up in Nebraska and her recipe is round, includes yeast, and has jam in it. Both called “kolatch-kies”, spelled kolaches in the recipes they gave me. definitely must be some eastern european cookie “staple”. :)
December 7th, 2009 at 10:39 am
I just came across your website and saw this recipe and smiled–I made the dough for these last night, with the plan of rolling them out today! (My original recipe was from Fine Cooking, though, not Saveur, although it looks exactly the same.) Glad to hear they turned out well–looking forward to seeing how mine work out.
December 7th, 2009 at 10:43 am
Thank you, Bella! Of course, you are correct- these are from Fine Cooking. Too many cookies to keep track of! Thanks for pointing out my mistake!
December 7th, 2009 at 11:12 am
I am just finishing up a batch of these – they are delish!!! But, be sure to pinch them FIRMLY – my first sheet had a lot of blow outs (oh well, more to sample) I love the 12 days of cookies idea – I’m always looking to add to my repertoire for the holidays.
December 7th, 2009 at 11:30 am
This is exactly the recipe my Pittsburgh, PA family has passed down, and they are wonderful!
We use Solo filling as well. I now use parchment paper for baking, which makes the process much less labor intensive – Just swoop the whole sheet of cookies off to a cooling rack rather than handling each cookie individually. I make these early in December and have frozen them undusted. I would appreciate suggestions for storing these goodies.
December 8th, 2009 at 10:09 am
Hi guys! I’m a huge fan of your website, incidentally, or I wouldn’t have found these.
I’m a New Jerseyian expatriate living in London, but of Eastern European descent. As far as I know, my mom is still making these twice a year. We always called them “kiflis”, which appears to be the more-labourious Hungarian version of these “bow ties” cookies.
They’re EXCEPTIONALLY good with a crushed-walnut-and-honey base filling.
Just letting you know I’m making a batch to bring to Christmas parties this week!
Keep on cooking, my friends.
December 8th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
As with Pat, any suggestions on storage? They were so nice and flaky yesterday, I put them in an airtight tin and today they are no longer flaky. Doesn’t affect their yumminess at all, just any way to keep that flake?
December 8th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
Hi Stephanie and Pat: They do lose the flakiness on the second day, like most pastries. Not much you can do about it. Luckily, they maintain a nice flavor for a couple of days. If you are interested in longer term storage, the cookies can be frozen for up to a couple of weeks. Simply thaw and dust with powdered sugar. Again, they will lose that initial flake.
December 11th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
oh yeah I am polish descent, in fact i just moved from poland. theyre actually square.
December 11th, 2009 at 9:22 pm
These are also called rosky — another Polish word. My Polish grandmother and mother have made these for years. My mom swears by Solo apricot filling. She also makes a version filled with a finely ground nut paste that’s wonderful. My favorite, favorite holiday in the world is a mug of hot coffee and a plate of two apricot rosky. Once these have been around a few days it’s helpful to refresh them a bit with some fresh shakes of powdered sugar.
December 12th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
Very pretty and I love the flavor of apricot!
December 16th, 2009 at 6:55 pm
My mom made a version of these. we are polish. My mom’s dough was very flakey though. she would roll it out and layer butter, fold and roll, butter, fold and roll,… almost like a filo dough. i am craving my mom’s that she filled with lekvar… (prune.)
December 23rd, 2009 at 8:52 pm
I’m from Chicago and my Mom taught me the bow-tie method. You can actually find the recipe on the back of the can of cherry Solo filling.
January 2nd, 2010 at 6:55 am
I have a version of these cookies from my maternal grandmother who was Slovakian. We did not call them “kolaches.” The dough differs a bit, and following tradtion, I cook down dried apricots for the filling. You can also use lekvar (prune) or a mixture of sugar, chopped walnuts, and egg white as alternative fillings.