Polish Christmas Cookies (Kiflis) Recipe
Polish Christmas Cookies, also known as Kiflies, are delicate crescent-shaped pastries filled with a fluffy walnut meringue filling. These traditional festive treats combine a buttery, tender dough with a sweet nutty filling, then are baked and dusted with powdered sugar for a perfect holiday dessert.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: Approximately 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Polish
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 stick unsalted cold butter, diced
- 3 egg yolks (from medium size eggs)
- 1/4 cup sour cream
Filling Ingredients
- 3 egg whites (from medium size eggs)
- 1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
- 1 1/2 cups walnuts, ground or finely chopped
Coating
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 cups powdered sugar (for rolling after baking)
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: Using a food processor or pastry blender, blend the cold diced butter into 1 1/2 cups of flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the 3 egg yolks and 1/4 cup sour cream and mix well.
- Form the Dough: Add the flour and butter mixture to the egg yolk and sour cream mixture. Blend and knead lightly until you achieve a consistency similar to pie dough. Shape the dough into small walnut-sized balls, cover them, and refrigerate for at least one hour to chill.
- Prepare the Filling: Beat the 3 egg whites until fluffy using a mixer. Gradually add 1/3 of the 1 1/2 cups sugar at a time, continuing to beat until the mixture is stiff and glossy. Gently fold in the finely ground walnuts to complete the filling.
- Coat Dough Balls: In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Remove half the chilled dough balls from the refrigerator and roll each into this flour and sugar mixture, ensuring they are well coated. Keep the remaining dough balls refrigerated.
- Roll Each Dough Ball: Roll each coated dough ball on a floured surface (using the flour and sugar mixture) into a thin circle suitable for filling.
- Fill and Shape Cookies: Place a heaping teaspoon of the walnut meringue filling onto each dough circle. Carefully roll the dough up into a crescent shape, pinching the ends tightly to seal. Place each shaped cookie seam-side down on a parchment-lined or greased cookie sheet.
- Repeat the Process: Continue coating, rolling, filling, and shaping the remaining dough balls and filling until all dough is used.
- Bake the Cookies: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes or until they are lightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool slightly on the baking sheet.
- Coat with Powdered Sugar: While still warm, roll each cookie generously in powdered sugar to finish. Let cool completely before serving or storing.
Notes
- Ensure the butter for the dough is cold for a tender, flaky texture.
- Use finely ground walnuts for a smooth filling without large chunks.
- Egg whites should be beaten to stiff peaks for the filling to hold air and create a light texture.
- Chilling the dough before shaping helps prevent sticking and makes rolling easier.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature; they can last up to 1 week.
- These cookies freeze well; wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months.
Keywords: Polish Christmas Cookies, Kiflies, Walnut Cookies, Holiday Cookies, Crescent Cookies, Traditional Polish Dessert
