Authentic Polish Kiffles with Sweet Plum Filling: A Timeless Recipe

Step into a world of culinary nostalgia with these exquisite Polish Kiffles, lovingly filled with a rich, sweet plum paste. These delightful cookies are more than just a treat; they are a bite-sized journey back to cherished memories, reminiscent of festive holiday gatherings and comforting family traditions. Their subtly sweet flavor and tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture make them utterly irresistible – it’s truly hard to stop at just one.

Kiffle, Kolaczki, or Kolachki? Unraveling the Name of a Beloved Cookie

The name of these beloved pastries often sparks friendly debates, deeply rooted in regional and familial traditions across Central and Eastern Europe. If you ask my husband, who cherishes these from his Polish childhood, he will confidently declare them “kiffle.” Yet, others with Polish heritage might refer to them as Kolaczki or Kolachki, derived from the Polish word for “kola” or “wheels,” referring to their folded shape. Some even affectionately call them “Filled Bow Tie Cookies” because of their distinct appearance.

While the term “kiffle” is indeed more commonly associated with Hungarian pastries, particularly those with nut fillings (like these awesome walnut-filled beauties), the essence of a tender, cream cheese-based dough wrapped around a delicious filling remains a common thread throughout the region. Given my own family’s Hungarian roots, I find it a delightful convergence of traditions. For this recipe, we’re sticking with the name that resonates most deeply in our home: Polish Kiffles with Plum Filling. Regardless of what you call them, the taste of these delicate cookies is universally adored.

Gather Your Ingredients: The Foundation of Perfect Kiffles

Creating these delightful plum kiffles begins with selecting the right ingredients and ensuring they are prepared properly. Here’s what you’ll need to get started, along with a few tips for the best results:

• Cream Cheese – It’s crucial for the cream cheese to be at room temperature. This ensures it blends smoothly with the butter, creating a tender, rich, and slightly tangy dough that gives these cookies their signature soft, chewy texture.
• Unsalted Butter – Also at room temperature. Using unsalted butter is key as it allows you to control the salt content in your baking. More importantly, it lets the pure, natural butter flavor shine through, which is essential for the delicate taste of kiffles.
• Flour – Unbleached all-purpose flour is recommended for its consistent quality. For a truly superior result, consider using organic, non-GMO, and glyphosate-free flour. My personal favorite is from a domestic company, Sunrise Flour Mill, located in Minnesota.
• Dried Pitted Plums – These form the heart of our delicious filling. If fresh dried plums are hard to find in your local store, prunes are an excellent alternative and often more readily available. You can also try ordering them online here.
• Brown Sugar – Whether you choose light or dark brown sugar, its molasses content will impart a richer, more caramel-like, and slightly nutty flavor to the plum filling, distinguishing it from the simpler sweetness of white sugar.
• Orange Juice – Freshly squeezed orange juice is highly recommended. Its vibrant, zesty notes brighten the plum filling, adding a lovely complexity and freshness.
• Powdered Sugar – Also known as confectioners’ sugar, this is indispensable for dusting the finished cookies. Its incredibly fine texture ensures a smooth, delicate coating without any gritty sugar crystals, perfect for the elegant finish of kiffles.

Preparing the Irresistible Plum Filling

The delicious plum filling can be prepared in advance, or while your kiffle dough is chilling. This flexibility makes the baking process smoother and more enjoyable. The robust flavor of plums, combined with brown sugar and a hint of orange, creates a filling that is both sweet and slightly tart, a perfect complement to the rich dough.

Crafting the Delicate Kiffle Dough

The dough for these Polish Kiffles is famously tender and rich, thanks to the combination of cream cheese and butter. Achieving the right consistency at each stage is crucial for that classic, flaky yet soft texture.

• Gradually add the all-purpose flour to the creamed mixture. Pour in one cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. This gradual approach helps prevent over-mixing and ensures a smooth, well-incorporated dough.
• Once the dough is uniformly mixed, gather it, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and let it rest in the refrigerator. This chilling period is essential for at least one hour to allow the butter and cream cheese to firm up, making the dough much easier to roll and handle.

For convenience, the dough can be prepared the day before and stored in the refrigerator overnight. This makes it a fantastic make-ahead option for busy bakers, allowing you to split the preparation over two days.

Shaping and Baking Your Golden Kiffles

With your dough perfectly chilled and your plum filling ready, it’s time for the enjoyable process of shaping and baking these traditional Polish cookies.

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. This prevents sticking and ensures easy cleanup.

• After the dough has sufficiently chilled, roll it out on a lightly powdered sugar-dusted surface or a silicone mat. It’s important to use powdered sugar, not flour, to prevent the dough from becoming tough. For easier handling and consistent thickness, it can be helpful to roll the dough between two pieces of parchment or wax paper.
• Roll the dough evenly to about ¼ inch thickness. For perfect, uniform cookies, I highly recommend using an adjustable rolling pin, which ensures your dough is consistently rolled to the desired thickness.

Don’t waste any dough! Any cut-away scraps can be gently re-rolled to create additional cookies, maximizing your yield.

• Cut the rolled dough into 2-inch squares.
• Place a small dollop of your prune (plum) filling, approximately one scant teaspoon, in the center of each square. Avoid overfilling, as this can lead to leakage during baking.
• To shape the kiffles, carefully overlap opposite corners of each dough square towards the center, over the filling. Gently press the dough together to seal.
• If needed, dab a tiny bit of water on one point to help securely seal the opposite point. This ensures your filling stays perfectly encased.

• Carefully transfer the shaped, filled cookies to your parchment paper-lined baking sheet using a spatula. Leave a little space between each cookie.
• Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 12-15 minutes, or until the corners are lightly golden brown. Watch them closely to prevent overbaking, which can dry out these delicate pastries.
• Once baked, remove the tray from the oven.

• Use a spatula to gently transfer the warm cookies to a wire rack.
• Allow them to cool completely. This is important for their structure and for the powdered sugar to adhere properly.
• Once fully cooled, dust the kiffles generously with powdered sugar. This not only adds a beautiful, traditional finish but also an extra touch of delicate sweetness.

Customizing Your Polish Kiffles: Endless Filling Possibilities

While plum is a traditional and highly cherished filling for kiffles, the versatility of this pastry dough allows for a wonderful array of customizations. The tender, rich dough acts as a perfect canvas for various flavors.

How to customize your Polish Kiffles with Plum Filling:

• The foundation of these traditional pastries lies in the rich, tender cream cheese dough. It’s truly perfect as is, so I wouldn’t recommend altering its composition.
• Apricot Filling: A very popular alternative to plum is a vibrant apricot filling. A recipe for this delightful variation is included in the Recipe Notes section below.
• Sweet Cheese Filling: For a different profile, consider a luscious sweet cheese filling. An excellent recipe can be found here. Its creamy texture provides a wonderful contrast to the dough.
• Other Fruit Fillings: The possibilities are nearly endless! Other popular choices include raspberry, almond, poppy seed, strawberry, blueberry, and even pineapple. Each offers a unique flavor experience.
• Choosing Fillings: If you’re looking for a shortcut, be cautious about using ordinary jarred jam. Most jams are too thin and will likely leak out during baking, leading to a sticky mess.
• Store-Bought Pastry Fillings: For convenience without compromising quality, look for dedicated pastry fillings in the baking aisle of your grocery store. These are specifically formulated to be thick enough for baking. The Solo brand is an excellent and widely available choice.

Storage and Serving Suggestions

Once baked and cooled, Polish Kiffles are best enjoyed fresh. Store any leftover cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to three days to maintain their freshness and delicate texture. For longer storage, they can be wrapped well and frozen for up to two months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

These elegant cookies are perfect for various occasions. Serve them as a light dessert after a meal, alongside a cup of coffee or tea for a delightful afternoon treat, or include them as part of a holiday cookie platter. They also make a thoughtful homemade gift for friends and family.

More Traditional Cookies to Delight Your Palate

If you’ve enjoyed making these Polish Kiffles, you might also love exploring other traditional cookie recipes:

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