Polish Kiffles

One of the half billion reasons my husband is amazing is that he is passionate about baking like me. His mom instilled that in him with all of her incredible baking that she would do. These delectable Polish kiffles were a mainstay for the Holidays in their house as far back as hubby can remember. My first Christmas with him found me baking them with him and his sister and it was wonderful. I had never even heard of them before! Now I can’t imagine life without them. So I made a huge batch as part of my Holiday baking extravaganza and I was thrilled with how they came out.

The dough for the Polish kiffles was a super simple mixture of cream cheese, butter and flour. I whipped it all together easily with my hand mixer. Then I let it chill for three hours so that it was easier to work with. Otherwise it would have been too sticky.
The dough for the Polish kiffles was a super simple mixture of cream cheese, butter and flour. I whipped it all together easily with my hand mixer. Then I let it chill for three hours so that it was easier to work with. Otherwise it would have been too sticky.
From there making the Polish kiffles became a two person operation. Hubby and I both got to work rolling out and cutting out the dough into perfect little squares using my square cutter.
From there, making the Polish kiffles became a two person operation. Hubby and I both got to work rolling out and cutting out the dough into perfect little squares using my square cutter. We so rarely get to leisurely bake together and it was such a blast!
We filled the Polish kiffles with both apricot and cherry pastry filling. The canned stuff was perfect, especially since this recipe was labor intensive enough!
We filled the Polish kiffles with both apricot and cherry pastry filling. The canned stuff was perfect, especially since this recipe was labor intensive enough!
We pulled the opposite corners together and pressed them together well. I loved the pretty filling all enrobed in the dough! They looked like tiny cannoli. They needed about 10-12 minutes to become golden and gorgeous.
We pulled the opposite corners together and pressed them together well. I loved the pretty filling all enrobed in the dough! The Polish kiffles looked like tiny cannoli. They needed about 10-12 minutes to become golden and gorgeous.

Let me tell you, this recipe made a ton. We had about 6 dozen little kiffles on our hands when we were done. It was an all day affair, but man was it fun. These little jewels were stored in my tins and ready to give out to friends, neighbors, you name it. I hope you all enjoy this family classic! xoxo

Polish Kiffles
Polish Kiffles
Polish Kiffles
Polish Kiffles
4.6 from 5 votes
Polish Kiffles
Polish Kiffles
Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
20 mins
Dough Chilling Time
3 hrs
Total Time
1 hr 20 mins
 

These Polish kiffles are a Christmas staple in my husband's family! The easy cream cheese dough surrounds pie filling to make them look like little jewels.

Course: Dessert
Keyword: Cookies, Kiffles, Polish Kiffles
Servings: 6 dozen cookies
Calories: 122 kcal
Author: Jeanie and Lulu's Kitchen
Ingredients
  • 8 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
  • 2 sticks butter softened to room temperature
  • 2 cups flour plus additional as needed
  • powdered sugar as needed for dusting
  • 1 can Solo Apricot Pastry Filling
  • 1 can Solo Cherry Pastry Filling
  • 1 whole egg lightly beaten with a splash of water for egg wash
Instructions
  1. First, prepare the dough. Combine the cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl and beat them together well with a hand mixer. Slowly add the flour in while you continue to beat the batter until it forms a soft, sticky dough. Bring the dough together into a ball in the bowl with clean hands, then cover it. Let it chill in the refrigerator for three hours. When the three hours are up, pre-heat the oven to 350 and line 2 sheet trays with silicone mats.
  2. Take the dough and divide it into quarters. Dust a clean work surface with a little flour and powdered sugar and roll the first quarter out until it is 1/8 inch thick. Use a 1 1/2 to 2 inch square cutter, depending on how big you want them, and cut out perfect little squares out of the rolled out dough. Be sure to cut them out as close together as possible to minimize scraps. Take the scraps and roll them out again to cut out as many more squares as possible. Lay the squares out on one of the sheet trays.
  3. Scoop 1/2 a teaspoon of the apricot filling into the center of the first square. Then bring two of the opposite corners together and pinch them together well. It will look like a tiny cannoli. Repeat that until all of the squares are filled and formed into the kiffles. Then repeat the process with the next quarter of dough, but use the cherry filling for the second tray. Brush all of the kiffles with the egg wash to help seal them and make them golden, then bake them for 10-12 minutes. They should be golden.
  4. When they are done, take them out and let them cool for 5 minutes before transferring them to cooling racks to finish cooling. While they are still warm, dust them with more powdered sugar. Repeat the whole process with the last half of the dough, making a tray of apricot and a tray of cherry. When they are all completely cooled, store them in sealed tins where they will keep for weeks in a cool place. Enjoy giving them out and eating them for the Holidays!
Nutrition Facts
Polish Kiffles
Amount Per Serving (2 kiffles)
Calories 122 Calories from Fat 68
% Daily Value*
Fat 7.5g12%
Saturated Fat 4.7g29%
Cholesterol 25mg8%
Sodium 60mg3%
Potassium 18mg1%
Carbohydrates 12.3g4%
Fiber 0.2g1%
Sugar 4.7g5%
Protein 1.4g3%
Calcium 10mg1%
Iron 0.5mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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24 thoughts on “Polish Kiffles”

  1. I am Polish on my mothers side and grew up eating these as a child! I have not had them in years, but could you help me craft a vegan recipe? I went vegan 7 years ago, but LOVED these as a child!

    1. I’m really not that well versed in vegan baking unfortunately but I know a couple of colleagues who are. Let me see what they say. It is difficult since the majority of the dough of a traditional kiffle is cream cheese and butter.

  2. What was used for the cutter for the dough shapes? I am Polish and want to try this recipe. Can’t eat just one! 🙂

    1. Oh yes, they are definitely addictive. I used a square cutter that was about 1 1/2 to 2 inches in size. It depends on how big you want to make these little jewels, but the square cutter is the way to go :-). Hope that helps!

  3. I have never heard of these before but I absolutely would love to try them. They look like they are so very good!

  4. I want to make these but I don’t have the Solo fillings. Can I make them with regular jam?

  5. So I made these twice and both times they have opened on me. I close them by wetting them with a bit of cold water and then egg wash them. And they still open on me. Any suggestions? should I refrigerate them after I fill them?
    I still eat them, though. They are amazingly delicious. Help!

    1. I have some that open on me too. Sometimes they are just stubborn. I just close them as firmly as I can until the closing is basically one piece and hope for the best. So glad they still were delicious though!!

  6. I would love to try making these but 1/2 teaspoon of filling? That is such a tiny amount. Am i missing something?

    1. It does seem like a tiny amount, but these cookies are tiny and too much filling will make them not stay closed. You can adjust the cookie size and filling size to what you would like though! Hope this helps.

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