A grown-up, southwestern twist a classic Polish kołaczki*. If you don’t like jalapenos, just leave them out!
Ingredients
- For the dough:
2 cups all-purpose flour
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup butter, at room temperature
- For the filling:
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup white vinegar
3 jalapeno peppers, minced
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
12 ounces fresh cranberries
- For the garnish:
powdered sugar
Directions
- Make the dough:
- Place flour in bowl of food processor. With processor running, drop in chunks of the cream cheese and butter. Process until dough is formed. (Alternatively, mix the cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl by hand or with electric beater. Slowly blend in flour until dough is formed.) Wrap dough in wax paper or plastic wrap. Chill for at least one hour.
- Make the filling:
- While the dough is freezing, make the cranberry mixture. Place the water and vinegar in a 3-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil and let boil 5 minutes. Add the very finely chopped jalapeno peppers and the sugar. Return to a boil and let boil 5 minutes. Mix in the cranberries. Return to a boil and let boil 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour onto jelly roll pan. Chill for at least one hour.
- Assemble and bake the cookies:
- Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Dust your work surface with confectioners’ sugar. Working with a small chunk of dough, roll dough to about 1/4″ thick. Cut dough into 2″ squares. You can re-use the dough scraps. Place dough squares on cookie sheet sprayed with vegetable oil spray (do not *grease* the pan or you’ll have a real mess!). Put about 1 teaspoon cranberry-jalapeno relish in the center of each dough square. Bring 2 corners of the dough-square up and seal well. Bake 12 minutes. If cookies unfold during baking, press them back into shape while warm. Remove to a baking rack to cool completely. Dust lightly with confectioners’ sugar.
Notes
- Sometimes also spelled kolaches or kolachki.