Raspberry Bow Tie Cookies {AKA Polish Kolaczki Cookies} | Swanky Recipes (2024)

Christmas cookie baking comes around once a year and if these Raspberry Bow Tie Cookies are not on your list and you want to try a new holiday cookie recipe to share with the family then this is the perfect recipe to add to your repertoire this year. Plus, Santa will love them under the tree with a glass of milk.

An Eastern European Christmas cookie recipe from Poland that’s popular in the United States, too. Made with fruit preservatives as well as variations of pineapple and cream cheese. You’ll find this traditional Polish cookie recipe on holiday platters in December.

Bow tie cookies are a stand out cookie because of its classic shape and beautiful red color. They almost look like little gift baskets glistening under a Christmas tree. But this traditional cookie gets its name by looking like a bow tie worn with a tux. Topped with powdered sugar, they are a real treat that will stand out on your holiday spread.

HOW TO MAKE POLISH BOWTIE COOKIES

1. Cream butter and cream cheese.
2. Beat in powdered sugar, salt, vanilla extract, almond extract.
3. Mix in flour.
4. Roll dough into two balls, cover, and refrigerate.
5. Roll out dough. Cut into 2-inch by 2-inch squares.
6. Place 1/2 tsp raspberry jam diagonally down the center of prepared dough.
7. Fold one corner of dough into the center of the jam. Top with a touch of egg wash. Fold center corner to the center of jam, overlapping dough slightly. Pinch the cookie dough to hold it at the center.
8. Bake in 400°F oven for 10 minutes or until the bottoms are slightly golden brown.
9. Cool then transfer to a rack. Dust with powdered sugar.

Jazz the Cookies Up More

• PINEAPPLE AND CREAM CHEESE VERSION – Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar (sweeten to your liking) together then spread just a little bit of the mixture onto each square and top with pineapple jam.
• Sprinkle chopped/ground nuts such as pistachios on top of the warm cookies.
• Drizzle with melted chocolate.
• Drizzle with powdered sugar icing and Christmas sprinkles.
• Dunk end in melted white chocolate.
• Swap the jam out for other flavors like strawberry, apricot, cherry, peach, and apple.

RASPBERRY BOW TIE COOKIE INGREDIENTS

■ RASPBERRY JAM: Use a raspberry jam you like the best. I prefer jam over jelly.

■ FLAVORING: Almond and vanilla extract incorporate enough flavor into the dough. A little salt will help to bring the flavors out even more.

■ CREAM CHEESE: Using cream cheese adds a soft texture to the cookies. They are pillowy without puffing up too much like with baking powder or baking soda.

■ BUTTER: For Christmas cookies and holiday baking, I like to use real butter. Buy a good quality butter brand. They are usually on sale during the holiday season.

■ POWDERED SUGAR: The primary sweetener in the cookie recipe. Used in both the dough and as a garnish on the cookies. To dust the cookies with powdered sugar, use a fine mesh strainer then place a spoonful of the sugar in the strainer and shake it or tap it lightly.

BOW TIE COOKIE TIPS AND QUESTIONS

Does the dough need to be chilled? Yes, to prevent the dough from spreading too much, the cream cheese and butter will need to chill.

Do the cookies need to be 2 inches by 2 inches? Not really. They should be square but do not need to be perfect squares.

Where do I put the fruit jam? Once you have your square cut out, run the jam diagonally down the center instead of straight down the centerline.

How do I fold the cookie? Once the jam is down the center, take one point (use both points of the square that do not have jam near them) of the dough and fold it to the center. Apply a little egg wash then fold the other point on top. Pinch them slightly to ensure they stick together while baking.

Christmas Dessert Recipes

• Peanut Butter Blossoms–peanut butter cookies with a chocolate kiss.
• Strawberry Thumbprint Cookies–Buttery almond cookies with strawberry jam in the centers.
• Chocolate Crinkle Cookies–Classic chewy chocolate cookies!
• Hershey’s Kiss Snowballs and Pecan Snowballs – Same dough with both recipes, an extra chocolate kiss surprise in the Hershey’s version.
• Italian Christmas Cookies–Best flavored Italian sugar cookies
• Gingerbread Thumbprint Cookies–gingerbread cookies with white chocolate centers
• Christmas Pretzel Hugs–Easy 3-ingredientpretzel chocolate candy!
• Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies–Soft lemon cookies with cream cheese.
• Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookies–Peanut butter cookies baked in a mini muffin tin with Reese’s peanut butter cup in the center.
• Moose Munch – Classic holiday moose munch with an easy homemade caramel corn popcorn, pecans, toffee, and chocolate drizzle.