Polish Silesian Cookies Recipe – Szplitry Śląskie

What Are Szplitry Śląskie? 

They are cookies shaped like a slightly flattened tube. A square of shortcrust dough is topped with cheese, poppy seed, marmalade or jam filling, and then sealed at the edges. After baking, they are often sprinkled with powdered sugar or glazed with icing.

These cookies are similar to Kolaczki, but much easier to make.  Polish Szplitry come in two main varieties – those made from a yeast-shortcrust dough popular in Radzionków, and those made from shortcrust pastry better known in Cieszyn, Silesia.

A Recipe Passed Down for Generations

The history of these Polish Silesian cookies can be traced back to Radzionków, where they have been known since World War II.  By the mid-1900s, Szplitry earned recognition as one of Poland’s most iconic Christmas cookies. 

The recipe was passed down locally from generation to generation, with the baking method remaining pretty much the same. Traditionally, the dough was made from scratch with farm-fresh ingredients like flour, eggs, butter, and sugar. The most common fillings were sweet cheese, poppyseed, marmalade, or jam. Szplitry were labor intensive to make by hand – from preparing the dough to shaping each cookie to baking them just right. Though easier to make today, they are still prepared using that same generations-old recipe.

Tips For Making Polish Silesian Cookies – Szplitry Śląskie

1. They can be 100% vegetarian if you use plant-based butter and yogurt/sour cream 
2. The dough for Szplitry can be prepared even a day earlier – the cookies will then be more crumbly.
3. It’s ok to press the dough gently when folding, and the cookies won’t open up during baking, unlike Kolacky.
4. You can replace lemon juice with hot water.
5. If the dough seems too sticky, refrigerate it for 30 minutes before rolling it out. 

Polish Silesian Cookies- Szplitry Śląskie Recipe

Step I-Make The Dough

Knead the dough using your hands or food processor. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, can be done overnight.

Step II-Prep The Oven

Place the cold dough on a floured flat surface and preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C).

Step III-Shape The Dough

Roll out the dough on a floured pastry board. It should be about ⅛” thick. Cut it into small squares (about 2-3”).

Step IV-Form The Cookies

Place the jam in the center of each square (½ teaspoon for each). Pinch the opposite corners of the squares to form the cookie.

Step V-Bake

Place the cookies on the pan lined with baking paper and bake for about 15 minutes. 

Step VI-Decorate

Allow the cookies to cool off. Next, mix lemon juice with powdered sugar, then pour the glaze on the cookies. Or just sprinkle them with powdered sugar. Up to you!

You will have 2 trays of cookies using this recipe.

FAQ About The Polish Silesian Cookies

Can I Make These Cookies Vegetarian/Vegan?

Yes, you can use dairy-free butter or margarine instead of regular butter. For a vegan version, replace the egg yolk and sour cream with plant-based alternatives like flax eggs and coconut yogurt.

How Long Do The Chilled Cookie Dough And Baked Cookies Last?

The chilled dough will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days. The baked cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

What’s The Best Way To Reheat Leftover Cookies?

Place them on a baking sheet in a 300°F oven for 3-5 minutes until warmed through. Avoid microwaving, this makes them too soft.

Polish Silesian Cookies Recipe – Szplitry Śląskie

Yield: 56 cookies

Polish Silesian Cookies Recipe - Szplitry Śląskie

Print

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients

Dough

• 2 cups (250g) of all-purpose flour
• 9 oz (250g) of butter or margarine
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tbsps of sugar
• 2 tbsps of sour cream or Greek yogurt (may be plant-based)

Filling

• 1 jar of thick jam (20 oz)

Sugar glaze

• juice of half a lemon
• 5-6 tbsps of powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Knead the dough using your hands or food processor.
2. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, maybe overnight.
3. Place cold dough on a floured flat surface.
4. Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C).
5. Roll out the dough on a floured pastry board. It should be about ⅛'' thick.
6. Cut into small squares (about 2-3'').
7. Place the jam in the center of each square (½ teaspoon for each).
8. Pinch the opposite corners of the squares to form the cookie.
9. Place the cookies on the pan lined with baking paper.
10. Bake for about 15 minutes. Allow to cool off
11. Mix lemon juice with powdered sugar, then pour the glaze on the cookies.

Notes

1. You will have 2 trays of cookies using this recipe.
2. You may replace lemon juice with hot water.
3. The recipe may be vegetarian if you use plant-based butter and yogurt/sour cream.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

56

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 58Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 19mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 0gSugar: 5gProtein: 1g

These data are indicative and calculated by Nutritionix