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Polish Silesian Cookies Recipe – Szplitry Śląskie

Name: Polish Silesian Cookies Recipe - Szplitry Śląskie
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 1 h 40 min
Yield: 56
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients: 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); 1 jar of thick jam (20 oz); juice of half a lemon; 5-6 tbsps of powdered sugar

March 21, 2024

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In many homes in Poland, cookies are a must for tea time and all sorts of gatherings. While shortbread, yeast dough, French pastry, and sponge cakes are popular in every region, it is Silesia that has the most famous and diverse cookie-baking traditions. Szplitry Śląskie are tasty Polish cookies stuffed with sweet fillings that have been popular for over 200 years. Polish Szplitry are often enjoyed for birthdays, holidays, and other special occasions. Children especially love them straight from the oven!

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

They can be 100% vegetarian if you use plant-based butter and yogurt/sour cream
The dough for Szplitry can be prepared even a day earlier – the cookies will then be more crumbly.
It’s ok to press the dough gently when folding, and the cookies won’t open up during baking, unlike Kolacky.
You can replace lemon juice with hot water.
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.