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I just can’t believe it is December 2nd already! But I kind of like it! I’m a little more motivated to bake sweet treats in the winter than in the summer, I guess that oven keeps me warm, that’s why.
These Cherry Jam and Cream Cheese Pastries are sort, buttery and flakey. Filled with cherry jam and sweet cream cheese filling. Not overly sweet, perfect for breakfast or a coffee break. These pastries will also be great for a holiday gathering or even Valentine’s day. The cream chese-butter dough is what makes these pastries exceptional!
They also are pretty easy to make, you just need to be a little patient and properly let your dough rest and chill. This dough needs to be chilled for at least 4-6 hours before making the cookies. The cookies should also be chilled for at least 1 hour before baking. This will ensure that they don’t spread , don’t open and keep their shape while baking.
Honestly, I did not have hard time making, baking or eating these, but I had a hard time naming them. Some people call them cookies, but I think pastries sounds a little better. I researched some old cook books and these were named “pinwheels” , “windmills”? Really? I think it is because of their shape. You basically roll the dough, cut 3×3 inch squares, make diagonal slits, making sure you don’t cut all the way through the center. Then you fill the centers with jam and cream cheese-powdered sugar mixture. Bring every other corner of dough together to center and press to seal.
If you don’t like the pinwheel shape, you can just cut squares, fill the inside with jam and cream cheese filling and overlap opposite corners over the filling.
The idea of these is also similar to polish cookies called: “kolacky “, but this is how they are made in Bulgaria!
They might look little like the popular Danish pastries, but they don’t even taste similar to them. They taste much, much better!
I’m not gonna tell you how many of these I ate on Sunday, when I made them, because I’m just embarrassed! But they are so good. Plus they bring to me some memories from my childhood!
As a child, my grandmother and I used to make these cream cheese pastries all the time. The dough for them contains just cream cheese, butter, salt and flour. This dough is some kind of a lazy Eastern European version of puff pastry dough. And since it is homemade, no taste or flavor is being sacrificed. I’m pretty sure regular puff pastry will work for these pastries, but I prefer the butter-cream cheese dough.
In this recipe I used cherry jam, but you can use your favorite jam. Some people tend to skip the cream cheese filling, but I don’t recommend it. It is creamy and pairs perfectly with the flakey pastries and tart cherry jam.
I hope you like these and get to make them for the holidays!
Cherry Jam Cream Cheese Pastries (Pinwheel Cookies)
Ingredients
Cream cheese butter pastries
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 2 6 oz packages softened unsalted butter, (226 gr)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar for dusting
Filling
- Jam of your choice, (I used cherry, 1/2 jar)
- 8 oz softened cream cheese
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy.
- Add flour and salt and mix until combined.
- Transfer dough to a work surface and divide in 4 parts. Shape 4 balls and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
- Prepare cream cheese filing by beating cream cheese, vanilla and powdered sugar in your mixer’s bowl.
- Take dough out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 5 minutes.
- Dust working surface with powdered sugar and roll out each ball 1/4- 1/8 inch thick.
- Cut 3×3 inch squares. For pinwheel shape, using a pizza cutter, cut a 1 inch slit diagonally on each corner of the squares. Fill centers with 1/2 tsp jam and 1/2 tsp cream cheese filling. (You can use a pastry bag for a nicer presentation). Bring every other corner of dough together to center and press to seal.
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Transfer pastries to baking sheets, leaving 2 inches of space in between. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until edges are browned. (Baking time may vary, depending on ingredients, baking sheets and oven used).
- Cool on a cooling rack. Generously dust with powdered sugar.
- Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Updated (12/12/16)
If you’d like to make these in the “Kolaches” shape, I’ve included a quick video to show you how to do it.
You make the same dough, cut into four pieces, wrap and refrigerate. Then roll into 15×15 cm and cut into 9 rectangles.
I filled these with Orange marmalade, but any jam (fruit filling) of your choice will be fine. I decided to skip the cree cheese filling with these.
Baking time is about 12 minutes.
Let me know, if any questions.
I love cookies and small pastries like these. Your work is absolutely immaculate. Congratulations on a very beautifully done article. I must make these!
Thanks Adri!
Oh my, these are beautiful! Surely some of the prettiest holiday cookies I’ve ever seen.
Thanks Joanne!
These are absolutely beautiful, Mir. I can imagine them adorning a lovely holiday dessert table…Pinned.
Thanks for pinning Annie!
Pastry or cookie these are truly a work of art Mira! How stunning these little pinwheels are. I think I’d plow through the whole batch with a cup of tea……on a Sunday of course. Such visual appeal too! Bring these to any gathering and I will be the winner for sure. Can’t hit that pin button quick enough =)
I’m so glad you like these Laura!!! These are hard to stop eating 🙂
These cookies look perfect, Mira! I’ve always wanted to make these, yet get scared by the process. But your instructions sound great! And I love the cherry and cream cheese flavor. Such a delicious cookie! Pinned!
Thanks for the nice comments and the pin Gayle!
Gorgeous! I have a container of vegan cream cheese in my fridge and now I know what I’m going to do with it. I hope this works with vegan ingredients because this recipe is really special. Thanks Mira! Pinned!
Thanks for pinning Linda! LMK if you get to make the vegan version, I’m curious how they will turn 🙂
I love how striking pinwheels are and the little cherry jam peaking through makes them so festive. Lovely recipe.
Thanks Janette!
I can’t believe it’s December, either! I wrote “December 2, 2014” on some client notes today and was like, what… what…. NOOOOO!!!!
So much to do.. and bake.. and package.. and mail… 😀 I cannot even believe how light and bright and beautiful these are Mira! Like, insanely impressed over here
Hey Cheryl, yeah, the year is almost over… And December will be busy with baking 🙂 I’m glad yo like these, they might even work with vegan butter and cream cheese (haven’t tried) .
These cookies are beautiful Mira! I was actually surprised when you said the dough was homemade because it looked so much like puff pastry in the pictures! Aren’t the Christmas cookies that you grew up having every year just the best?! On a side note, I made your roast chicken for supper last night and it was delicious!
Hey Stacey, thanks for the nice comments! Yeah, homemade Christmas cookies, bring nice memories form my childhood! I’m so glad you tried the roast chicken recipe and liked it!!!
How beautiful and festive are these. I bet these would be a hit with everyone over Christmas.
Glad you like these Dannii!