Hungarian Kiffles Recipe – Hungarian Special
These Hungarian kiffles recipe deliver delicate crescent-shaped cookies made from a rich cream cheese pastry dough that wraps around sweet fillings like apricot preserves, nut pastes, or poppy seed. A cherished holiday cookie tradition, they look elegant, taste buttery, and are surprisingly simple to bake—perfect for gifting or platters!
- Prep Time15 min
- Cook Time10 min
- Perform Time8 hr
- Total Time8 hr 25 min
For the Dough Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter (cold and cut into small cubes)
- 1 cup cream cheese (cold and cut into small cubes)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Filling:
- 1/2 cup fruit preserves (such as apricot, raspberry, or prune)
For Dusting:
- Powdered sugar (optional)
How to make Hungarian Kiffles
Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Prepare the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups of flour, 1 cup of cold, cubed butter, and 1 cup of cold, cubed cream cheese. Use a pastry cutter, fork, or your fingers to mix until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Add 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Mix until the dough just comes together. Be careful not to overmix.
Chill the Dough: Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This will make the dough easier to handle.
Roll Out the Dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about 1/8 inch thickness. If the dough is sticky, you can sprinkle a bit more flour.
Cut and Fill: Cut the dough into squares (about 2-3 inches on each side) or circles using a cookie cutter or knife.
Place a small spoonful of fruit preserves in the center of each piece.
Shape the Kiffles: Fold the dough over the filling to form a triangle or crescent shape. Pinch the edges to seal. Alternatively, you can fold the dough into a triangle or roll it up if you prefer a different shape.
Bake: Place the filled Kiffles on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until the Kiffles are golden brown.
Cool and Dust: Allow the Kiffles to cool on a wire rack.
Dust with powdered sugar if desired.
Recipe Notes
Chill your dough thoroughly—chill dough overnight to make handling and shaping easier and to enhance the flaky texture.
For clean, consistent results, use high-quality Solo Brand pastry filling, especially for poppyseed, almond, or prune types that hold up well during baking.
These are freeze-friendly treats—bake, cool, then freeze layers with parchment in between. Thaw at room temperature and dust with powdered sugar just before serving.
