Kiffle Recipe for a Sweet Taste of Hungarian Pastry

Experience the sweet taste of Hungarian cuisine in the comfort of your home with this delicious and easy-to-follow Kiffle recipe that will leave you drooling for more.

Kiffles are a traditional Hungarian cream cheese-filled pastry cookie that you can enjoy with pieces of fruits and nuts, such as apricots and almonds.

These Hungarian Kiffles are also enjoyed across Eastern Europe and can be reimagined to include hints of cinnamon and swirls of jam.

Hungarians usually enjoy these beautifully shaped pastries during the holidays. However, you can savor the taste of these cookies any time the craving strikes with this simple and delicious Kiffle recipe.

Kiffles Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
• 6 ounces room-temperature cream cheese
• 1 cup unsalted, softened butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cup dried apricots (optional)
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon (optional)
• 1 tablespoon confectioner's sugar

Directions:

1. Whisk the flour and salt together in a bowl.

2. In a separate bowl, combine the cream cheese, butter, and granulated sugar until they are light and creamy. You can do this manually or with a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed for 3 minutes.

3. Once the cream cheese mixture is light and creamy, slowly add the flour mixture into the same bowl, using your hands to ensure they are well incorporated and a dough forms.

If you used a mixer, reduce it to a lower speed for this step and beat the ingredients until they are well incorporated and a dough forms.

Combine the cream cheese with the the flour mixture until all the ingredients are well incorporated and a dough forms. | Source: YouTube/Joanie Simon

4. Scrape the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough in half, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for 1 hour.

5. In the meantime, in a saucepan over medium heat, bring the apricots and water to a simmer. Allow them to simmer for 8 minutes.

6. Add the remaining granulated sugar to the apricot mixture and occasionally stir for 4 minutes to dissolve the sugar.

7. Allow the apricot mixture to cool before adding it to a food processor or an immersion blender, along with cinnamon. Purée until thick and smooth, then set aside.

Once the apricot mixture has finished cooking, purée it until thick and smooth. | Source: YouTube/Joanie Simon

8. Preheat the oven to 375°F and place two oven racks lined with two baking sheets with parchment paper in the middle of the oven.

9. After allowing the dough to chill in the fridge for an hour, kneed the dough for a few minutes, and divide it into eight equal parts.

10. Roll out one of the eight pieces of dough and use a pizza cutter to divide it into six equal triangular parts.

Use a pizza cutter to cut one of the eight equal parts of dough into six equal triangular parts. | Source: YouTube/Joanie Simon

11. Scoop some of the apricot mixture into the center of each triangular section.

Place a dollop of the apricot mixture into each triangular section. | Source: YouTube/Joanie Simon

12. Use a spatula to lift the end of each triangular part, then roll the cookie from the wide bottom to the tip. Finally, pinch the ends and set aside.

Once you've placed the apricot mixture into the centre of the six equal triangular parts of dough, roll each part from from the wide bottom to the tip. | Source: YouTube/Joanie Simon

14. Once you've filled and shaped all your Kiffles, place them in the prepared oven racks and allow them to bake in the preheated oven for 16 to 18 minutes or until the corners turn golden.

15. Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks to cool for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer the cookies to the racks directly to cool completely.

16. Dust confectioners' sugar over the homemade Kiffle cookies, and enjoy!

Dust the Kiffle cookies with confectioners' sugar and enjoy! | Source: YouTube/Joanie Simon

Now that you know how to make traditional Hungarian Kiffles, you can enjoy this creamy pastry any time the craving strikes and tweak it so it satisfies your taste buds.

Try this Olive Garden Strawberry and Cream Cake recipe for another treat to satisfy your sweet tooth cravings.