Preparing these cookies requires a bit of a time investment, but they are such a special treat we know you’ll find them well worth the effort.
Hungarian Kiffles (Kiflis) Are A Holiday Tradition
Being of Hungarian descent, kiffles (also spelled kifli) have always been on hand at our family gatherings during the holidays. They take some work to prepare, but one bite will prove they’re well worth the effort.
Kiffles are delicate Hungarian cookies made with cream cheese dough and filled with various flavors of pastry filling. They make a beautiful contribution to any holiday cookie platter.
FEATURED IN: Our Best Holiday Cookie Recipes | Christmas Cookies
About Kiffle (Kifli) Fillings
It is very important that you use fillings that are made specifically for pastry in your kiffles. Pie filling will be too loose and jams and preserves can produce unpredictable results.
We’ve always used Solo Brand Cake & Pastry Filling and have never been disappointed. Solo makes a variety of flavors in 12-ounce cans. Pictured here are poppy seed, cherry, almond, and apricot.
Prune (lekvar in Hungarian), walnut, and poppy seed are the most traditional Hungarian choices and if you read through the comments, you’ll see that a few of our readers have included instructions for making these two fillings from scratch.
Pro Tip: How to Make All Your Kiffles the Same Size
Making sure your kiffles are uniform in size is not only about a beautiful presentation, it’s about even baking. The trick is to roll the dough into a perfect 9-inch square. Here’s how to do it:
- Cut a sheet of parchment paper 15 inches wide by 18 inches long. Fold 4-1/2 inches of each short side toward the middle. Make sharp creases and unfold.
- Fold 3 inches of each long side toward the center. Make sharp creases there as well and you should have a well-defined 9-inch square in the center of your parchment paper.
- With the flaps facing up, dust the parchment liberally with flour and place a portion of dough in the center of the square.
- Dust the top of the dough with flour as well, then fold the parchment along your creases to make an “envelope” around your dough.
- Turn it over (flap sides down) and place it on your rolling surface.
- Roll the dough from the center toward the corners as directed above.
- Remove the dough carefully to avoid tearing.
Once you have the dough rolled into a perfect square, you can easily mark off even intervals of 1-1/2-inches (6 per side) with the tip of a knife. Use your pastry wheel to make the cuts and you will get 36 kiffles (kiflis) per square.
Hungarian Kiffles
Ingredients
- 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup (1/2 lb) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 to 2-1/2 cups cake and pastry filling, about two 12-ounce cans
Instructions
Prepare the Dough:
- Whisk the flour and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Beat the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until very smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture, 1/4 cup at a time, mixing just until combined. The dough will be quite moist, but not sticky.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and flatten into a square approximately 1/2-inch thick. Cut into 4 equal pieces and wrap each separately in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, a minimum of 2 hours.
Roll and Cut the Dough:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and position a rack in the center of the oven. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Remove one portion of the dough from the refrigerator and place it on a liberally floured surface.
- Dust the top of the dough with flour and cover with a sheet of wax or parchment paper. Working from the center toward the corners, roll the dough out to a 1/8-inch-thick square. It should measure about 9 inches.
- For best results, see our recipe notes below to learn how to roll your dough into a perfect square.
- Using a pastry wheel or a sharp knife, cut your dough both lengthwise and crosswise into small squares.
- Your total yield will depend on how large you make them. We recommend 1-1/2-inches which will give you 36 kiffles per square of dough or about 12 dozen total.
- The best way to keep the size even is to use a ruler and mark all 4 sides of the dough square at intervals with the tip of a knife. You can use the handle of a spatula to guide you as you cut to keep your lines straight as well (similar to drawing straight lines on a sheet of paper).
Fill and Seal the Kiffles:
- Working as quickly as possible, place a small mound of filling (about 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon) in the center of each square. If the filling flavor you’re using is relatively smooth you can spoon it into a small freezer bag, snip off a tiny bottom corner and squeeze the filling onto the squares. This works particularly well with the poppy and almond flavors.
- Lift two opposite corners of the dough over the filling and gently pinch them together. Fold that "point" over to one side, moisten the tip of your finger with a bit of water and smooth it down gently on one side of the kiffle. This prevent the kiffles from popping open as they bake.
- Important Note: The various filling flavors spread a bit differently during baking so you may want to fill a few "test" kiffles and bake them to gauge the right amount of filling for each type.
Bake the Kiffles:
- Arrange the kiffles 1 inch apart on the parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake until barely golden, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute, then carefully transfer the kiffles to cooling racks.
- Repeat the process with the remaining 3 portions of dough, using different filling flavors if desired.
How to Store Kiffles:
- Store kiffles between layers of waxed paper in a tightly closed container and refrigerate. Bring them to room temperature (30 minutes out of the fridge), arrange on a plate and dust lightly with powdered sugar just before serving. It’s not advisable to top them with powdered sugar before storing.
- Makes 8 to 12 dozen
Recipe Notes
How To Roll Your Dough Into a Perfect 9-Inch Square:
- Cut a sheet of parchment paper 15 inches wide by 18 inches long. Fold 4-1/2 inches of each short side toward the middle. Make sharp creases and unfold.
- Fold 3 inches of each long side toward the center. Make sharp creases there as well and you should have a well-defined 9-inch square in the center of your parchment paper.
- With the flaps facing up, dust the parchment liberally with flour and place a portion of dough in the center of the square. Dust the top of the dough with flour as well, then fold the parchment along your creases to make an "envelope" around your dough.
- Place it on your rolling surface, flap sides down and roll the dough from the center toward the corners as directed above. Remove the dough carefully to avoid tearing.
Just for fun: Baking kiffles in miniature!
The handcrafted miniature scene (1-inch scale) below was created by my daughter and co-editor Erika Pitera. You can see more of her fabulous miniature food creations on her website, The Petite Provisions Co.
Special Note to Commenters: Recipes such as this vary from family to family and region to region, and they continue to evolve as they are passed down through the generations, often depending on changes in personal tastes, access to ingredients and sometimes even dietary restrictions. We welcome constructive feedback about recipe variations and family traditions, but insulting, purely contradictory comments will not be published.
Issa Andrea says
I am hungarian. Never ever met a traditional pastry with creamcheese in our cuisine……. but it can be delicious. Trying to make it.
Csaba says
Hello.
I’ve been making kiflis for many years using a fairly comparable recipe, only I also add a shot of whisky to the dough to improve the baking process.
You may consider using generous amount of powdered sugar in place of flour when sheeting and forming.
While it is a bit more challenging to form and fold, the end result is amazingly delicious and addictive.
If and when I have leftover, I store it in the freezer (in freezer bag) and reheat in toaster oven to make them crispy again.
Please give it a try.
Marjorie Kish says
My Great Grandmother’s recipe calls for sour cream not cream cheese in the dough. The fillings she used were poppyseed, a pecan filling and a walnut filling. You cook the nuts with milk and sugar on the stove till the sugar is dissolved. Let it cool before filling the pastries.
Shell Knox says
I make my own fillings so they are as thick as I like. In a pinch, I put a can of cherry pie filling in the blender to puree it and then very slowly cooked it in a saucepan on low heat until a lot of the water steamed out. It turned into a thicker pastry filling and was delicious in the final product. I usually make all of my fruit fillings with dried apricot and prunes. Add water to cover and a cup of sugar (I like it sweet) and cook over low heat until soft and thick. I puree it in the blender and store in refrigerator containers until I’m ready. I make my own nut and poppy seed fillings, too. It’s worth learning how because it tastes so much better than the canned pastry fillings.
Lynne Webb says
Hi Shell,
All of your ideas for homemade fillings are terrific and I look forward to trying them. Thank you so much for sharing.
Pamela says
I’ve making these for years but never knew what they were called. Since I use to make about 24 different kinds of cookies at Christmas time for gifts, primarily for my father who had everything, I did not want to make so many. I cut the recipe down. Your recipe is a very exact way of making them – excellent detail. I used jam as a filling, not pie filling, but if I was to serve just these, say for a luncheon, I would try your recipe exactly. ( My cookies would always open while backing so I used a toothpick to keep them down. Still had to press them together when they came out of the oven. ) Thank you for sharing.
Janet says
Hi
Thank you for the great recipe and post. I am definitely going to try these, as well as the parchment paper guide to rolling out the dough.
Please let me know if you’ve ever tried the yeast method of making kifli.. I usually make the cream cheese version, but have been seeing recipes with yeast. I was just wondering how they turn out. I would think they would rise.. but anyway I will try your recipe. They look beautiful and a nice thickness which I love.. thank you- Janet
Jean says
I make a yeast version of this cookie, my Mom called it Kipful. They are difficult to keep fresh so I make them the day before Christmas Eve so they don’t dry out before we eat them.
kathleen l sherwood says
My husband had these in Germany while in the Air Force and had my mom make them several years. Now it’s my turn and can’t wait to try these…
Barb says
Do you have to refrigerate them? I don’t have that much room in my frig.
Lynne Webb says
Because kiffle dough is composed of a large percentage of butter and cream cheese, the best way to store them is in the refrigerator, however, you can keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days. You can also successfully freeze them. Pack them into an airtight container, separate the layers with wax or parchment paper, and don’t stack them more than 3 deep. Allow adequate time for defrosting, and for best flavor and texture, use within a month.
Carol says
Thanks for sharing! All the tips were helpful and my cookies were a hit!
Marilyn Dilliard says
hi, I was wondering can I freeze the kiffli dough and if so for how long?
Marilyn
Lynne Webb says
Hi Marilyn,
You can freeze the kifli dough for up to 4 weeks. Once you’ve flattened the dough into a square and cut it into fourths, wrap each piece individually in plastic wrap and seal them in a zip-top freezer bag. Defrost the squares overnight in the refrigerator before using them.
Kathryn S says
Did you figure out the best way to make them gluten free? I use Jules Shepard’s gluten free flour (gfjules.com) It’s the only gf flour I use.
. I will be making them soon and hope it comes out right.
Lynne Webb says
Hi Kathryn,
I wish I could say we have a great solution for making gluten-free kiffles, but as yet we do not. Our gluten-free contributor prepared small batches of the kiffle dough using a few different techniques, but she found the dough somewhat dry and difficult to roll out without it crumbling. I know she didn’t work with the flour brand you mention though, so I would be very interested in hearing about how you make out if you decide to give it a try. The reviews on the gfJules flour are very impressive. I’m going to order a small bag to try myself.
Margaret says
Erika, Your miniatures are amazing.
Lynn and Erika, My grandson tells me that his other grandmother makes this. I am teaching him to cook. I asked my daughter-in-law to ask her mom to teach her grandchildren how to make this pastry, but health issues prevent that from happening. So, I am happy to find your recipe. The extensive details valuable.. Wish me luck
Lynne Webb says
Hi Margaret,
It’s wonderful that you are teaching your grandson to cook! I’m sure you’ll have good results with the kiffles. And thanks for the compliment on the minis!
Mary Kovacs says
These sound great. My Mom or her family never used cream cheese in any of their traditional baked goods or food so this sounds interesting. Thank you for sharing.
Lynne Webb says
Hi Mary,
Cream cheese in the dough gives it a subtle tangy quality and creamy texture. I hope you like it.
Brian Tejes says
Lynn
Thank you for this recipe. My Mom made these with a recipe that used Crisco, I like your recipe. My Fathers mother was Hungarian and taught my mother and she would spend hours making them during the holidays. I found your recipe and now I have making them for our family every year since my Mom stopped making them 10 years ago and now has been gone 5 years. I just sent 3 dozen to my 93 year old Dad whose only want for Christmas was some Kiffle.
Merry Christmas and thanks for bringing back family memories
Patty says
I learned how to make these delicious cookies from my mother in law. In her family, they have always called them
“Little Cakes” ! We have always been able to buy apricot and lekvar (prune) filling from a local bakery. We bring plastic containers which they weigh and then fill, and charge us by the pound. It is of a good quality and consistency and doesn’t spread and leak out of the cookies as readily as store bought jam might. We make our own walnut filling.
Lynne Webb says
Hi Patty,
That’s great that you have a source for quality lekvar and apricot fillings. Thanks for taking the time to comment. It’s nice to hear about other people’s family history with these cookies. Everyone has a different story.
Shawn Morell Zatorsky says
I am looking for a recipe for Baylis Pastry Cookies, are the Kiffles the same coookie using another name? My husband’s mother use to make what my husband calls Baylis (baylish) at Christmas time, however, no one can find the recipe to them. He said they were filled with either apricot or nuts. If you have any guidance I would appreciate it.
Lynne Webb says
Hi Shawn,
Thanks for reaching out with your question. I’d never heard kiffles referred to by that name, so I had to do a little research to answer your question. What I discovered is that there are filled pastries called Túrós Béles (pronounced baylesh) that are made with a sour cream yeast dough that probably has a flavor similar to our cream cheese kiffle dough. The word béles means lining or padding and túrós means cottage cheese. The recipes I found in my Hungarian cookbooks use this yeast dough to make pillowy little bundles formed around a filling of cottage cheese, lemon zest, and golden raisins or nuts. The same cookbooks also mention that this dough is versatile and can be used for kiffles (kiflis) and rolled around different fillings, including the nut and apricot ones your husband remembers. Taste Magazine has a recipe for the Túrós Béles and their dough recipe is very similar to the ones I found in my cookbooks. I also found a recipe for Hungarian Christmas Cookies from a blog called Ann’s Entitled Life that uses a similar dough, but rolls it around nut and date fillings. I hope this info helps and I’d love it if other people would weigh in on this thread. I also hope you’ll think about trying our kiffle recipe. I would bet that your husband would like them!
Dana says
My mom (97 yrs old) got this very same recipe from a friend who discovered that using Lokum (Turkish Delight) cut in small elongated pieces did a good job as a filling. I remember eating these when I was a child.
Lynne Webb says
Hi Dana,
That is really interesting. I have never heard of anyone using Lokum to fill kiffles, but I’ll bet it’s good. I assume it softens during baking, but does it firm up again once it cools?
Ana Z says
I’m curious if there’s a way to make these with almond flour? My mom has a gluten allergy so I am always trying to find ways to make her little treats that she can eat.
Lynne Webb says
Hi Ana,
I’ve never tried to make a gluten free version of Hungarian Kiffles, so I can’t speak from experience on this. I don’t know about using almond flour alone, but for the few gluten-free baked goods I’ve made, I have had very good luck with King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure-for-Measure Flour. Most supermarkets carry it, so it’s easy to find. King Arthur also recommends that flour blend for a gluten-free version of rugelach, which has a very similar dough to the kiffles (cream cheese and butter). If you’re wondering about the ingredients, here they are: Rice flour, whole grain brown rice flour, whole sorghum flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, cellulose, xanthan gum, vitamin and mineral blend [calcium carbonate, niacinamide (vitamin b3), reduced iron, thiamin hydrochloride (vitamin b1), riboflavin (vitamin b2).
Kristin says
I just made these with Bobs 1:1 blend. They taste great, but don’t look too nice. They were very hard to work with. The dough was very crumbly, had no elasticity (bc there’s no gluten), & relied heavily on using the heat from my hands to get the butter in the dough to help it stick together.
About halfway through I stopped trying to fold them up & used an upside down silicone cupcake liner to make little discs & just put the filling on top. Tastes great, looks much better.
I will say, if you’re going to fold them, rolling them thicker seemed to help, about1/4in.
Lynne Webb says
Jennifer, our gluten-free contributor is working on a version that uses the King Arthur 1:1 blend and ran into the same issue you did. She’s close to having worked out a solution and we’ll be posting it soon.
Shari says
my babi used to make these every Christmas great memories. I will keep her memory alive so my family can taste the same cookies I did and the angel wings. I miss those Christmases
Lynne Webb says
Hi Shari,
Sharing old family recipes is a great way to honor the memory of loved ones and start new traditions at the same time. I hope you enjoy!