Kolacky (co-lach-key) is a Slovak nut roll. My Czechoslovakian grandmother, Babbi, used to make Kolacky all by herself once a year for all her girls and their families. As she got older, my mother started to give her a hand, and it quickly became a tradition for my mother and Babbi to make Kolacky together. Eventually, I was also included. One year my mother showed up at Babbi’s to help make Kolacky, and Babbi had already been working for hours just grinding the nuts…by hand! My mother saw that after an hour Babbi only had about 1/2 cup done. She recommended they continue cooking at my mother’s house where she pulled out the food processor and ground all the walnuts in a matter of 15 minutes (obviously my Babbi was amazed). After that, making Kolacky was always done at my mother’s house.

Babbi passed away 3 years ago and in those years no one in our family has attempted to make these, until now. Sadly my grandfather, Papa, Babbi’s husband, passed on December 5th, and I felt the desire to make these Kolacky in honor of both Papa and Babbi since everyone in our family love these rolls, especially Papa. I was fortunate to get to watch Babbi make Kolacky a couple times (Babbi liked to do it mostly by herself). Those special experiences and handwritten notes from Babbi herself on how to make them allowed me to complete this traditional dish. I thought it would be a taste of memories and it would pay homage to my lovely grandparents. I miss them both very much and traditions like these are how I feel I am able to continue to pass on their love.


Babbi with her Kolacky in PA


Dancing at my wedding


Papa was my biggest fan 🙂 Here he is testing my Cake Balls

Ingredients:
Dough 1:
2 cups flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 yeast packet activated in 1 cup warm milk
4 egg yolks, egg whites reserved for later

Dough 2:
2 cps flour
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup Crisco
1/2 pint sour cream
powdered sugar

Filling:
5 cups Walnuts, ground
2 cups sugar
1 Tbsp lemon rind
Evaporated Milk

Directions:

  1. Prepare the first dough: sift 2 cups flour , 2 Tbsp sugar, and 1 tsp salt. Add egg yolks and dissolved yeast and milk. Set aside.
  2. Prepare the second dough: Work butter, Crisco, and sour cream into 2 cups of flour and mix well until equally blended.
  3. Combine both doughs until fully and equally incorporated. Set aside in warm area and let rise for 2 hours in covered bowl, punch down, cover and let rise again for another 2 hours or place covered bowl in fridge overnight.

  4. Prepare walnut filling while dough rises. Combine walnuts, sugar, and lemon rind. Add in evaporated milk a little at a time until consistency becomes dough-like, about 1/3 cup. Set aside.


  5. Take half of the risen dough at a time, roll it out on a board sprinkled with powdered sugar to prevent sticking.


  6. Roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Coat with half of walnut filling and evenly spread out and pat down along thinned dough. Roll up and shape into a U. Next take reserved egg whites and wipe over top and sides of rolled dough. Repeat with other half of dough and filling.


  7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  8. Place U shaped dough on parchment paper and bake in over for 30 minutes until golden and thoroughly cooked. Cool before slicing.

  9. Slice and present with powdered sugar. Enjoy!