Czechs typically bake these cookies around Christmas, but using a universal-shaped cookie cutter, you can make them any time of year. The texture of cookies made with heavy cream is incredibly tender right after baking and remains that way for days.
➜ What can you expect
These shortbread cookies are made from a soft dough rolled out and cut into different shapes. The dough doesn't have any added sugar, but when the cookies are baked, they get a thick coating of powdered sugar.
The recipe is simple and only requires a few ingredients to produce soft, flaky, and delicious cookies every time. I'm sure it will become a family favorite!
Because the dough uses heavy cream, I called this delectable treat "heavy cream cookies," which is a literal translation of its Czech name, meaning "šlehačkové cukroví."
MY TIP: Try vanilla crescents, another traditional Czech Christmas cookie known as "vanilkove rohlicky."
➜ Ingredients you need
To make the cookies with heavy cream, you will need:
- Heavy cream; with a fat content of about 33% – the special ingredient in this recipe!
- Unsalted butter; softened at room temperature
- All-purpose flour; or plain flour if you are based in the UK (in Czech, it is called "hladká mouka")
- Egg yolk; for richness and better dough texture
- Powdered sugar; to coat the baked cookies. For more flavor, I used my homemade vanilla sugar, which is a sealable glass jar filled with powdered sugar containing a vanilla pod.
✅ You’ll find the exact amount of ingredients below in the recipe card, which you can also print out.
➜ Instructions with photos
STEP 1: Place flour, heavy cream, egg yolk, and butter in a large mixing bowl.
First, use a fork to combine the wet ingredients, i.e., the egg yolk and heavy cream, with the flour. Then use your fingers to process the dough into crumbs. Turn the whole mass onto the work surface and quickly work it with your hands into a smooth, soft dough.
If the dough is too sticky, dust it with a little flour while working.
STEP 2: Once the dough holds together, stop kneading it. Shape it into a cylinder, wrap it in plastic wrap, and place it in the fridge to rest for an hour or two.
IMPORTANT: The dough should be chilled for just long enough so that the incorporated butter is firm and the dough can be rolled out without sticking to the rolling pin or requiring a lot of flour for dusting.
This is critical to remember because each refrigerator chills differently. In my experience, an hour and a half is sufficient time for the dough to rest.
STEP 3: Roll out the rested semi-firm dough to a thickness of about 1/8 inch (0.3 mm) on a work surface. Cut out various shapes with cookie cutters. Make smaller cookie shapes if possible.
STEP 4: Transfer the cookie cutouts to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. I use a thin pastry scraper to pick up the cookies and not damage their shape.
TIP: To ensure the paper sticks well to the baking sheet surface, I always grease the baking sheet with a small amount of fat beforehand.
STEP 5: Place the cookie sheet in an oven preheated to 356°F (180°C) and bake for about 10–12 minutes, until the cookies turn lightly golden.
STEP 6: Remove to a wire rack and let the cookies cool for about five minutes, and while still warm, coat each piece with a generous layer of powdered sugar.
➜ Storage
The best thing about these cookies is that they are incredibly soft right out of the oven!
I recommend keeping them in a clean paper box lined with foil. Cover the top with a paper towel and close the box with the lid. Store in a cool, dry place. Heavy cream cookies stored as described will keep for up to three weeks.
If you have any leftovers, it's no problem to freeze them. In that case, put the cookies stacked in an airtight container in the freezer, where they will last at least half a year.
➜ Useful tips
- The cookies will shrink and puff slightly as they bake, so you can arrange them relatively close together on the baking sheet.
- This cookie is perfect for family get-togethers, to treat colleagues at work, or just for coffee when unexpected guests arrive. Because they last up to three weeks, you can have them ready at home in advance.
- Czechs often cut out these cookies in the shape of stars, bells, or hearts at Christmas. Using other themed cookie cutters, you will get delicious sweets for Valentine's Day (hearts) or Easter (flowers, eggs, rounds).
More Czech cookie recipes:
- Crispy Hollow Cookies – krehulky
- Pernicky – soft gingerbread cookies with icing
- Podvodnice – raised under cold water
- Hollow Coffin cookies – Rakvičky
Or browse the category with Czech Christmas cookies for more inspiration and ideas.
Tried this recipe?
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Heavy Cream Cookies (Czech Slehackove cukrovi)
Tap or hover to scale
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ stick unsalted butter softened at room temperature
- 3 ½ Tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ cup powdered sugar to coate the baked cookies
Instructions
- Put 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/4 stick unsalted butter cut into pieces, 3 1/2 Tablespoons heavy cream, and 1 egg yolk in a large mixing bowl.
- First, use a fork to combine the egg yolk and heavy cream with the flour. Then, use your fingers to mix the dough into crumbs. Transfer it to a work surface and quickly knead it into a smooth, soft dough. If it is too sticky, dust with a little flour while kneading.
- Once the dough holds together, stop kneading. Shape it into a cylinder, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for one and a half hours.
- Chill the dough until the incorporated butter is firm enough to roll out easily, without sticking to the rolling pin or needing much flour for dusting.
- Roll out the rested, semi-firm dough to about ⅛ inch (0.3 mm) thick on a work surface. Use cookie cutters to cut out various shapes, opting for smaller shapes if possible.
- Transfer the cookie cutouts to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use a thin pastry scraper to pick up the cookies without damaging their shape.
- Place the baking sheet in an oven preheated to
360 °F and bake for about 10–12 minutes, until the cookies turn lightly golden. - Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let them cool for about five minutes. While still warm, coat each piece generously with 1/2 cup powdered sugar.
Notes
- The basic recipe makes about 25 heavy cream cookies.
- This cookie is one of the most popular ones baked by Czechs at Christmas. In Czech, it is called "Šlehačkové cukroví."
- STORAGE: I recommend storing them in a clean paper box lined with foil. Cover the top with a paper towel and close the box with a lid. Keep in a cool, dry place. Stored this way, heavy cream cookies will stay fresh for up to three weeks.
- Can you freeze these cookies? If you have any leftovers, you can freeze them. Stack the cookies in an airtight container and place them in the freezer, where they will last for at least six months.
Chris
Hello! Would I be able to substitute half and half for the heavy cream? Thank you!
Linda Petritsch
Everybody loved these cookies. The recipe worked out perfect and I was so surprised when they actually shrunk. It made them look so cute in all the little animal cutter shapes I used. I will definitely make these again.
Diane
For Christmas I’m going to swap out eggnog well blended with a little melted butter and add a little nutmeg to the powdered sugar