Sochniki - Crispy Cookies With Sweet Cheese

Today I want to show you a delicious dessert, home inspired. You will most certainly find sochniki in Russian pastry shops - which are a sort of crispy cookies filled with sweet cheese. Russian origin, they are very popular in the post-soviet space and there is a reason why. The tender crisp combines so well with the savoury cheese in this easy to make shape which looks so special.

They are perfect for a school lunchbox or as a packed dessert, they are delicious either warm or cold - therefore, suited for any taste and situation.

Ingredients
Butter
150 g
softened, at room temperature
Sugar
330 g
Egg
4 pieces
Sour cream
250 g
or full-fat yogurt
Farmers cheese
500 g
crumbly and dry cheese, with the excess liquid drained off
White flour
600 g
Salt
0.5 tsp
Baking powder
10 g
Semolina flour
1 tbsp
Vanilla Extract
1 tbsp
Step by step
Step 1

Combine 150g softened butter with 180g sugar and 2 eggs in a bowl.

Sochniki - Crispy Cookies With Sweet Cheese - Step 1
Step 2

Add in 200g cream or yogurt, mix.

Sochniki - Crispy Cookies With Sweet Cheese - Step 2
Step 3

Then incorporate little by little (not all at once) 550-600g flour, 0.5 tsp salt and 10g baking powder.

Sochniki - Crispy Cookies With Sweet Cheese - Step 3
Step 4

At first, mix with a spatula or a spoon until dough starts to come together.

Sochniki - Crispy Cookies With Sweet Cheese - Step 4
Step 5

Turn dough out onto a working space and knead with your hands until smooth, not sticky and soft. Let rest for 10 minutes.

Dust with flour, if needed, in the process.

Sochniki - Crispy Cookies With Sweet Cheese - Step 5
Step 6

While dough is resting, we prepare the cheese filling: 

- in a bowl, combine farmer's cheese, 150g sugar, 2 tbsp flour, 1 tbsp semolina, 50g cream, 1 egg and vanilla extract.

Sochniki - Crispy Cookies With Sweet Cheese - Step 6
Step 7

Roll the dough out into a large sheet about 3-4mm thick.

Cut out circles of about 8-10cm, use a big mug for this, a saucer or a small bowl - there must be something this size in your kitchen.

Sochniki - Crispy Cookies With Sweet Cheese - Step 7
Step 8

Place 1 spoon cheese filling onto each circle.

Sochniki - Crispy Cookies With Sweet Cheese - Step 8
Step 9

Fold the dough over to cover the filling.

Don't seal the edges, let them loose.

Sochniki - Crispy Cookies With Sweet Cheese - Step 9
Step 10

Arrange the cookies onto a baking sheet, lined with parchment.

Brush the tops with eggwash.

Sochniki - Crispy Cookies With Sweet Cheese - Step 10
Step 11

Bake in the preheated oven to 200 degrees C for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Notice that the filling won't run, even though the edges aren't sealed.

Sochniki - Crispy Cookies With Sweet Cheese - Step 11
Step 12

They are delicious, either warm or cold, we loved them.

Enjoy!

Sochniki - Crispy Cookies With Sweet Cheese - Step 12
Quantity: 25 pcs (aproximativ)
Prep time:
60 min
Difficulty: easy
Ready in: 60 min