These Farmer's Cheese Cookies are tender and flaky. The dough is made with cold butter and farmer's cheese (ricotta or cottage cheese can also be used), which results in a texture that resembles puff pastry - crisp and golden on the outside with a multitude of thin layers inside.
These farmer's cheese cookies have been in our family for many years. My Mom used to make them all the time, especially when I was a little girl. In our family we use farmer's cheese in so many different ways. This is one of the perfect examples of combining such simple ingredients for an amazingly delicious treat. They are still one of my favorite cookies.
These cookies are often known by the very uniques name "Гусиные Лапки" (Geese Feet, pronounced gusinie lapki), because of their shape. They sure do look like tiny little webbed geese feet! The dough is based on farmer's cheese, butter, flour and eggs. How simple is that? It comes together in minutes and can be made ahead of time, since it needs time in the refrigerator to chill.
A perfect mouthful of flaky and tender dough, these cookies are crunchy on the outside from being baked into gorgeous golden crispness, but also from being dipped in sugar. Fill your cookie jars with these dainty, delicate darlings. They don't usually last long at my house!
Video of How To Make Soft Farmer's Cheese Cookies
Ingredients
all purpose flour
I have not tried this recipe with gluten free flour or any alternative flours
salt
butter
the butter needs to be really cold, preferably frozen
instead of farmer's cheese, you can use ricotta cheese or cottage cheese, but it needs to be drained
egg yolks
I use large eggs in baking
water
use chilled water, or ice water, if possible
granulated sugar
What is Farmer's Cheese and Where Is It Sold?
Farmer's cheese is a very popular soft cheese in the Slavic cuisine. It's called tvorog (творог), in Russian. It has a similar taste and texture of ricotta and/or cottage cheese. It is used in many, many recipes. I use farmer's cheese interchangeably with ricotta cheese. I like making my own farmer's cheese in the Instant Pot, using the same method as for ricotta cheese, just drain it really well before using it in the cookies.
You can also find it sold in some grocery stores. I often buy it at I bought in Publix, and the farmer's cheese is usually located next to the cream cheese. It can also be found in many European stores, such as Russian/Ukrainian or Polish stores.
What Can Be Used To Substitute For Farmer's Cheese?
You can substitute ricotta or cottage cheese instead. Farmer's cheese is much more dense and has hardly any liquid in it, so if you are using ricotta/cottage cheese, use a cheesecloth to strain it and squeeze out the moisture before using it in the recipe.
For this recipe, it's very important to use very cold butter, preferably frozen, so before you start making the dough, place the butter into the freezer until it's frozen solid.
Although the recipe will still work if you use cold butter from the refrigerator, you will have better results and flakier cookies if you use frozen butter.
How To Make Soft Farmer's Cheese Cookies
First, add the flour and salt to a large bowl and then grate the butter on a box grater into the flour.
Try to do this as quickly as possible to prevent the butter from melting.
Stop every so often to coat the butter flakes in the flour.
Add the farmer's cheese to the bowl and mix to combine. It will be a very dry and crumbly texture.
Whisk the egg yolks and water together slightly, then add to the dough.
Mix the dough until it starts to come together.
Keep kneading it very quickly so that it comes together better. Form the dough into a disc and wrap it up in parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Refrigerate for at least an hour, giving the dough plenty of time to chill.
You can store the cookie dough in the refrigerator for a few days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Finally, roll out the dough.
Divide the dough into quarters and roll out each portion thinly on a well floured surface.
Keep the rest of the dough refrigerated when you're not using it.
Use a biscuit cutter (about 3 inches), or a cup or glass to cut through the dough and press out as much circles from the dough as possible.
Now, assemble the cookies.
Dip each circle of of dough into a bowl of sugar.
Then, fold the circle in half, into a half moon shape, press one side of it in the sugar again.
Fold it in half one last time, dipping the top in sugar also.
Repeat with the rest of the dough.
Lastly, bake the cookies.
Place the cookies sugar side up on the prepared baking sheet.
Use your fingers to press down gently on top of the cookies so the layers stick together better.
Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, until the cookies are puffed up and golden brown.
Storing the Cookies
Store the cookie dough in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, or in the freezer up to 3 months.
Store the baked cookies at room temperature for 2-3 days in a closed box or container, or freeze up to 3 months in a freezer ziplock bag or an airtight container.
Helpful Tips and Frequently Asked Questions
Keep the ingredients as cold as possible.
You need little pieces of cold butter throughout the dough, which will make the cookies rise and form many layers of flaky dough by melting as the cookies bake. - Start with frozen butter. - Use egg yolks right out of the refrigerator. - Use cold water too, or even add ice to the water before measuring.
It's also important to keep the dough cold.
- Chill the dough first before rolling it out for at least an hour. If you're in a hurry, you can place it in the freezer for about 30 minutes. You can make the dough in advance. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. (Double wrap the dough and store in a freezer bag.)
When rolling out the dough, place the dough you are not using back in the refrigerator to keep cold while you assemble the cookies.
Work quickly while working with the dough, so your warm hands don't melt the butter in the dough. Also, don't over work the dough. I often go one step further and place the baking sheet of cookie dough in the freezer for about 5 minutes so it's really cold before you bake the cookies. The warmer the dough gets, the more chance the cookies will ooze out a lot of butter while baking and the less flaky and puffy the cookies.
Save all the scraps of cookie dough and use it to make more cookies.
Save the scraps, scrunch them into a little ball and refrigerate until it's firm again. These cookies won't have as many layers or puff up as much, but they will still be delicious.
More Farmer's Cheese Recipes
I often use farmer's cheese and ricotta cheese interchangeably in many recipes. It's great in both savory and sweet recipes.
These popular Soft Farmer's Cheese Cookies are tender and flaky. The dough is made with cold butter and farmer's cheese (ricotta or cottage cheese can also be used), which results in a texture that resembles puff pastry - crisp and golden on the outside with a multitude of thin layers inside.
Author:Olga's Flavor Factory
Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:25 minutes
Total Time:100 minutes
Yield:90 cookies 1x
Category:Dessert
Ingredients
Scale
1 cup butter (chilled)
7.5 - 8 oz farmer's cheese (ricotta or cottage cheese can be substituted)
2 cups all purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
2 egg yolks
2 Tablespoons water (cold or chilled)
½ - 1 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
Add the flour and salt to a large mixing bowl.
Grate the chilled butter on a box grater, coating the butter flakes in the flour every so often, so it doesn't clump together.
Add the farmer's cheese and mix to combine.
Whisk the eggs yolks and water slightly, then add to the dough. Use your hands to quickly mix the ingredients together. Quickly knead it until it comes together.
Form the dough into a disc and wrap it up in parchment paper or aluminum foil. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut the dough into quarters, then, working with one portion at a time, roll it out thinly on a well floured surface. (Keep the rest of the dough in the refrigerator so it stays cold.)
Use a biscuit cutter (about 3 inches), or an overturned cup or glass (preferably with thin edge) to cut through the dough and press out as much circles from the dough as possible.
Save the scraps, scrunch them into a little ball and refrigerate until it's firm again.
Put the sugar into a bowl and press one side of the circle of dough into the sugar.
Fold it in half to form a half moon shape. Press one side into the sugar again, fold it in half and press one of the sides in the sugar.
Repeat with the rest of the dough. You will have 80-100 cookies, depending on the size that you make them.
Place the cookies sugar side up on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, until the cookies are puffed up and golden brown.
Notes
Storing the Cookies
Store the cookie dough in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. (If freezing, wrap the dough in parchment paper or foil and then also place in a freezer storage bag.) Store the baked cookies at room temperature for 2-3 days in a closed box or container, or freeze up to 3 months in a freezer ziplock bag or an airtight container.
Farmer's Cheese
Most store bought farmer's cheese is sold in 7/5 oz packages, which is why I use this awkward amount in this recipe. When I use homemade farmer's cheese or ricotta, I use 8 oz. It's a very slight difference, and won't matter in the recipe. It will all even out when you roll out the dough and you'll use a bit more or less flour.
If you use ricotta or farmer's cheese, be sure to drain it, even squeeze out all excess moisture before adding it to the dough.
Hi Olia! 🙂 Someone posted a link to your blog with this recepi on Facebook and that is how I found your blog. I am very excited to try to make these cookies. I also love the form of your blog because I am searching to create my own blog (not in cooking feild though). Would you mind to share with me what web you used for creating it, please? I appreciate!!
I've never kept this dough refrigerated for more than a day, so I can't really tell you from experience. I think it would still work, Marianne. Let me know what you find out.
I recently came upon your website and I am looking forward to trying many of your recipes.
The first recipe I tried was for the Soft Farmer's Cheese / Geese Feet Cookies.
I have made them twice in the past two weeks and have passed your recipe on to a few people.
It is mentioned in the recipe, that it is important to keep the dough cold so that the cookies puff up properly during baking.
I thought I would mention what I did, in case someone elsd might find it helpfull.
Once I had cut out and shaped a pan of cookies, I put the pan in the refrigerator for the cookies to chill (5-10 minutes), while I preheated the oven.
That's a great point, Christine! I also keep the dough in the refrigerator while part of them are baking. I am so glad you enjoyed the cookies. They are one of my favorites:).
I just made these and they are amazing! As somebody mentioned above, I didn't break up the farmer's cheese very well & there are dark bits all throughout the cookies. My kitchen also filled with smoke. They still taste incredible, but next time I'll mash the cheese up really well.
I'm so glad I found your site, your recipes look fantastic and I can't wait to try more of them. Thank you so much for sharing!!!
Hmmm.... a kitchen filling up with smoke isn't a good thing. I've never had dark bits throughout the cookies either, I'm sorry your cookies caused you so much trouble.
Just made these yummy cookies - my husband can't stop eating them. My first few were a little thick and popped open, but once I rolled them thinly enough, they turned out perfectly - definitely a new favorite! Happy Easter! (the thick ones tasted fine, just didn't look as cute!)
Hi Olga, I just baked this. They are delicious. I am making a note to myself that next time I mash the farmers cheese before I add it to the dough. The one I buy in Toronto has large pieces of curd. So you can see it in the dough. When it baked these specks darkened and hardened a bit. Otherwise very good. These days My favourite weekend pastime is testing your recipes.
Thank you for taking the time to write, Hasmik. I'm so glad you enjoyed the cookies. You're right, sometimes the farmer's cheese can have big chunks in it and it would be best to break them up first. I'm lucky that the one I buy (or make myself) usually doesn't need it.
could you please just let me know how many grams has a stick of butter?
I'd like to make this recipe for my transsiberian presentation 🙂 I was in Russia this summer and I'm looking for recipes to make for friends and family 🙂
I am making these cookies as I write and I must say they are awesome!!!!! The recipe is perfect. My kids can't stop eating them. I doubled the recipe knowing that one would not be enough and I'm glad I did, were not having much leftovers. I learned that there are key words that you mention but I didn't pay much attention to them till an issue came up, you must work fast to prevent the dough from warming up or the cookies would not rise. I made some with cold dough and they were rising perfectly, but then I started working with the scraps that were sitting on the counted for 5-7 min while I was sugaring the cold cookies and the cookies from that particular dough did not rise. Then I took cold dough from the fridge again and those did rise. Just a tip, keep the dough as cold as possible. I give this recipe 5 STARS!!!!!
I'm so glad you liked these cookies, Adelina:).
I just made a double batch this weekend and it was gone within a few days.
Absolutely, the dough needs to stay cold. As I mentioned in the instructions, that's why you need to use frozen butter and also refrigerate the dough until it's firm. Whenever I am making these cookies, I break off part of the dough that I'll be rolling out and I keep the rest of it in the refrigerator until I'm ready to roll it out as well.
I noticed that lots of people don't have farmers cheese available in their area, so I'd like to share my way to get around this problem. I make my own farmers cheese in less than 20-30 minutes for those cookies. If you don't have buttermilk on hand, don't worry just use regular milk and double vinegar. http://americanfood.about.com/od/appetizersandsoups/r/farmercheese.htm
Hi Lena!
That's absolutely true, farmer's cheese in not available in every store. Thanks for sharing your recipe. In case you hadn't noticed, I also have a recipe for homemade farmer's cheese on my blog. There's a link to it in this recipe.
I made these geese feet cookies and they are delicious, I also pierced them with a fork so they can look like geese feet and they look really cute. Thanks for this recipe its very delicious.
Just made these, they came out amazing!!! My boys literally aight the first batch!! Thank you so much for sharing, I was always intimidated by slayonka. It was very easy and delicious!
I bought two gallons of milk last week for farmer cheese. I don't know why but cheese became too sour. I was looking for good recipe with farmer's cheese. I made double the recipe and its turned SO-O-O-O GOOD. Everyone loved them so much. It's has just a little ( кислинка) but its even better. Thans much for great recipe and wonderful blog.
Love the looks and sound of this recipe. could possibly try yogurt cheese if drained overnight in fridge. any way I will try these with the farmers cheese. keep up the great work.
Hi Olia! 🙂 Someone posted a link to your blog with this recepi on Facebook and that is how I found your blog. I am very excited to try to make these cookies. I also love the form of your blog because I am searching to create my own blog (not in cooking feild though). Would you mind to share with me what web you used for creating it, please? I appreciate!!
Valia
I made the dough but found out i didnt need then for a week. Can the dough be frozen or will it be alright in the refrigerator that long.
I've never kept this dough refrigerated for more than a day, so I can't really tell you from experience. I think it would still work, Marianne. Let me know what you find out.
I recently came upon your website and I am looking forward to trying many of your recipes.
The first recipe I tried was for the Soft Farmer's Cheese / Geese Feet Cookies.
I have made them twice in the past two weeks and have passed your recipe on to a few people.
It is mentioned in the recipe, that it is important to keep the dough cold so that the cookies puff up properly during baking.
I thought I would mention what I did, in case someone elsd might find it helpfull.
Once I had cut out and shaped a pan of cookies, I put the pan in the refrigerator for the cookies to chill (5-10 minutes), while I preheated the oven.
That's a great point, Christine! I also keep the dough in the refrigerator while part of them are baking. I am so glad you enjoyed the cookies. They are one of my favorites:).
I just made these and they are amazing! As somebody mentioned above, I didn't break up the farmer's cheese very well & there are dark bits all throughout the cookies. My kitchen also filled with smoke. They still taste incredible, but next time I'll mash the cheese up really well.
I'm so glad I found your site, your recipes look fantastic and I can't wait to try more of them. Thank you so much for sharing!!!
Hmmm.... a kitchen filling up with smoke isn't a good thing. I've never had dark bits throughout the cookies either, I'm sorry your cookies caused you so much trouble.
No worries! They are delicious!!
Just made these yummy cookies - my husband can't stop eating them. My first few were a little thick and popped open, but once I rolled them thinly enough, they turned out perfectly - definitely a new favorite! Happy Easter! (the thick ones tasted fine, just didn't look as cute!)
I;m so glad to hear that you enjoyed the cookies, Jan:).
Yes, they do need to be rolled out quite thin or else they open up.
Hi Olga, I just baked this. They are delicious. I am making a note to myself that next time I mash the farmers cheese before I add it to the dough. The one I buy in Toronto has large pieces of curd. So you can see it in the dough. When it baked these specks darkened and hardened a bit. Otherwise very good. These days My favourite weekend pastime is testing your recipes.
Thank you for taking the time to write, Hasmik. I'm so glad you enjoyed the cookies. You're right, sometimes the farmer's cheese can have big chunks in it and it would be best to break them up first. I'm lucky that the one I buy (or make myself) usually doesn't need it.
Hi Olga,
could you please just let me know how many grams has a stick of butter?
I'd like to make this recipe for my transsiberian presentation 🙂 I was in Russia this summer and I'm looking for recipes to make for friends and family 🙂
Each stick of butter is approximately 100 grams.
I am making these cookies as I write and I must say they are awesome!!!!! The recipe is perfect. My kids can't stop eating them. I doubled the recipe knowing that one would not be enough and I'm glad I did, were not having much leftovers. I learned that there are key words that you mention but I didn't pay much attention to them till an issue came up, you must work fast to prevent the dough from warming up or the cookies would not rise. I made some with cold dough and they were rising perfectly, but then I started working with the scraps that were sitting on the counted for 5-7 min while I was sugaring the cold cookies and the cookies from that particular dough did not rise. Then I took cold dough from the fridge again and those did rise. Just a tip, keep the dough as cold as possible. I give this recipe 5 STARS!!!!!
I'm so glad you liked these cookies, Adelina:).
I just made a double batch this weekend and it was gone within a few days.
Absolutely, the dough needs to stay cold. As I mentioned in the instructions, that's why you need to use frozen butter and also refrigerate the dough until it's firm. Whenever I am making these cookies, I break off part of the dough that I'll be rolling out and I keep the rest of it in the refrigerator until I'm ready to roll it out as well.
I noticed that lots of people don't have farmers cheese available in their area, so I'd like to share my way to get around this problem. I make my own farmers cheese in less than 20-30 minutes for those cookies. If you don't have buttermilk on hand, don't worry just use regular milk and double vinegar.
http://americanfood.about.com/od/appetizersandsoups/r/farmercheese.htm
Hi Lena!
That's absolutely true, farmer's cheese in not available in every store. Thanks for sharing your recipe. In case you hadn't noticed, I also have a recipe for homemade farmer's cheese on my blog. There's a link to it in this recipe.
Olga thank you so much for such a great recipe. Just made them for the Labor Day family get together and everyone loved them 🙂
Super! Glad you enjoyed them.
I made these geese feet cookies and they are delicious, I also pierced them with a fork so they can look like geese feet and they look really cute. Thanks for this recipe its very delicious.
That would look cute for sure, Irina. These are my favorite cookies:).
Yes, I remember these too from my childhood. They look amazing. Pinning this recipe as well.
These are probably my favorite cookies of all time:).
Just made these, they came out amazing!!! My boys literally aight the first batch!! Thank you so much for sharing, I was always intimidated by slayonka. It was very easy and delicious!
That's awesome! It's such a big plus when the food we cook is a big hit with our loved ones. I'm so glad you enjoyed them.
I bought two gallons of milk last week for farmer cheese. I don't know why but cheese became too sour. I was looking for good recipe with farmer's cheese. I made double the recipe and its turned SO-O-O-O GOOD. Everyone loved them so much. It's has just a little ( кислинка) but its even better. Thans much for great recipe and wonderful blog.
You're welcome, Nina!
Glad you liked it.
Love the looks and sound of this recipe. could possibly try yogurt cheese if drained overnight in fridge. any way I will try these with the farmers cheese. keep up the great work.
Thanks, Theresa! I don't think these would work with yogurt. You could try cream cheese or cottage cheese, but yogurt won't work.