Homemade Kolaches
User Reviews
4.9
66 reviews
Excellent
Homemade Kolaches
Report
Homemade Kolaches bring together a soft yeast dough enriched with butter and eggs, topped with a sweet cream cheese mixture and a choice of fruit, poppy seed, or streusel toppings. The dough is kneaded until soft and allowed to rise before shaping and baking to golden perfection. Popular toppings include blueberry, cherry, poppy seed, and streusel, each adding distinct textures and flavors to the tender pastry.
Description
This recipe for Homemade Kolaches centers on a rich, slightly sweet dough made with lukewarm milk, sugar, butter, eggs, yeast, flour, and salt. The dough is kneaded thoroughly to achieve a soft but workable texture and allowed to double in size, which creates the lightness characteristic of kolaches. A cream cheese topping, made from softened cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla, is the base for the various fruit and other toppings.
The toppings vary, including blueberry with sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and lemon juice; cherry with drained sour cherries and sugar; poppy seed blended with sugar, flour, milk, butter, and vanilla; and streusel made from sugar, flour, cinnamon, and chilled butter. These toppings add bursts of sweetness, contrasting textures, and richness to the fluffy pastry, delivering a variety of flavors within the same dough base.
Kolaches can be prepared ahead, with fillings made several days in advance. They can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 to 5 days or refrigerated up to a week. Kolaches also freeze well for up to 2 months, making them useful for meal planning or celebrations. Brushing the dough with melted butter before baking adds extra moisture and color to the crust.
Share:
Ingredients
Kolach Dough
- 1 cup milk lukewarm, 105° - 120°F, whole
- ½ cup sugar
- 5 tablespoon butter melted and then cooled, unsalted
- 3 large egg room temperature
- 2¼ teaspoon active dry yeast or Instant Yeast (aka: Rapid Rise)
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon butter melted, for brushing the uncooked kolaches, unsalted
Cream Cheese Topping
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Blueberry Topping
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 cups blueberries fresh
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice fresh
Cherry Topping
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 oz can sour cherries Drain, but save the juice, pitted
Poppy Seed Topping
- ⅓ cup poppy seeds
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup milk whole
- 1 tablespoon butter unsalted
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Streusel Topping
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup butter chilled, cubed, unsalted
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon ground
Instructions
Prepare the Dough
- Add the lukewarm milk, sugar, cooled butter, eggs, and yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix everything together using the paddle attachment.
- Add 4½ cups flour and salt to the mixture. Mix on low just until the dough starts to come together. Use your hands to remove the dough from the paddle attachment. Remove the paddle and replace it with the dough hook. Mix (knead) on medium for 6 to 7 minutes until the dough is soft and is starting to pull away from the bowl, adding another ¼ to ½ cup of flour as needed.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and smooth it into a ball with your hands. The dough will be quite sticky. This is normal. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray and place the dough in the bowl. Turn the dough over to coat with oil all over. If desired, brush melted butter over the top of the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm, non-drafty area until it has doubled in size, usually about 2 hours. Or, place in the refrigerator for overnight or up to 12 hours.
- On a floured work surface, roll out the dough to ½-inch thickness.
- Using a 2½-inch cookie cutter, an inverted metal can, or an inverted glass, cut rounds from the dough. Re-roll the scraps, and cut more rounds.
- Place each round on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, about 1 inch apart from each other, cover with a damp towel, and let rise at room temperature until nearly doubled in size, about 45 minutes to 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Using your thumb, press 1 large indention into the center of each round, leaving a ½-inch wide rim. Spoon about 1 tablespoon topping into the indentions. Liberally sprinkle the streusel over the tops of the kolaches. Brush the melted butter all over the edges of the kolaches.
- Bake until golden brown, about 15 to 25 minutes (depending on the size of the kolaches).
- Transfer to a wire rack and let cool
Cream Cheese Topping
- Place all of the cream cheese topping ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Or, mix with a hand mixer.
Blueberry Topping
- In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon.
- Add the blueberries and lemon juice and cook over medium heat, stirring, until sugar dissolves.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer until thickened, about 8 minutes. Let cool.
Cherry Topping
- In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and cornstarch.
- Stir in the reserved cherry juices and cook, stirring often, over medium heat, until the mixture thickens, about 8 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the cherries. Let cool.
Poppy Seed Topping
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the poppy seeds, sugar, and flour.
- Heat the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once it starts to simmer, add the poppy seed mixture and stir constantly, until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla. Let rest for at least 15 minutes (it will thicken as it cools off).
Streusel Topping
- In a medium-sized bowl, add all of the ingredients. Use a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingers to create a crumbly texture. Set aside.
Notes
- Watch the video demonstration for guidance on dough handling and shaping.
- Fillings can be made in advance and stored for easier preparation.
- Store kolaches in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days or refrigerate for up to one week.
- Kolaches freeze well for up to 2 months; thaw before reheating.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
636kcal
(32%)
Carbohydrates
120g
(40%)
Protein
13g
(26%)
Fat
11g
(17%)
Saturated Fat
6g
(30%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
(6%)
Monounsaturated Fat
3g
(15%)
Trans Fat
1g
(50%)
Cholesterol
116mg
(39%)
Sodium
46mg
(2%)
Potassium
189mg
(4%)
Fiber
3g
(12%)
Sugar
52g
(104%)
Vitamin A
402IU
(8%)
Vitamin C
1mg
(1%)
Calcium
64mg
(6%)
Iron
4mg
(22%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 636 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 636kcal | 32% |
| Carbohydrates | 120g | 40% |
| Protein | 13g | 26% |
| Fat | 11g | 17% |
| Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 116mg | 39% |
| Sodium | 46mg | 2% |
| Potassium | 189mg | 4% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 52g | 104% |
| Vitamin A | 402IU | 8% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 64mg | 6% |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
66 reviews
Excellent
Other Recipes
You'll Also Love
