These Kolaches have a soft and tender dough that is perfect for holding your favorite filling. They are delicious warmed and perfect for breakfast, brunch or even dessert.
I didn’t really know too much about Kolaches, except for the fact that they were delicious. I believed that they were a Bohemian or Czech creation. I went looking for a little more information. Wikipedia defined them as “a type of pastry that holds a dollop of fruit rimmed by a puffy pillow of supple dough”. They also stated that they originated in “Central Europe”. I think they said that so they didn’t start any Kolache wars. There are several articles from different heritages claiming that they were the originators of this pastry. I am a mix breed with no claim to Kolaches’ origination. I’m just the baker folks. I even combined heritages to come up with my version (gasp). So, I guess this Kolache does come from my heritage (pompous opinion only).
Like I said, I knew they were yummy and not overly sweet. They are often filled with pie filling or jam, whether purchased or homemade. Traditionally the fillings were apricot, cherry, prune, or poppyseed, but could also be meat or a soft farmers cheese.
Back to the Kolache itself. The reason for my quest was the pears sitting on my counter that would soon be self-destructing if I didn’t do something soon. I found a wonderful caramelized pear recipe that I wanted to try. Since it was going to be sweet, I thought the slightly sweet Kolache would be the perfect match. You can use my amazing “Caramelized Pear filling“, or, like I said, you can use a pre-made filling or jam.
Kolaches
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 packages 1/4 ounce each active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup sugar divided
- 2 cups warm whole milk 110 – 115 degrees F
- 5 to 6 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 egg yolks room temperature
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened, plus more for greasing pans and bowl
- 2 cups of filling
Streusel
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 sugar
- Dash of cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- In a small bowl, dissolve yeast, 1 tablespoon sugar and warm milk. Let rest for 10 minutes
- In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, remaining sugar and salt. Whisk to combine. To dry ingredients, add butter, egg yolks and yeast/milk mixture. Add enough remaining flour until no longer too sticky to handle.
- Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 7 to 8 minutes. Place dough into a greased bowl, turning once to coat both sides. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 60 to 90 minutes
- Butter (or grease) 3 baking sheets. Cover a kitchen scale with plastic wrap. Punch dough down and tear off 1 1/2 ounce pieces of dough. Shape into smooth round balls with seams on the bottom. Place 12 on each greased baking sheet. Brush with melted butter and allow to double, approximately 60 minutes.
- Using your thumbs, make a depression in each roll large enough to hold 1 to 2 tablespoons of filling. Brush with melted butter again and fill with desired filling. Sprinkle with streusel if desired.
- Bake at 375 degrees F or 350 degrees F for convection for approximately 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Turn and rotate pans halfway through baking.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Taste of Home
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Elizabeth Frazer says
February 26, 2018 at 11:53 pmWonderful recipe. Dough is easy to work with and they come out delicious. Thank you.
Julie Menghini says
March 1, 2018 at 9:22 amThank you so much, Elizabeth for letting me know that you made them and that they were a success for you!
Dody says
June 28, 2015 at 9:29 amHi, found this recipe a bit late it seems. I the recipe, it calls for whole milk. Is that the 3.5%mf homogenized (spelled it wrong 🙁 ) milk or another kind?
Julie Menghini says
June 28, 2015 at 10:26 amHi Dody, thank you for visiting Hostess At Heart! You can use any milk marked as whole milk. I just wouldn’t use a reduced fat milk such as skim milk. Does that help? Enjoy your day.
Olga Brajnović says
November 2, 2014 at 5:57 pmKolace in Croatian means pastries, in general. All of them. The word brings me memories of my mom in the kitchen, kneading the dough, and baking delicious pastries for us. Thank you for the recipe and for the memories.
Julie is HostessAtHeart says
November 2, 2014 at 8:34 pmOlga, I am so happy to hear that you have a history with these pastries. Isn’t that what food is about? Creating memories with those that we share? Thank you so much for visiting!
Jen says
November 1, 2014 at 3:12 pmPinning this for later because it looks AMAZING! Thanks for sharing!
Julie is HostessAtHeart says
November 1, 2014 at 4:23 pmThey were fun to put together. Thank you for commenting!
Chitra Jagadish says
November 1, 2014 at 3:21 amI never heard of kolaches. .. They look divine…can’t wait to give it a try. ..
Arl's World says
October 31, 2014 at 3:13 pmI am Czech and my mother made these from scratch all the time when I was growing up! Hers were the best!! I have wonderful memories of all of her delicious baked goods. Unfortunately I never got her recipe for these … Ah if only I had appreciated the value of recipes such as these then. Now it is to late to get her recipe, but yours looks and sounds wonderful. Now I have a new one! 🙂 Happy FF!
Julie is HostessAtHeart says
October 31, 2014 at 3:27 pmWe have an entire town that is Czech. They have a festival and boy can get some amazing food. Many of my grandmothers recipes have been lost. It is very sad.
cookingwithauntjuju.com says
October 30, 2014 at 10:12 amOf course I love this dough topped with some fruit – they are always good and not too sweet 🙂
Julie is HostessAtHeart says
October 30, 2014 at 10:18 amAnd freeze well! I got 29 rolls from this recipe.
spiceinthecity says
October 29, 2014 at 3:35 pmOh wow these look amazing Julie! Do you deliver 😀
Julie is HostessAtHeart says
October 29, 2014 at 3:37 pmI’ll put on the coffee. Just stop by. 🙂
Nancy says
October 29, 2014 at 2:56 pmPear anything always sparks a craving for me! Love, love, love the use of them in kolaches. You brought back a flood of memories for me, as my grandmother always made these. Her recipe is difficult to read, so I’m pinning this for my holiday baking. Thank you!! 😀
Julie is HostessAtHeart says
October 29, 2014 at 2:58 pmThank you Nancy. I don’t know if your grandmother would like what I did, but they sure taste good and are easy to make.
Everyday Life of a Mother and Wife says
October 29, 2014 at 5:19 amThis looks delicious! I really want to try it soon.
Julie is HostessAtHeart says
October 29, 2014 at 12:22 pmThey were fun and yummy. Not one of those recipes that either are successful or a mess. Go for it!
Nicole says
October 28, 2014 at 9:29 pmKolaches are amazing! Grandma made them every time we would visit.
Julie is HostessAtHeart says
October 29, 2014 at 12:21 pmThanks Nicole! What was the fillings?
Garden Walk Garden Talk says
October 28, 2014 at 7:52 pmLove that you printed the recipe since I just came back from there. They are quite tasty.
celebratingsunshine24 says
October 28, 2014 at 7:08 pmYou might want to check this: http://www.balticmaid.com/2011/12/romanian-sweet-cheese-and-raisin-pastries/ or this: http://homecookinginmontana.blogspot.com/2009/01/romanian-cozonac-nut-filled.html
celebratingsunshine24 says
October 28, 2014 at 5:17 pmWow, they look amazing! We had something similar in Romania. I’m going to tell you a secret: they go well with wine. Cheers! 🙂
Love, love, love your pictures!
Julie is HostessAtHeart says
October 28, 2014 at 5:20 pmHa! Some are filled with meat and cheese. These would definitely be wine worthy! 🙂 What did you call them and what were they filled with?
celebratingsunshine24 says
October 28, 2014 at 6:54 pmHaha! Wine worthy – I like that. They were filled mainly with cheese, but also with any kind of jam or poppyseed. As for the names – they have different names, but I think the most popular is “pateuri”. (this is the plural)
Julie is HostessAtHeart says
October 28, 2014 at 6:57 pmI will have to look these up.
Sarah 'n Spice says
October 28, 2014 at 4:34 pmI’ve never had these before. They look utterly fantastic!
Julie is HostessAtHeart says
October 28, 2014 at 4:43 pmThanks Sarah! I enjoyed making them, and have some in the freezer for another day.javascript:void(0)
K. / Pure & Complex says
October 28, 2014 at 3:37 pmThis looks absolutely delicious. Okay, I’m hungry again lol. Love this
Julie is HostessAtHeart says
October 28, 2014 at 3:43 pmThank you so much. I had a lot of fun making these. There is so many thinks you can fill these with!
treats-and-travel says
October 28, 2014 at 8:49 amHow interesting! Look yummy too!
Julie is HostessAtHeart says
October 28, 2014 at 12:26 pmThank you. They are very good and probably have a different name according to whomever is making them.
joannamurnan says
October 28, 2014 at 7:27 amWow, these are gorgeous! I want to try to make these some afternoon when I have some time to experiment. Thanks for sharing!
Julie is HostessAtHeart says
October 28, 2014 at 7:34 amThank you so much for stopping by and commenting. I actually made them while making Halloween cookies with my 4 year old neighbor. It worked well because I was busy during raising time.
petra08 says
October 28, 2014 at 6:15 amThey look delicious! Am so impressed you made your own (I am a bit of a lousy baker), they look professional! 🙂
Julie is HostessAtHeart says
October 28, 2014 at 6:55 amThank you Petra! I love to cook, but love baking more. Professional? Awe thanks.
lapetitepaniere says
October 28, 2014 at 12:47 amThey are absolutely yummy 🙂
Mardra says
October 27, 2014 at 7:20 pmUm…Yum.
Julie is HostessAtHeart says
October 27, 2014 at 8:19 pmThank you for visiting Mardra!
Bunny Eats Design says
October 27, 2014 at 4:43 pmThese look delicious! I think there are many versions of fruit pastries the world over so adapting them a little with your own heritage couldn’t possibly be sacrilege!
Julie is HostessAtHeart says
October 27, 2014 at 8:15 pmI think you are correct. Heck theres a town in Texas that even claimed them :). Thank you so much for stopping. I really look forward to connecting with Our Growing Edge.
Erin @ Her Heartland Soul says
October 27, 2014 at 3:17 pmThese look so yummy! Thanks for sharing this great recipe!
Julie is HostessAtHeart says
October 27, 2014 at 3:18 pmThanks for stopping by Erin!
davegon says
October 27, 2014 at 2:17 pmWow, these look great, Julie! I only heard about these on Saturday as I was websurfing, but what a coincidence!
Julie is HostessAtHeart says
October 27, 2014 at 2:26 pmThanks Dave! We have town around here that actually have festivals where Kolaches are the stars. I know what you mean in coincidences! Seems like as soon as I think of something I want to post it shows up in several places. 🙂
simplyvegetarian777 says
October 27, 2014 at 12:45 pmI absolutely loved it! Bookmarking it to try 🙂
Julie is HostessAtHeart says
October 27, 2014 at 1:49 pmThank you so much!
Cynthia Cover says
October 27, 2014 at 11:53 amThese remind me of rasberry jam thumb print cookies my step mom and I used to make for the holidays as gifts. They look delicious and I might have to try this recipe 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
Julie is HostessAtHeart says
October 27, 2014 at 1:45 pmThanks Cynthia! These are about the size of a danish though. If you make them, let me know what you think. Thanks for stopping by!
Michelle @ Giraffes Can Bake says
October 27, 2014 at 10:35 amI’ve never heard of Kolaches, but they look really yummy, gonna have to try these
Julie is HostessAtHeart says
October 27, 2014 at 10:48 amThey are very good if you like slightly sweet breads. Thanks for visiting!
Loretta says
October 27, 2014 at 10:11 amThese look amazing Julie….I wonder how it would taste with ready made puff pastry made into pinwheels, with a slight indentation?
I’m thinking “quick” for now, cos I too have some pears that are about to say goodbye 🙂 It looks wonderful!
Kim says
October 27, 2014 at 10:01 amOh my gosh these look so good! Thanks for the recipe and history lesson!
Julie is HostessAtHeart says
October 27, 2014 at 10:03 amThanks for visiting Kim. Not very reliable history because everyone has their own version! 🙂
cleaneatingveggiegirl says
October 27, 2014 at 9:40 amNow I just need somebody to come make these for me 😉 I’m not much of a baker… haha!
Julie is HostessAtHeart says
October 27, 2014 at 9:48 amI’d give you one of mine, but the hubby polished them off! Thanks for stopping!
mithriluna says
October 27, 2014 at 9:11 amAdded this one to pinterest too! 🙂
Julie is HostessAtHeart says
October 27, 2014 at 9:12 amThank you!