Easy Apple Kolache Recipe {Video}
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Our easy kolache recipe makes a perfectly soft and tender dough, just right for holding your favorite filling. Apple Kolaches have a warm sweet apple filling nestled in a soft kolache dough. They are easy enough to make at home and taste like they came from a bakery. Our Apple Kolaches recipe makes 28 rolls so it is perfect for your next brunch or company breakfast.
Table of contents
What is a Kolache?
They’re defined 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” but this is highly debated with Nebraska, Minnesota, and Texas all claiming to be the “Kolache Capital of the World”.
Equipment Needed to Make Apple Kolaches
- Baking Sheets – These sheet pans are durable and I have four of them so I can get all of my cookies baked in a jiffy!
- 2-Quart Saucepan – I prefer the stainless steel pans. I love how this pan has a flat bottom so more food can sit on it directly. I also like the glass lids so I can see how it’s cooking.
- Glass Mixing Bowls – This set allows me to prep all of my ingredients and they’re dishwasher safe.
Ingredients to Make the Easy Kolache Recipe
- Instant or Quick Rise Yeast. Found in packets near the baking soda at your grocery store. It’s not the same thing as “Active”. If you want to know the difference I cover it in my “Techniques Post”.
- Sugar. White granulated sugar.
- Whole Milk. The extra fat is essential for a fluffy dough.
- All Purpose Flour. Bleached or unbleached.
- Egg Yolks. You will need the yolks from four eggs. Use the whites to make an egg wash if desired.
- Salt. For seasoning.
- Unsalted Butter. If you only have salted butter, do not add salt to the recipe.
Homemade Apple Filling Ingredients
- Granny Smith or Braeburn Apples. These are the perfect apples for apple pie filling. I’d choose Granny Smith apples if you only want to use one variety.
- Lemon. Should be juiced.
- Brown Sugar. Light or Dark Brown sugar will both work.
- Water. To keep the pie filling from burning as it cooks and add liquid for the syrup that forms as it cooks down.
- Cinnamon. For spice.
- Corn Starch. Provides a thickening agent for the sauce.
Streusel Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour. No need for fancy flours in this recipe.
- Cinnamon. Saigon cinnamon is very nice.
- Sugar. White granulated sugar.
- Melted Butter. Salted or unsalted is fine for this part of the recipe.
Please note, that the printable recipe card has the full list of ingredients, quantities, complete instructions, and nutritional information. The following is a quick overview of the recipe.
How to Make Kolaches
Step One: Activate yeast with liquid and sugar.
Activating your yeast isn’t necessary if using Instant, Quick or Instant yeast. You can mix all ingredients together if that’s the case.
Step Two: Mix the ingredients.
Add all dough ingredients together and knead the dough until it is smooth approximately 7 to 8 minutes.
Step Three: Let the dough rise.
The dough should rise until doubled, approximately 60 to 90 minutes.
Step Four: Divide Dough into Rolls.
Place the balls of dough on baking sheets. Brush with Butter.
Step Five: Let the dough rise again.
The rolls should double in size in approximately 60 minutes. If you have a proof setting on your oven use it. Make indentations in the dough using your thumb. Brush with an egg wash and then fill.
Step Six: Make the Apple Filling
In a 2-quart saucepan combine diced apples, water, and lemon juice. Cook until it starts to thicken. Fill the shaped kolaches.
Step 7: Make the Streusel
Streusel is optional but not in my house! Cut the flour, sugar, and cinnamon together using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingers. Drizzle with the melted butter.
Step 8: Top and Bake
Additions and Substitutions for the Easy Kolache Recipe
As I said, I knew they were yummy and that the dough isn’t overly sweet so this same kolache dough recipe can be used with a sweet or savory filling.
This easy Kolache recipe is often filled with pie filling or jam, purchased or homemade is fine. Traditionally the fillings are apricot, cherry, prune, or poppyseed, but could also be meat such as sausage, or a soft farmers cheese. In the bakeries here, I see a lot of kolaches with a combination of fruit and cheese.
I made this warm cinnamon and brown sugar apple filling. It’s delicious on its own and amazing in this Kolache recipe!
Back to the Kolache itself. The first time I made this recipe was to use up some pears sitting on my counter and came up with an amazing Caramelized Pear filling that tasted amazing nestled in this soft kolache dough too.
I love apples and especially baked apples in a warm cinnamon-brown sugar mix. This Apple Kolache recipe certainly ranks up there with my all-time favorite bakery recipes.
How to Store and Reheat our Easy Kolache Recipe
How to Best Store Kolaches
Keep your leftover rolls in an airtight container on the counter or in the refrigerator for three to five days.
How to Freeze and Thaw our Easy Kolache Recipe
Our soft kolache dough recipe can be frozen two different ways. Raw, you can freeze the buns after the rolls themselves have doubled in size and you’ve made an imprint for the filling. Freeze the rolls individually on trays and then combine them into one container. Fill and bake as needed.
Baked, you can freeze individual rolls in airtight containers for up to three months. This is my preferred way of freezing them.
How to Reheat Leftover Apple Kolaches
Reheat in the microwave for ten to fifteen seconds or more depending on your microwave wattage.
Fruit Kolache FAQs
kuh·laa·chee
This dessert is made with a soft dough and apple pie filling. It requires flour, sugar, yeast, salt, milk, egg yolks and butter for the dough. The pie filling is made from apples, sugar, cornstarch, water, cinnamon, brown sugar and lemon juice. For the streusel topping you will need flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter.
A soft, pillowy dough filled with apple pie filling and baked.
The origin of Kolaches is highly contested and the truth is unknown. Possibilities include Central Europe and several Western states in the U.S.
Follow our step-by-step instructions to make the perfect kolache dough.
Yes. Freeze individual rolls in airtight containers for up to three months. Thaw in the microwave for 15-45 seconds.
Tips to Make the Best Apple Kolaches Recipe
- You don’t need to weigh the dough. You can just estimate their size. The most important thing is that they’re all approximately the same size so they bake at the same rate.
- When forming your dough don’t press through the bottom of the roll. Your filling will leak out.
- Dice your fruit small enough so you can get a lot of it in each Kolache. It may bake down and that’s perfectly fine. Don’t overfill the kolaches. The extra filling will just bubble off while baking.
- Instant or Quick Rise yeasts don’t have to bloom and can be added directly to the recipe.
- Make sure that you allow the kolaches to cool slightly before serving. The hot filling will burn your mouth.
If you like this recipe, we would appreciate your comment and a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review!
More Great Apple Recipes
Don’t forget to stop back and let me know how your Kolaches turned out!
Easy Apple Kolaches Recipe – Made At Home
Ingredients
Dough
- ½ oz Yeast or 2-packages
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 cups whole milk warmed to 110 – 115 degrees F
- 5 cups all-purpose flour may need an up to an additional cup
- 4 egg yolks room temperature
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened
*Apple Filling (optional)
- 4 apples Granny Smith or Braeburn (about 4 cups diced)
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp water
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp corn starch
Streusel (optional)
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
Additional Ingredients: melted butter or egg wash
Instructions
Dough
- 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, sugar, and salt. Whisk to combine. 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. Don't press through the bottom of the roll. Brush with melted butter again or use an egg wash with the left over egg whites. Fill with desired filling. Sprinkle with streusel if desired.
- Bake at 350° F for approximately 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Turn and rotate pans halfway through baking.
Dutch Apple Filling
- In a 2-quart saucepan combine diced apples, water, and the juice of one lemon. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally for 8 minutes or until it starts to thicken. Remove from heat and allow to cool while the dough rises. NOTE: Add an additional tbsp of corn starch if the filling doesn't thicken. Water content can be very different according to the apple variety.
Streusel (optional)
- Cut the flour, sugar, and cinnamon together with a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingers. Drizzle with the melted butter and fluff together with a fork.
Video
Notes
- Instant or Quick Rise yeasts don’t have to bloom and can be added directly to the recipe.
- Recipe adapted from Taste of Home
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.
This recipe was originally published on July 10, 2019. I’ve updated this post to include detailed photos and instructions. No changes have been made to the recipe.
Of course I love this dough topped with some fruit – they are always good and not too sweet 🙂
And freeze well! I got 29 rolls from this recipe.
Oh wow these look amazing Julie! Do you deliver 😀
I’ll put on the coffee. Just stop by. 🙂
Pear 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!! 😀
Thank you Nancy. I don’t know if your grandmother would like what I did, but they sure taste good and are easy to make.
This looks delicious! I really want to try it soon.
They were fun and yummy. Not one of those recipes that either are successful or a mess. Go for it!
Kolaches are amazing! Grandma made them every time we would visit.
Thanks Nicole! What was the fillings?
Love that you printed the recipe since I just came back from there. They are quite tasty.
You might want to check this: https://www.balticmaid.com/2011/12/romanian-sweet-cheese-and-raisin-pastries/ or this: https://homecookinginmontana.blogspot.com/2009/01/romanian-cozonac-nut-filled.html
Wow, 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!
Ha! Some are filled with meat and cheese. These would definitely be wine worthy! 🙂 What did you call them and what were they filled with?
Haha! 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)
I will have to look these up.
I’ve never had these before. They look utterly fantastic!
Thanks Sarah! I enjoyed making them, and have some in the freezer for another day.javascript:void(0)
This looks absolutely delicious. Okay, I’m hungry again lol. Love this
Thank you so much. I had a lot of fun making these. There is so many thinks you can fill these with!
How interesting! Look yummy too!
Thank you. They are very good and probably have a different name according to whomever is making them.
Wow, these are gorgeous! I want to try to make these some afternoon when I have some time to experiment. Thanks for sharing!
Thank 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.
They look delicious! Am so impressed you made your own (I am a bit of a lousy baker), they look professional! 🙂
Thank you Petra! I love to cook, but love baking more. Professional? Awe thanks.
They are absolutely yummy 🙂
Um…Yum.
Thank you for visiting Mardra!
These 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!
I 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.
These look so yummy! Thanks for sharing this great recipe!
Thanks for stopping by Erin!
Wow, these look great, Julie! I only heard about these on Saturday as I was websurfing, but what a coincidence!
Thanks 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. 🙂
I absolutely loved it! Bookmarking it to try 🙂
Thank you so much!
These 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.
Thanks Cynthia! These are about the size of a danish though. If you make them, let me know what you think. Thanks for stopping by!
I’ve never heard of Kolaches, but they look really yummy, gonna have to try these
They are very good if you like slightly sweet breads. Thanks for visiting!
These 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!
Oh my gosh these look so good! Thanks for the recipe and history lesson!
Thanks for visiting Kim. Not very reliable history because everyone has their own version! 🙂
Now I just need somebody to come make these for me 😉 I’m not much of a baker… haha!
I’d give you one of mine, but the hubby polished them off! Thanks for stopping!
Added this one to pinterest too! 🙂
Thank you!