Traditional Czech Kolache Recipe
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Learn how to make Traditional Czech Kolache with our step-by-step recipe. Kolaches feature sweet, pillowy yeast dough filled with mouthwatering fruit preserves or cream cheese, and savor the delightful taste of a time-honored Central European pastry.
What are Kolaches?
Kolaches, also known as koláče or koláčky, are a bread “wheel” filled with a sweet filling. This is a rich dough with a texture that is very similar to a brioche bread. Traditional fillings include; prune, poppy seed, nut, cottage cheese, pineapple, apricot, apple, cherry, and plum. Pretty much any flavor you can think of!
What is the origin of kolaches?
Czech immigrants brought with them their rich culinary traditions, including the beloved kolache pastry in the late 1800s. These immigrants settled in various regions of the United States, with notable Czech communities in places like central Texas, Nebraska, Iowa, and other Midwestern states.
In areas with significant Czech influences, you can often find bakeries and shops specializing in traditional Czech pastries. The recipes may have evolved and adapted to local tastes, and have become a part of the diverse tapestry of American cuisine.
Ingredients
- Combination of lukewarm milk and water – whole or 2% works best
- Active dry yeast
- Granulated sugar
- Unsalted butter and egg yolk add richness to this sweet dough
- All-purpose flour
- Fruit filling: All-natural fruit preserves, fruit jams, or your favorite filling.
- Melted butter or egg wash (one beaten egg + 1 tablespoon milk or heavy cream)
Check out the printable recipe card below for the complete recipe and detailed instructions.
How to make Kolaches
In a small bowl (or bowl of a stand mixer), combine the warm water and yeast. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until it becomes frothy.
If it foams up and we know that the yeast is still alive!
Pour the warm milk, sugar, yeast mixture, and softened butter into the bowl of a stand mixer…..or a large mixing bowl if you are doing this by hand.
add 2 cups of flour and salt, and mix together.
add the beaten egg yolks and remaining flour.
Mix until dough comes together.
If mixing by hand, knead the dough on a floured surface for about 5-7 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.
Place dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a kitchen towel, and let dough rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours or until it doubles in size.
See, nice a puffy after about an hour.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Punch down the risen dough and divide it into 24 dough balls. Roll each portion into a ball or oval shape, and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone liner.
Dip your finger or thumb in cooled, melted butter and make a deep indentation in the center of each dough ball to form “wells”, and fill it with your choice of fruit preserves or cream cheese filling.
Let sit for 15 minutes.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and brush edges with butter.
Allow the kolache to cool in the baking pan, on a wire rack before serving.
Feel free to experiment with different fillings and toppings to suit your taste and enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea.
Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 oz (1 package) cream cheese, softened
- 0.5 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg yolk
- Lemon zest (optional) for added flavor
In a bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to blend the ingredients until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Add the egg yolk to the cream cheese mixture and continue to mix until well combined. Be careful not to overmix; just blend until the ingredients are fully incorporated.
Make an indentation in the center of each dough ball and add a spoonful of cream cheese filling.
FAQ’s
Yes. You can prepare the dough and fillings ahead of time and store separately in the refrigerator, then assemble and bake the next day for fresh kolache.
Absolutely! You can freeze both unbaked and baked kolaches. If freezing unbaked kolaches, assemble them and freeze on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag once solid. For baked kolaches, cool them completely and store in a freezer-safe container.
Store leftover kolaches in an airtight container at room temperature for a day or two. For longer storage, refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to one month.
While both are popular Czech pastries, kolaches are sweet and typically filled with fruit or sweet cheese, while klobasnek is savory and filled with ingredients like sausage, cheese, or other savory fillings.
Recipe Inspiration
There are three main foods that everyone talks about when you move to Iowa; pork tenderloins, Maidrite (loose meat) sandwiches, and Traditional Czech Kolaches! They even have a Kolache Festival every year where you will find thousands of kolaches for sale.
My favorite flavors are pineapple, apricot, and apple, but I didn’t want to make my own fillings. I knew blueberry was a must, and the apricot preserves where sitting on the shelf right next to them.
Recipes for this month’s Aquarius meal
- Milky Way Martini
- Aquarius Salad with blueberry vinaigrette
- Chicken Paprikash
- Galactic Brownies
Did you try this recipe? I’d love to see it!
Tag @cookingwithcurls on Instagram & Facebook and leave a ⭐️⭐⭐⭐⭐ review below!
Enjoy!!
Traditional Czech Kolaches
Ingredients
- 0.5 cup warm water 110°F
- 1.5 cups warm milk 110°F – you can use coconut milk
- 4.5 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 0.5 cup granulated sugar
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter 1 stick, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 4 large egg yolks beaten
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- all-natural fruit preserves I used blueberry and apricot but any flavor will work
- 2 – 3 tablespoons melted butter for brushing tops
Instructions
- In a small bowl (or bowl of a stand mixer), combine the warm water and yeast. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until it becomes frothy.
- Pour the warm milk, sugar, yeast mixture, and softened butter into the bowl of a stand mixer…..or a *large mixing bowl if you are doing this by hand.
- Add 2 cups of flour and salt, and mix together, then add the beaten egg yolks and remaining flour. Mix until dough comes together.
- *If mixing by hand, knead the dough on a floured surface for about 5-7 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.
- Place dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a kitchen towel, and let dough rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours or until it doubles in size.
- Punch down the risen dough and divide it into 24 dough balls. Roll each portion into a ball or oval shape, and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone liner.
- Dip your finger or thumb in cooled, melted butter and make a deep indentation in the center of each dough ball to form “wells”, and fill it with your choice of fruit preserves or cream cheese filling. Let sit for 15 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and brush edges with butter.
- Allow the kolaches to cool in the baking pan, on a wire rack before serving.
Notes
- The traditional fillings for Czech Kolaches are: prune, plum, poppy seed, cream cheese, pineapple, nut, cherry, blueberry, apricot, and apple. See post for cream cheese filling recipe.
- Store leftover kolaches in an airtight container at room temperature for a day or two. For longer storage, refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to one month in a freezer-safe container.
- If freezing unbaked kolaches, assemble them and freeze on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag once solid.
- You can prepare the dough and fillings ahead of time and store separately in the refrigerator, then assemble and bake the next day for fresh kolache.
Oh my goodness… I love Kolaches! I wish I had one of yours right now! Yum!
I’ve never had kolaches, but they sound delicious! Are they sorta like a danish? If they are I’m sure I would love these 🙂
Happy Blogging!
Happy Valley Chow
Yes, they are kinda like a danish Eric. They are just smaller, which is a good thing, and they don’t have a glaze on top…which is also probably a good thing! 😉
I’ve never heard of kolaches but I can tell by looking at them that I would love them! These look so soft and fluffy. 🙂
I had never heard of them before I moved to Iowa, but they are in just about every bakery here! You can even buy them in some gas stations. 🙂 They are really good if you are looking for something different to serve.
They are also called “vartushka” in Russian. Usually kolaches in translation mean shaped in a ring dough, kind alike bangles. Looks like you did a perfect job 🙂
Thanks for sharing this with us at our Marvelous Monday Party! Pinning and when are we getting together for a food fest and drinks 🙂
This looks delicious! There is a small business near me that sells only kolaches but other than this one store I’ve never heard of them or had them. They are sooo delicious at that restaurant though so I would love to try them myself at home sometime! Thank you for sharing it, I am definitely pinning it for the future!
Love these, I’m a transplant to Northern Iowa as well, they have such great desserts. Thanks for posting, I’m going to give it a try! What part of this frigid state do you hail from?
Hugs-Kari
P.S. I’m thinking I’ll follow you!
Hi Kari, I am in the Marion/Cedar Rapids area…freezing!! I sure hope it warms up soon. 🙂
These look like they’d be PERFECT with a cup of coffee, Lisa!! Thanks for the great recipe and for sharing it at Saturday Night Fever!
Thanks for linking up at Sweet and Savoury Sunday. These look yummy, I could easily nibble on a few, maybe with some added jam spread on each piece.
Thank you Laura, that sounds like a brilliant idea!:)
Could I have had these in Chicago? They seem familiar. So glad you brought them to foodie friday.
There is a really good chance that you could have Diane. I’m guessing they are pretty popular in the Midwest. 🙂
Hi Lisa! These look so good!! My grandfather was Czech, so we had LOTS of kolaches growing up. 🙂 I’m going to print this recipe. I absolutely love the apricot ones! Hope you have a wonderful week!
Thank you so much Lisa, I’m sure you will love them! I hope you have a wonderful week as well. 🙂