Kolaches

Total Time Prep: 30 min. + rising Bake: 10 min.
Yield 28 servings
Test Kitchen Approved
A kolache is a yeasty, soft Czech pastry that’s topped with a cheese, poppy seed or fruit filling. It's somewhere between a doughnut and a Danish.

Ingredients

  • 2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
  • 1/2 cup sugar, divided
  • 2 cups warm 2% milk (110° to 115°)
  • 5-3/4 to 6-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 4 large egg yolks, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 2 cups canned prune, poppy seed, cherry or lemon pie filling
  • 1 large egg white, beaten

Directions

  1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in warm milk; let stand 10 minutes. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, remaining sugar, egg yolks, salt, butter and yeast/milk mixture. Mix until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to make a stiff dough.
  2. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Add additional flour if necessary. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover; let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
  3. Punch dough down and allow to rise again. Roll out on a floured surface to 1/2-in. thickness. Cut with a large glass or a 2-1/2-in. cutter. Place on greased baking sheets; let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
  4. Firmly press an indentation into center and fill each roll with 1 heaping tablespoon of filling. Brush dough with egg white. Bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes or until rolls are light golden brown.

Nutrition Facts

1 kolache: 164 calories, 3g fat (2g saturated fat), 37mg cholesterol, 116mg sodium, 29g carbohydrate (9g sugars, 1g fiber), 4g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 1/2 fat.

This kolache recipe was given to me by my mother-in-law, who received it from her mother! It was a standard treat in their family, made nearly every week. Now I make these kolaches for my own family for special occasions. —Maxine Hron, Quincy, Illinois
Recipe Creator

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