Authentic Czech Kolache Recipe (Koláče)

Kolaches are soft Czech pastries made with sweet yeast dough and an open center filled with cheese, poppy seeds, plum, or apricot. The edges are light and soft, while the top is often finished with a buttery streusel called posypka.

In Czech, these pastries are called koláče. One pastry is called a koláč, which sounds like “ko-LAH-ch.” They are often made for weddings, Easter, holidays, and quiet Sunday mornings with coffee.

I love this Czech kolache recipe because one batch can be made with several fillings. You can make a few cheese kolaches, a few poppy seed ones, and some with plum or apricot. It takes a little time, but each step is simple, and the soft homemade dough is worth it.

What Is a Kolache?

A kolache is a round Czech pastry made with soft yeast dough. The center is pressed down and filled, so the filling stays open and easy to see.

The name comes from the Czech word kolo, which means wheel. This is why traditional koláče are round.

The filling should not be fully wrapped inside the dough. If the dough is closed around a sausage or another filling, it is a different pastry called a klobasnek.

Czech Kolaches vs. Texas Kolaches

Czech families brought koláče to Texas many years ago. Today, kolaches are still very popular in Texas, especially in towns with strong Czech roots.

Traditional Czech koláče are usually filled with farmer’s cheese, poppy seeds, plum butter, or fruit. Many Texas bakeries also use cream cheese, jam, and other sweet fillings.

You may also see sausage pastries sold as “kolaches” in Texas. These are tasty, but they are really called klobasneky. A true kolache has an open sweet filling, while a klobasnek is closed around the filling.

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

All-purpose flour: 500 g or about 4 cups gives the dough its shape. Try not to add too much extra flour, or the kolaches may turn out dry.

Whole milk: 250 ml or 1 cup makes the dough soft and rich. The milk should feel warm, but it should not be hot.

Active dry yeast: 7 g or 2¼ teaspoons helps the dough rise. You can also use the same amount of instant yeast and mix it straight into the flour.

Granulated sugar: 60 g or about ⅓ cup adds a light sweetness to the dough. One teaspoon is also used to help wake up the yeast.

Eggs: 2 large eggs make the dough rich and soft. Room-temperature eggs mix into the dough more easily.

Unsalted butter: 80 g or about ⅓ cup gives the dough a tender texture. Let the melted butter cool a little before adding it.

Salt: ½ teaspoon keeps the dough from tasting flat and helps balance the sweetness.

Farmer’s cheese: 200 g is used for the classic tvaroh filling. Well-drained ricotta or dry-curd cottage cheese can also work.

Egg yolk: 1 large yolk helps the cheese filling stay rich and smooth.

Sugar: 2 tablespoons sweetens the cheese filling without making it too heavy.

Vanilla extract: ½ teaspoon adds a soft vanilla flavor to the cheese filling.

Ground poppy seeds: 150 g are needed for the traditional mák filling. Ground seeds work better than whole seeds because they give more flavor.

Pitted prunes: 200 g are used to make the plum filling called povidla. You can also use thick store-bought prune butter or lekvar.

Dried apricots: 200 g make a thick and bright apricot filling. Choose soft dried apricots if possible.

Flour: 50 g or about ⅓ cup forms the base of the streusel topping.

Sugar: 40 g or about 3 tablespoons adds sweetness to the streusel.

Cold butter: 40 g or about 3 tablespoons creates the small, buttery crumbs on top.

For a richer dough, you can replace one whole egg with two egg yolks and increase the butter to 110 g. This is optional, and the original dough is already soft and delicious.

Equipment You’ll Need

• Large mixing bowl
• Small bowl or mug
• Stand mixer with a dough hook or wooden spoon
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Kitchen scale, if available
• Two baking sheets
• Parchment paper
• Small glass or spoon for making the centers
• Small bowls for the fillings
• Pastry brush
• Wire cooling rack

How to Make Czech Kolaches

1. Wake up the yeast. Warm the milk until it feels slightly warm, not hot. Stir in 1 teaspoon of sugar, then sprinkle the yeast over the top. Leave it for 10–15 minutes until it looks foamy.
2. Mix the dry ingredients. Add the flour, the rest of the sugar, and the salt to a large bowl. Stir them together so the yeast and sugar will spread evenly through the dough.
3. Make the dough. Add the eggs, melted butter, and yeast mixture. Stir until a rough dough forms. It may look a little sticky at first, and that is normal.
4. Knead until smooth. Knead the dough by hand or with a dough hook for 8–10 minutes. It should become smooth, soft, and a little tacky. Try not to add too much extra flour.
5. Let the dough rise. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover it. Leave it in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.
6. Shape the dough balls. Gently press the air out of the risen dough. Divide it into 12–16 equal pieces and roll each piece into a smooth ball.
7. Rest the dough. Place the dough balls on parchment-lined baking sheets. Leave space between them, cover them lightly, and let them rest for 20 minutes.
8. Make deep centers. Press the bottom of a small glass or your fingers into the center of each dough ball. Press almost to the baking sheet, but do not tear the dough. A deep center helps keep the filling in place.
9. Add the filling. Spoon about 1 heaping tablespoon of filling into each center. You can use one filling or make several kinds in the same batch.
10. Add the streusel. Rub the flour, sugar, and cold butter together until small crumbs form. Sprinkle a little over each filled kolache.
11. Bake the kolaches. Bake at 180°C (355°F) for 15–20 minutes. They are ready when the edges are golden and the dough looks fully baked.
12. Brush and cool. Brush the warm edges with a little melted butter as soon as they come out of the oven. Let the kolaches cool on a wire rack before serving.

Four Traditional Kolache Fillings

Each filling below makes enough for about 12 kolaches. You can make one full filling or make smaller amounts of several fillings.

Tvaroh Cheese Filling

Mix 200 g farmer’s cheese, 1 egg yolk, 2 tablespoons sugar, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. Add a small pinch of lemon zest if you like.

If the cheese looks wet, let it drain in a sieve for about 30 minutes first. The filling should be thick enough to stay in the center of the dough.

Mák Poppy Seed Filling

Add 150 g ground poppy seeds, 150 ml milk, 3 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon honey, and 1 tablespoon butter to a small saucepan.

Cook over low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring often. The filling should become thick, a little like wet sand. Remove it from the heat, add a little lemon zest, and let it cool before using.

Povidla Plum Filling

Add 200 g pitted prunes, 120 ml water, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon to a small saucepan.

Cook for about 15 minutes, or until the prunes are very soft. Blend until smooth, then cook for another 5 minutes until thick. Let it cool before filling the kolaches.

You can also use thick store-bought prune butter or lekvar.

Apricot Filling

Add 200 g dried apricots, 120 ml water, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and one small strip of lemon peel to a saucepan.

Cook for about 15 minutes until the apricots are soft. Remove the lemon peel, blend until smooth, and cook for another 5 minutes until thick. Let the filling cool before using.

Tips for the Best Czech Kolaches

• Keep the dough soft. The dough should feel soft and a little sticky. Adding too much flour can make the pastries dry.
• Press the centers deeply. A shallow center may puff back up in the oven and push the filling out. Press almost to the baking sheet without tearing the dough.
• Cool the fillings first. Warm filling can make the dough too soft and may cause it to spread.
• Do not overfill them. About 1 heaping tablespoon is enough for each pastry. Too much filling may spill over the sides.
• Do not skip the streusel. The buttery posypka adds sweetness and a light crunch.
• Brush the edges with butter. I like to do this as soon as the kolaches come out of the oven. It keeps the edges soft and gives them a lovely finish.

Serving Suggestions

Czech kolaches are lovely with strong coffee or hot tea. They can be served for breakfast, brunch, dessert, or as a simple afternoon treat.

I like serving several flavors together so everyone can choose a favorite. The cheese and poppy seed fillings are rich, while plum and apricot add a bright fruit flavor.

For a Czech-style meal, serve them after dishes like Czech fried cheese or other recipes from your Czech recipe collection.

Make-Ahead and Storage

To make the dough ahead: Prepare the dough in the evening and place it in a covered bowl in the fridge. In the morning, shape the cold dough and let the balls rest for 30–40 minutes before filling them.

To make the fillings ahead: All four fillings can be made 1–2 days before baking. Keep them covered in the fridge and let them cool fully before adding them to the dough.

To store: Keep baked kolaches in a sealed container at room temperature for 2–3 days. Place parchment paper between the layers so they do not stick.

To freeze baked kolaches: Let them cool fully, then freeze them in a sealed container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and warm them for about 5 minutes at 300°F (150°C).

To freeze unbaked dough: Freeze the shaped dough balls on a tray before adding the filling. Once frozen, place them in a freezer bag. Thaw them, let them rise for about 1 hour, then add the filling and bake.

Frequently Asked Questions

Print