Lydia Faust's Texas Kolaches

Like smoked sausage and brisket, kolaches (pronounced ko-LAH-tch, with no “-ee,” in local parlance) are among the iconic foods of Central Texas, where German and Czech immigrants settled in the mid to late 1800s. A kolache is a yeasted bread filled with a topping, which can be sweet or savory.

Lydia Faust has made a name for herself in the town of Snook, Texas, for her exquisitely tender, buttery kolaches. Faust once ran a bakery selling them, and now she leads an annual kolache-making workshop to help carry on the tradition. Locals of all ages and baking experience levels come to the workshop (held in an elementary school) to bake dozens and dozens of kolaches under her watch.

Her kolaches recipe, adapted here, is a fun weekend baking project that even amateurs can pull off. There are a few different filling choices (each one makes two cups) and an optional streusel topping—pick one or mix and match. The recipe makes three dozen kolaches, perfect for sharing.

What Are Kolaches?

Kolaches are pillowy pastries with a variety of fillings introduced to Texas by Czech settlers in the 1800s. Since that time, these Danish-like treats have become a breakfast staple and midday treat in the area, featuring a variety of fillings from apricot to prune, cream cheese, blueberry, cherry, lemon, poppyseed, and more.

The name for kolache comes from the Czech word koláč, meaning "circle" or "wheel." Klobasniky, a savory version of kolaches, are often filled with sausage and cheese.

Ingredients for Kolaches

The dough for these kolaches comes together with pantry staples, while the specialty fillings are up to you—make one or all, depending on your preferences. To make a batch of these irresistible pastries, you'll need:

For the kolaches:

• Active dry yeast: To give the kolaches their rise. Active dry yeast works more slowly than instant yeast, but performs better for this type of recipe with multiple rises.
• Warm water: Helps activate the yeast.
• Unsalted butter: Adds richness to the dough, and gets melted and brushed over the dough for even browning and extra richness.
• Vegetable shortening: Helps create an even more tender pastry.
• Lukewarm whole milk: For a soft, cakey crumb.
• All-purpose flour: The base of the dough, all-purpose flour has a medium protein content for a tender result.
• Evaporated milk: Creamier than whole milk, evaporated milk adds extra richness.
• Granulated sugar: Sweetens the dough.
• Kosher salt: Enhances the flavor of the dough.
• Large eggs: Binds the dough.
• Egg yolk: For extra richness.

Choose one or all—for the fillings, you'll need:

• For plum/apricot filling: Dried apricots or dried pitted plums, granulated sugar, unsalted butter, vanilla extract, and ground cinnamon.
• Poppy seed filling: Whole poppy seeds, granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, whole milk, unsalted butter, and vanilla extract.
• Cream cheese filling: Cream cheese, granulated sugar, large egg yolk, and vanilla or almond extract.

For the Posypka (streusel topping), have on hand: Granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, unsalted butter, and vanilla extract or ground cinnamon.

How To Make Kolaches

These kolaches are a great weekend baking project for the whole family. While the amount of steps might be intimidating, each one happens quickly for a total of one hour of active time for the whole batch. Full instructions are below, but here's a brief recap before you get started:

• Step 1. Bloom yeast: Bloom yeast in warm water, then add to melted butter, shortening, and lukewarm milk.
• Step 2. Make dough: Transfer the yeast mixture to a stand mixer and mix with flour, evaporated milk, sugar, salt, eggs, and an egg yolk until smooth. Add additional flour, and knead until smooth and supple.
• Step 3. Let dough rise: Brush dough with melted butter and set aside to double in size. Punch down, and set aside to rise again.
• Step 4. For Apricot/Plum Filling: Boil apricots or plums in water until soft, then drain and process with sugar, butter, vanilla, and cinnamon until smooth.
• Step 5. For Poppy Seed Filling: Add poppy seeds, sugar, and flour to boiled milk and cook until thick. Stir in butter and vanilla.
• Step 6. For Cream Cheese Filling: Beat cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, and extract until smooth.
• Step 7. Cut dough rounds: Roll dough to a 1-inch-thick rectangle, then cut out circles and place onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Brush with butter, and set aside to double in size.
• Step 8. Make streusel topping: Mix sugar, flour, butter, and vanilla or cinnamon until uniform.
• Step 9. Add filling to dough: Make a small indentation in each circle of dough and fill as desired. Top with streusel and set aside to rise again.
• Step 10. Bake: Bake kolaches at 350°F until golden brown, and brush with remaining butter. Cool completely on racks before serving.
  

Tips for the Best Texas Kolaches

For the best kolaches, keep these tips in mind:

• Use warm water: Warm water (around 105-115°F) will help the yeast activate, and foam up within the recommended time. Too hot or too cold and yeast movement will be negatively impacted.
• Smooth dough: Knead the dough until smooth for the best gluten development and final texture.
• Be patient: Give the dough time to double in size. If in doubt, take a before and after photo for comparison. Note that yeasted dough will rise more slowly in cold weather.
• Cut dough close together: Cut out the kolaches right next to each other to avoid having to reroll too many scraps (making for a less tender result).
• Don't skimp on the streusel: While making the streusel topping might seem like an extra step, the textural contrast and additional sweetness it adds takes these pillowy pastries to the next level.
• Don't overfill: It might be tempting to load up the filling for these kolaches, but one tablespoon is more than enough filling, and will keep it from bubbling over the edge of the pastries while baking.
• Bake until golden: A deep golden brown color is key for the best flavor and texture.

Rave Reviews from the Southern Living Community

One Southern Living Community Member offered up a "Superb. The single most tasty recipe I've ever made. Thank you, it was very popular with family and friends. A++", while a Texas local raves, "I've been making kolaches with one recipe or another for about a decade, trying to find my way, and I never expected to find a recipe that makes PERFECT fruit kolaches!"

We couldn't agree more.

How To Store Kolaches

Store kolaches at room temperature in an airtight container or zip-top bag for up to two days, keeping multiple flavors separate for best results. For longer storage, refrigerate the baked kolaches for up to five days, or freeze for up to two months. Bring to room temperature or warm before serving.

More Sweet Yeasted Dough Recipes You'll Love

Once you've mastered a yeasted dough like this one, babka, swirl breads, cinnamon rolls, and beignets are certainly within reach:

• Apple-Cardamom Babka Wreaths
• Cherry-Pecan Swirl Bread
• Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls
• Chocolate Babka
• Cinnamon Rolls
• New Orleans Beignets
• Caramel Rolls
• Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
• Apple Cinnamon Bread

Editorial contributions by Katie Rosenhouse.