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May 1, 2015

Sausage and Cheese Kolaches

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Seattle has been my home for about two years now, and after being here, there are certainly a lot of things I don’t miss about Texas (the long commutes to get anywhere, summer mosquitos with more bloodlust than Patrick Bateman), but there are also things I miss every waking minute of every day. Okay, I exaggerate, but I do miss easy parking, wearing sandals for 90% of the year, and my Monday morning kolaches.

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Kolaches are a Czech soft yeast pastry that’s kind of like a soft dinner roll, and traditionally they’re filled or topped with fruits or cottage cheese. The Texas kolache is a variation of this, filled with sausage, cheese, and a slice or two of pickled jalapeño. Most bakeries and donut shops in the Lone Star State sell kolaches just as regularly as they sell burnt drip coffee.

It was very much a routine to grab a donut (or two) and a kolache (or three) to kick off my Monday mornings — I liked to think of it as a “starting another work week” treat. To my dismay, since moving to Seattle, I’ve discovered that kolaches just aren’t a thing here. The closest thing to a kolache I’ve been able to find are pirozhki (Russian hand pies), and while also delicious, they’re still not kolaches.

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So what’s a homesick Texan to do? Why, see if the Homesick Texan herself had ever made kolaches, and good news! She has! I can find no fault with the dough recipe, so the only modification I made was to change the filling from sweet to savory for my version. Yummm.

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I whipped these up in the morning before work and enjoyed my first morning kolache in months — this time, accompanied by a damn good cup of coffee, thanks. I brought the rest to the office (still warm from the oven!) where within minutes of setting them down, my co-workers swarmed and devoured them. How’s that for an endorsement?

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Sausage and Cheese Kolaches
From Homesick Texan, with a filling adjustment

Yield: ~18 kolaches
Prep Time: 2 ½ hours
Cook Time: 15-18 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours (including proofing time)

For the dough:
3-4 cups all-purpose flour
1 packet instant yeast
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup milk (I used 2%), warm to between 100-115 °F
2 large eggs + 1 egg for egg wash
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp salt

For the filling:
9 bun-sized hot dogs or sausages of your choice, cut in half to make 18 pieces
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
pickled jalapeños (optional)
olive oil

Combine 1 cup of flour with the warm milk, yeast, and sugar in a mixing bowl. Let it stand (covered with plastic or a damp dish towel) until doubled, about 45 minutes.

In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs, salt, and melted butter. Add this to the yeast mixture and whisk thoroughly.

Either with a spoon or with a paddle attachment on a stand mixer, stir in the rest of the flour 1/2 cup at a time until the dough feels soft and just barely tacky, but not sticky.

Put on the dough hook and knead the dough on medium speed for about 20 minutes or until it passes the windowpane test (tear off a piece and stretch it until it’s thin enough for light to pass through — when it can do this without tearing, it has passed the windowpane test). Add in more flour if needed, a little at a time. You can also turn it out on to a floured surface and knead by hand for about 10-15 minutes until it passes the windowpane test.

The resulting dough should feel soft and pillowy, but it shouldn’t stick to your fingers or the bottom of the bowl.

Collect the dough into a ball and put it in an oiled bowl covered with plastic or a damp dish towel and let it rise at room temperature for an hour, or until doubled in size.

As the dough rises, fry the cut sausages with a bit of olive oil until they have a nice sear on the outside and ends. Drain on a paper towel.

Once the dough is done proofing, punch it down and divide the dough into 18 even pieces, or just pinch off egg-sized pieces one at a time. Each piece should be about 50 grams each.

Roll each piece into a ball, and then gently stretch it out into a small rectangle shape with the short end facing you. In the middle of the rectangle, place a generous heap of cheese. Top this with a slice or two of jalapeño (if using), and then top that with a sausage. Fold the top flap of the dough rectangle down and gently roll the entire thing towards you so that the sausage is encased. Pinch the ends shut a bit if you’d like. Repeat until you’ve formed all of your kolaches and put them all on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment.

As you let these rise (covered with plastic) for 30 minutes, preheat the oven to 375°F.

After this rise, make the egg wash by beating one egg together with a splash of milk. Brush the kolaches with egg wash. Bake them for 15-20 minutes, or until they’re nicely browned and your kitchen smells heavenly. Let them cool a bit on a wire rack and serve warm.

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24 Comments

  • Andrea

    The word koláč (or kolach as you call it) is derived from its orthodox circular shape. Since these are hardly circles with stuffing on top, they can’t really be deemed to be kolaches. That is as if someone knew that ice-cream is derived from the word ”ice” because it is cold and yet would call a boiling soup an ice-cream.

    It just does not make sense.

    May 5, 2015 at 8:11 am Reply
    • AmyK

      Andrea — I appreciate your letting me know where the word comes from because I admittedly did not know that is how the word “kolache” originated for this type of pastry. But rest assured that I didn’t invent this dish, nor the name of it. I am calling this a “sausage and cheese kolache” because that’s what it’s called in Texas. You can read about the history of Czech culture in Texas (and how the Texas kolache came to be) in the Texas Monthly link provided in the post, or probably in a bunch of other good articles too. And this wouldn’t be the only instance where a dish is commonly called something that doesn’t really describe it accurately. Take head cheese, for instance, which is not a cheese at all (or even resemble anything cheesy in taste or texture), but still bears that moniker.

      May 5, 2015 at 11:08 am Reply
  • Atoosa

    Andrea, you’d have a really hard time visiting Texas, apparently.

    May 5, 2015 at 11:11 am Reply
  • Nicole

    Yeah jeez Andrea is a real buzzmurderer. This Tex-Czech pronto pup is easily one of the greatest things to come out of either place.

    May 5, 2015 at 11:46 am Reply
  • Linda@ Today She Loves

    Kolache or not, I’m making this for my next breakfast item. Mmm, kolache factory.

    August 22, 2015 at 11:33 am Reply
    • AmyK

      Ugh, I miss kolaches.

      February 25, 2016 at 3:38 pm Reply
  • Josh

    As a Homesick Texan in the boring state of Iowa, I can tell you that I will most definitely be making these pretty soon. The Midwest is seriously lacking in the whole food department. No kolaches, Shipley’s donuts, no Blue Bell, and even worse: NO WHATABURGER. I’m starving out here!

    August 24, 2015 at 8:35 pm Reply
    • AmyK

      Josh — Awww no! I feel your kolache-less pain. And goodness, I do also miss Shipley’s and Blue Bell (despite the listeria) and Whataburger chicken tenders with toast and gravy and nvowhrfiojsljvsnvnlrs. Could we get Texas to just airdrop us some goodies???

      February 25, 2016 at 3:39 pm Reply
  • Harvey Forman

    Come on down to Pike Place and have a couple of my Kolaches. Just mention this posting and you can sample a few. As a fellow Texan, I know what it is like to be missing Kolaches. – Looking forward to seeing you…..-Harvey

    November 29, 2015 at 3:04 am Reply
    • AmyK

      Harvey — Oh my GOODNESS how am I seeing this comment so late in the game. Guess where I’ll be the next time there’s a rainless weekday morning…. :)

      February 25, 2016 at 3:41 pm Reply
  • Bri

    I don’t normally reply, but after reading comments I had to chuckle. I am from Iowa, but have lived in Texas most of my life. I actually miss some of the food in Iowa. Don’t get me wrong, I love kolaches and Whataburger, Mexican food, but some things just are not the same. For the people living in Iowa, check out Nordic Fest in Decorah Iowa. Plenty of sausage, breads and pastries. My favorite is the varme polse (lefse wrapped around sausage). Lefse (thin tortilla like bread made with potatoes) making is a tradition in my family, so I have varme polse once a yr. I also miss the Scandinavian/Norwegian/German/Viking history, culture and food. Did you know that a grocery store chain in Texas called HEB is the only store that sells Whataburger sausage, condiments, pancake mix etc? Best part is that they can ship. I don’t know if they can ship to Iowa, but it is worth a shot for those Whataburger fanatics. Check out HEB.com.

    July 30, 2016 at 10:57 am Reply
    • AmyK

      @Bri — I miss Whataburger, but admittedly have never been one of the people who is nuts about their condiments, haha! And varme polse sounds delicious!!

      September 7, 2016 at 10:40 am Reply
  • Catherine Jaramillo

    Hi Kelinda! I’m from Colombia, and about three years ago my husband and I visited Texas ( Houston and San Antonio). We ♡ kolaches and made your recipe in two occasions…thanks a lot!!! Saludos desde Colombia, Catherine

    March 3, 2017 at 3:30 pm Reply
    • AmyK

      @Catherine Hello, and my goodness, I’m so happy that you were able to recreate delicious kolaches in Colombia! :) And I LOVE that you and your husband discovered and fell in love with kolaches during your visit, haha!

      March 16, 2017 at 12:01 pm Reply
  • Katie

    Buahaha! I stumbled on to this post looking for ideas what to stuff into a “kolache” because my husband and I are living in Missouri after growing up in Texas… and I agree, while there are some good eats here… I miss Texas food something awful. I need good Tex-Mex and Taco Bell doesn’t cut it.

    It’s like I heard the song of my people. ?

    March 14, 2017 at 1:45 pm Reply
    • AmyK

      @Katie Right?? The longing for Texas food is fierce! Best of luck to you in finding that elusive Tex-Mex outside of Texas, haha! I still haven’t found a good substitute for that in Seattle (plenty of good Mexican places, but it’s not TEX-Mex…)

      March 16, 2017 at 11:59 am Reply
  • Sherry Adams

    Hi, I lived in south Texas (Victoria) while growing up. Oh my goodness, the Food!!!!! We moved to east Texas after I was grown and luckily I was able to find real Tex Mex but not really in a franchise, the real deal is sometimes hard to find, I found it and I allot more than I should. Haha had to make these for my Dad for Father’s day! ! Yummy!! Thanks! !

    June 17, 2017 at 6:50 pm Reply
  • Lesha Simmons

    Thank you because of this recipe I am no longer afraid of yeast usually I killed it and my bread is flat as a pancake. Ps the Kolaches came out beautiful

    December 2, 2018 at 10:09 am Reply
  • Martha

    What brand of wieners did you buy for the meat kolache? They are better with sausage rather than just hot dog meat?

    January 20, 2019 at 5:57 am Reply
    • AmyK

      Hi Martha! I usually use Hebrew National’s beef franks, but I’ve also used a pork and beef sausage before too and it was also delicious — I just had to cut it up because it was too big. I also sometimes make these with vegetarian sausages for my vegetarian friends, so you can use whatever you’d like! :)

      January 24, 2019 at 7:29 pm Reply
  • Naomi

    Hi! I was wondering exactly what sausage you used(name brand or just specify exactly what type)? I currently live in Ohio but I am a born and raised Texan and I miss these all the time! I can’t seem to find the right sausage for these scrumptious kolaches. Thanks in advance!

    January 26, 2019 at 11:01 am Reply
    • AmyK

      @Naomi — I use Hebrew National’s beef franks! But sometimes when I want to be more “decadent” I’ll use Hillshire Farms’ beef and pork sausages (but cut into thirds width-wise because they’re a lot fatter).

      January 28, 2019 at 9:53 pm Reply
  • Kristen Turner

    Hi! Love this recipe and intend to try it this weekend. Any chance I can make these today, stopping after I’ve filled them and put them in the fridge overnight? I would proof them on the counter in the am and then bake. Thoughts?

    May 15, 2020 at 7:28 am Reply
    • AmyK

      Kristen — Sorry for the late reply! I have not tried filling them and then proofing overnight, but I don’t see why that wouldn’t work. :)

      June 27, 2020 at 9:00 pm Reply

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