A classic Texas kolache dough filled with sweet cream cheese and sweet spiced apple butter
Recipe by Joy the Baker on October 12, 2023
Prep time: PT-494893H26M27S
Cook time: PT20M
Total time: PT-494893H26M27S
Rating
5 stars ( reviews)
Keywords
kolaches, texas, yeast, apple butter, breakfast, bread, brunch
Ingredients
1 cup (228 grams) full fat Greek yogurt, resting at room temperature for 30 minutes
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
8 tablespoons (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
1/2 cup (113 grams) warm water
2 large eggs
4 cups (485 grams) all-purpose flour, plus a bit more for sticky dough and flouring the counter
1 heaping cup great quality apple butter
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 large egg
1/3 cup (35 grams) powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
3/4 cup (90 grams) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (175 grams) granulated sugar
6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, melted
Categories
breakfast
Steps
To make the dough, in a medium bowl whisk together yogurt, sugar, and salt. Melt butter in the microwave or in a small saucepan and whisk the warm melted butter into the yogurt mixture to combine.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, use a rubber spatula to combine flour, yeast, warm water, and eggs. Add the yogurt mixture and use the spatula to roughly combine. Knead the mixture with the dough hook on low speed for 5 minutes. Dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl but be very tacky too the touch. Add up to 1/2 cup more flour as necessary but really, you want the dough to be sticky. The overnight rest in the refrigerator will make the sticky dough easy to work with.
Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
While the kolache dough rests, make the cheese filling and the crumble topping.
For the cheese filling, in a medium bowl using hand beaters or in the bowl of the stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat together all of the cheese filling ingredients until a smooth paste forms. Place in a small container, cover and refrigerate.
For the crumble topping, combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and use your fingers to incorporate the ingredients into a sandy mixture. Cover and place in the fridge until ready to fill.
The following day, remove the dough from the fridge, and divide it into about 20 pieces and use a bench knife to divide the dough into balls that are 1 3/4 ounces (or 50 grams) each, about the size of a golf ball.
Place the pieces on lightly greased or parchment-lined rimmed half sheet pans, leaving about an inch between them. Flatten the balls until they’re about 1/2″ thick, cover them with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow them to rest for 10 minutes.
Using your fingers, make a wide, deep indentation in the center of each flattened dough ball. Don’t be afraid of being decisive here; you want to make a deep enough indentation that it doesn’t just disappear as the buns rise and bake.
Place about 1 tablespoon of the cheese filling and 1 tablespoon of the apple butter into each bun side by side; crumble a little of the streusel on top. Cover the kolaches, and allow them to rise for about 45 minutes. They won’t necessarily double in bulk.
Uncover the kolaches, and bake them in a preheated 350°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until they’re golden brown.
Remove the kolaches from the oven, and serve warm, or at room temperature. Store any leftovers airtight at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage and reheat covered in foil to serve warm.
Reviews
Sabrina on 2023-10-13 (5 stars): thank you for the reminder about being patient with the dough! Overnight refrigeration, got it, and thank you!
Madeline on 2023-10-18 (5 stars): I’m beyond thrilled to see this recipe. I lived in Louisiana as a small child, and you gave me the King Cake recipe I use every Mardi Gras. I spent my pre-teens and teens in Houston, and now you’ve given me Kolaches. Now I live in LA. What recipe will be next?!?!
I cannot wait to make these this weekend to eat while I watch the Texas Grand Prix!!!
I can’t wait to see all of the love you shine on Houston!!
Judi L Bates on 2023-11-20 (5 stars): Shortened my cook time by 3 minutes
Made 3x3 squares about 1/8 inch thick
Added filling, (used pumpkin butter I made) folded corners in together over filling
Topped with pecans ( used 1/2 per cookie)and crumble under pecan-
Forgot pictures ?
Turned out amazing and looked like little delicious gifts