Kolache - Czech Sweet Pastries

Kolache (ko-LAH-ch), or Koláče in Czech, is a sweet Czech pastry made from a sweet yeast dough with various fillings. Authentic Czech kolache are usually round and filled to the brim with either poppy, cheese or jam, then topped with just the right amount of crumble. Soft, pillowy, and buttery kolache are delicious warm from the oven and are best the day they are made. Serve them as a breakfast, or afternoon snack with tea or coffee or any time you like one.
If you are going to try the cheese filling, mix 250 grams of cottage cheese, 50 grams of erythritol or sugar, 1 egg yolk and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract together. The poppy filling recipe is enough for two batch of dough. Half the filling or double the dough. I portioned the dough into 9, each about 100 grams, but you can make 18 smaller kolache.

Dough	Poppy Seed Filling
500 g Plain flour 70 g Erythritol or sugar 7 g Instant dry yeast 1/3 tsp Sea salt Zest of 1 lemon 200 ml Whole milk, lukewarm 1 Large egg 80 g Unsalted butter, melted and cooled Jam of your choice 1 Egg for the egg wash 25 g Butter, softened (for crumble) 25 g Erythritol or sugar (for crumble) 30 g Plain flour (for crumble)	200 g Poppy seeds, ground 250 ml Whole milk 80 g Erythritol or sugar) 40 g Honey 1/8 tsp Ground cloves 1/4 tsp Ground cinnamon

Combine the ground poppy seeds, milk, erythritol or sugar and honey in a small saucepan set over medium-low heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Lower the heat and continue to cook until it has thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove the saucepan off the heat and stir in the spices. Set aside to cool while prepare the dough.
In the mixing bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, erthritol or sugar, yeast, salt and lemon zest. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, egg and butter. Add the liquid mixture to the dry and mix on low speed for 2 to 3 minutes until no dry remains. Increase the speed and knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, approximately 6-8 minutes.
Turn out the dough and shape into a ball. Lightly grease the mixing bowl and return the dough to the bowl. Cover with a plastic wrap or clean towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size.
Turn out the dough on a work surface and briefly knead the dough with your hands. Divide the dough into 9-18 pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and place on a parchment lined baking tray to rest for 20 minutes.
Dip a glass in flour so it won’t stick to the dough, use the lightly floured glass to press firmly a deep indentation in the center of each ball. Egg wash the rim of the dough and generously fill the indentation with poppy filling or jam of your choice.
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. For the crumble topping, combine butter, sugar and flour in a bowl with your fingers until a sandy mixture forms. Set aside. Sprinkle the crumble over the topping.
Bake the kolache for 25 minutes if you divide them into 9 portions, 12-15 minutes if 18 portions, until golden brown. Remove and enjoy!

44 comments:

Eva Taylor 14/11/25 13:04: These are absolutely adorable! I would love the jam-filled and poppyseed ones. I don't think I've ever made a yeasted cookie before. I am looking forward to making these.
Eva https://kitcheninspirations.wordpress.com/
DEZMOND 14/11/25 13:13: We say kolach as well in my language but generally for any cake. Danke for the detailed instructions with die photos.
eileeninmd 14/11/25 13:42: The pastries looks delicious, I wish I had one this morning with my coffee.
Take care, have a great day and a happy weekend.
Lola Martínez 14/11/25 13:59: Que buen aspecto presentan, seguro que están buenísimos.
Lori 14/11/25 15:04: These look absolutely amazing!! I am going to have to try these over my Christmas break. Thank you for posting.
Breathtaking 14/11/25 15:04: Hello Angie :)
The pastries look very appetizing and I know I would enjoy one or perhaps two at tea time. Thank you for the recipe Angie.
Rainbow Evening 14/11/25 19:06: Kolache filing with cheese sound delicious for me ....
yummy
Tom 14/11/25 20:14: ...I just gained a pound of two just looking at the pictures.
Christine 14/11/25 20:19: yummy
Ananka 14/11/25 22:01: These look amazing :-D
Linda's Relaxing Lair 14/11/25 22:17: These do look good 👍 😋
roentare 14/11/25 22:41: Looks scrumptious
Martha 15/11/25 00:09: So delicious! My grandmother used to make these. I don't think I've had them since she passed away :(
J.P. Alexander 15/11/25 00:09: Gracias por la receta. te mando un beso.
Cooking Julia 15/11/25 00:25: These delicious pastries are a great discover!
peppylady (Dora) 15/11/25 00:57: Around here I can see them with huckleberry filings.
Brian's Home Blog 15/11/25 01:24: Those look great, yum!
Lowcarb team member 15/11/25 01:42: These do look very nice Angie.

All the best Jan
Pattie @ Olla-Podrida 15/11/25 02:03: I do love a good, fresh pastry. I particularly like kolache, and in fact, we have a number of little specialty kolache bakeries around here.
Anonymous 15/11/25 05:22: These take me right back to my childhood!
Tandy (Lavender and Lime) https://tandysinclair.com
Margaret D 15/11/25 10:28: They look nice, Angie.
Maria Grazia Ferrarazzo Maineri 15/11/25 10:46: These pastries look so delicious, Angie!
David M. Gascoigne, 15/11/25 11:57: They look delicious and decadent. If that’s the case we all should have them, of course!
Jelena Dimić 15/11/25 13:59: These look so tasty, my mum would love them! I have to make them for her. <3

http://www.couture-case.com/
Jeff the Chef 15/11/25 14:31: My grandmother used to make kolache similar to these!
Kathylorraine 15/11/25 15:07: Those look soooo delicious thank you for the recipe hugs
ashok 15/11/25 15:31: My mouth is watering 😋
Federica Simoni 15/11/25 16:36: wow sono meravigliosi!
🇺🇸Baking with Nessa🇺🇸 15/11/25 21:24: WOW the photos could be from a Eastern-Europe Bakery shop and the dough seems so soft. I would have wanted to taste all of them and I think my favorite one would be the one with the poppy seeds for sure! ~Nessa
The Velvet Runway 15/11/25 21:53: These look so delicious! I can't wait to try this recipe!
Julia x
https://www.thevelvetrunway.com/
sherry 16/11/25 08:33: these look so cute Angie. I love all the poppy seeds!
ellie 16/11/25 15:00: You have been busy with so many good treats! Yum!
Caitlin&Megan 16/11/25 15:02: These look delightful!
Judee 16/11/25 18:27: I always admire how professional your baking looks. These would be gone in a minute around here.
Ben | Havocinthekitchen 16/11/25 18:55: Such a lovely bake, Angie! These kolache look so soft and tempting - and the name is new to me. I had something similar from Polish cuisine, so this brings back sweet memories.
Anonymous 16/11/25 22:41: I have only had kolache once and I loved them. Yours look beautiful! ~ David (C&L)
foodtravelandwine 16/11/25 23:16: I love kolache, but I have not made them!...they look perfect and so yummy!.......Abrazotes, Marcela
My name is Erika. 17/11/25 02:47: These are beautiful. And look very tasty too. I'd love to try one... :) Happy new week Angie.
Cristina Bernardi 17/11/25 06:29: Sono molto belli e certamente squisiti! Assolutamente da provare, grazie per la ricetta
Shashi 17/11/25 09:46: This is my first time hearing of kolache - you baked these so well. They look like a cloud with sweetness on top!
Pam 19/11/25 17:43: Delicious! They look perfect for the holidays.
The-FoodTrotter 19/11/25 18:00: I had very similar pastries in Poland, it was so delicious with raspberry, blackcurrant, rhubarb, etc.
Raymund | angsarap.net 19/11/25 23:47: I love how soft and pillowy this looks like, and that poppy seed filling sounds perfectly spiced.
Carol @Comfort Spring Station 21/11/25 00:18: It looks so yummy!