An authentic Central Texas Czech recipe for homemade sausage kolaches. A rich, lightly sweet yeast dough wrapped around a savory sausage filling and then baked till golden brown.
Klobasnek is the more technically correct name, for what is widely known throughout Texas as the sausage kolache. The donut shops are credited with making the meat version popular throughout Texas. Whereas now most places, if you walked in asking for a klobasnek, they would likely kindly offer you a kolache. Though here in the Czech Belt of Texas, you can still get corrected if using the wrong terminology.
Throughout this post, I will use both terms for the Texas breakfast staple, kolache and klobasnek, so that people searching for an authentic recipe can find this one.
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When I recently asked my son if he wanted a kolache or klobasnek he replied rather frustrated with “a Kuh-LAH-chee” while pointing towards the sausage filled pastries.
Even HEB named their frozen sausage filled pastries kolaches. I suspect that the klobasnek will continue to be widely recognized as the Texas Sausage Kolache.
I personally always thought the plural term for klobasnek, which is klobasniky, was so fun to say. I’m a little sad that never took off.
Making the dough
The first step of making homemade sausage kolaches is to make your kolache dough. I’ve written extensively on my Cream Cheese Kolache Recipe lots of tips to get the dough right. I use the same dough recipe for both sweet and savory filled kolaches. My Texas Kolache recipe is adapted from an award-winning recipe out of Hallettsville.
I don't recommend making any changes to the dough recipe. I find the klobasnek a bit trickier to make, because you must roll out and shape the dough, which is rather sticky.
Tips on making the dough
For more detailed instructions, I recommend reading the tips on my original kolache recipe. In case you don’t, here are a few basic tips.
- I recommend making the dough by hand versus using a stand mixer.
- The dough is sticky, and this YouTube video will help you with the technique to knead it.
- Don’t add too much flour because it will make your kolaches dry. After the first rise, the dough will be easier to work with.
Filling
For klobasnek, you want to use a fully cooked breakfast sausage link. The sausage should be around 3” in length. If you use a full-size specialty sausage, you can quarter it. If you use an uncooked sausage, be sure to fully cook it before rolling it up in the dough.
Many donut shops use hot dogs, but I recommend using a higher quality sausage, especially since you are spending the time to make them from scratch. Of course if that is the nostalgic taste you are to trying to recreate, a halved hot dog will work.
What breakfast sausage to use?
I usually buy Kiolbassa fully cooked pork links or the Eckrich breakfast links.
Most breakfast link packages contain 10 sausages. This recipe makes 12 sausage kolaches, so I recommend buying two packs.
Popular klobasnek fillings:
- Jalapeno Cheese Sausage Kolache: Use a jalapeno cheese sausage.
- Sausage and Cheese: Use ½ slice of cheddar cheese and one sausage link.
- Sausage, Cheese, and Jalapeno: Layer ½ slice of cheddar cheese, 3-4 slices of pickled jalapeno and one sausage link.
- Ham and Cheese: Use ½ slice of cheese and 1-2 slices of rolled up ham.
- Brisket: Fit a slice of brisket or chopped brisket into center. Also delicious topped with jalapenos and/or cheese.
- Boudin Kolache
Assembling the sausage kolache
Now that you've made your dough, here is a step-by-step of how to assemble the kolaches.
Cut dough into rectangles
On a lightly floured surface, turn out risen dough. Flatten and shape into 11” x 12” rectangle. I prefer to shape with my hands, but you can use a rolling pin too. Cut evenly into 12 squares using a pastry or pizza cutter. Each small square should be at least 3” X 3”. You can flatten a little more as the dough tends to shrink and contract after you cut it.
Add filling
Place sausage in center of each piece of dough.
Wrap and shape
Bring sides around and pinch in the center to form a seam. You are trying to have more dough on top, than the bottom. Pull and stretch top and bottom dough around sausage and pinch to merge with center seam. It is much like you are wrapping a blanket around a baby.
**After a few, you will find your technique and get better. You should never compare your first batch to after you have made these a few times.
Rise and prep for baking
Place filled sausage kolaches seam side down on a baking sheet at least 1-2 inches apart. Brush tops liberally with melted butter. Cover and let rise at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Baking
Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes or until tops are golden brown and sausage is fully heated. Remove from oven and brush the tops of the kolaches with more melted butter. Let cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes.
I experimented with baking at higher temperatures, but found they browned too quickly for my preference. If your pastries are browning too quickly, cover with aluminum foil.
Serving and Storage
These sausage kolaches are the perfect portable breakfast. Most people typically enjoy them straight out of a paper bag from the kolache or donut shop. They make a great breakfast entrée or snack.
Store leftover klobasnek in the refrigerator. This recipe stores well and you can enjoy reheated kolaches for many days. I like to make a big batch and freeze for a quick weekday breakfast.
📖 Recipe
Klobasnek aka Texas Sausage Kolache
Ingredients
Proof Yeast
- ¼ cup Warm water 100-110F
- 2 ¼ tsp. Active Dry Yeast 1 packet
- 1 tsp. Sugar
Dough
- ½ cup Sugar
- 1 cup Milk
- ¼ cup shortening or butter melted
- 1 ½ tsp. Salt
- 1 Egg Yolk
- 3 ⅓ cup Bread Flour sifted
- 2 Tbsp. Butter melted for brushing
Filling
- 12 fully cooked breakfast sausage links
Instructions
- Activate yeast. Combine warm water, yeast, and 1 tsp. of sugar in small bowl. Stir and let sit for 10 minutes. Yeast should be bubbly and have doubled in size.
- In a large bowl, stir together sugar, milk, melted shortening, salt and the egg yolk. Stir in yeast mixture. Add 1 cup of sifted bread flour at a time until 3 cups are added. Stir until a sticky dough starts to form.
- Sprinkle the remaining ⅓ cup bread flour on a hard work surface, turn the dough out onto the surface and knead for 10-12 minutes. Dough will be sticky and elastic. Transfer dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
- Punch dough down. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Shape dough into a 11” X 12 “rectangle. Using a pastry or pizza cutter, cut dough evenly into twelve 3” X 3” squares.
- Place sausage in center of each piece of dough. You can flatten dough a little more if needed. Bring sides around sausage and pinch in the center the to form a seam. You are trying to have more dough on top than the bottom. Pull and stretch top and bottom dough around sausage and pinch to merge with center seam.
- Place filled sausage kolaches seam side down on a lightly greased baking sheet at least 1-2 inches apart. Brush liberally with melted butter. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.
- Bake in preheated oven at 350F for 30-35 minutes or until tops are golden brown and sausage is reheated. Remove from oven and brush with additional melted butter. Let kolaches cool for 10 minutes.
Notes
Baking – If kolaches are browning too quickly, cover with aluminum foil.
Sausage, Jalapeno and Cheese Kolaches - Layer ½ slice of cheddar cheese, 3-4 slices of pickled jalapeno and one sausage link in center of dough. **Please see the full blog post for pictures of the steps and additional tips in making the sausage kolaches.
How to make the day before
- After the first rise, cover the dough and place in the refrigerator.
- Remove dough from the fridge the next morning and let dough start to reach room temperature. Follow instructions for rolling and filling sausage kolaches.
- The dough is always a little bit easier to work with when you make them this way.
How to freeze kolaches
Wrap each sausage kolache individually in plastic wrap. Place wrapped klobasnek in a freezer safe Ziploc bag in the freezer.
To reheat from freezer -Remove plastic wrap and microwave for 30 seconds. Flip klobasnek over and microwave for additional 30 seconds.
Cheers! - Alaine
Stella
Thank you for a wonderful new family favorite. Also tried it using cream cheese or jam. SOO Good.
Alaine
You are very welcome! I love both sweet and savory fillings. Thank you, so glad your family enjoyed!
Jay
I haven't had a kolache, for politically correct people (klobasnek), in 30 years, one of my old school buddies that I grew up with in Houston, sent me a picture bragging that he has a place down from his home in Tennessee where sell kolaches. So, it put me on a mission to make my own, 3 dozen.
Well they were a hit in the mitten state where I live and work. 3 of my co-workers also grew up in Texas and I was able to trigger food memories for them also. Thank you for a spot on recipe.
Alaine
That's really cool, I appreciate you sharing that! 30 years is a long time to not have a kolache. I'm glad to hear they were enjoyed by all, especially the Texans. Stories like this are one of the reasons I pursue collecting and sharing old, authentic Texas recipes.
Christi
Omg!!! Originally from Texas and I have not found anywhere that makes these like home so I had to use your recipe. They came out amazing!! Thank you!!!
Alaine
You're very welcome! Glad to hear, that's exactly why I shared the recipe 🙂
Alaine
Yes the dough should nearly double after the first rise. A few things come to mind, is did the yeast properly proof and what temperature was it where you were rising the dough? The dough does rise really slow if it is too cool. I hope they had a rise when you baked them otherwise it makes me think it would be the yeast.
Ryan
These look incredible. If you make a double batch how do you suggest dividing the dough to roll out in to the rectangle?
Alaine
Yes, exactly. Let the dough have the first rise and then divide it in half and roll out. I just eyeball the dough and divide into two equal sized balls.
Kaileigh
I have made this recipe 3 times recently for my Texas raised husband and they’ve turned out great all 3 times! I am often intimidated by yeast but this recipe is super easy to follow. I used a stand mixer for mixing/kneading and it worked well! This recipe is definitely a keeper 😊
Alaine
Love to hear this! Thank you for sharing!
Mimi
What kind of sausage (brand name) is used. I’m in NC and not sure where to find German sausages.
Alaine
Name brand “Kiolbassa” fully cooked breakfast sausages are one I recommend, although I don’t know about the availability in NC. Another common option would be Eckrich Breakfast Sausage Links.
Wife and Mother of Boys
These were so yummy! My son said they were better than the bakery’s kolaches! I used unbleached all purpose flour because I was out of bread flour and Down Home sausage in mine. All of my guys loved them, so I will be making these again! Thanks for the recipe.
Patricia Holden
Can you use all purpose flour? If so do I need to add baking powder? How much
Alaine
Hi Patricia - Yes you can use All Purpose Flour. No need to add any baking powder. The kolaches might not rise as high, due to lower protein content in AP Flour, but they will still be tasty and turn out fine.
Ryan
Can these be prepared the night before and baked the next morning?
Alaine
Yes, absolutely. Store covered in the fridge and then set them out at room temp for about an hour before baking. Be sure to brush with butter before baking.
Kelly McLain
Thanks so much for this recipe and for clarification for those who call this a Sausage Kolache. “If it’s not sweet, it’s not a kolache!” My family is Czech and I’m always correcting people that these are Klobasnek! I couldn’t find my Nana’s recipe, so I found yours and they came out beautifully! Dekuji!
Alaine
I hope that the proper name will eventually become more prevalent. You're very welcome! Always makes my day when a Texas Czech gives the recipe their seal of approval.
Levy
I love this recipe. I am new to baking and this recipe is very easy to make and turns out perfect every time.
Alaine
Thank you, Levy.
Gwendolyn Walker
Can I use honey not sugar
Alaine
Not for a 1:1 replacement. If you use honey, you would need to use less honey than sugar and reduce the total amount of liquid in the recipe. I have not tried, so I do not have exact measurements.
Melissa
Help! My dough came out flat and the bottoms started burning quickly so I pulled them out of the over after 15 minutes. Any tips on how I can remedy this for my next try. Also, I live in Colorado so the high altitude is also a factor. Thank you!
Alaine
Emailed you. I'm thinking it is the high altitude. If any of my readers have made changes for the high altitude, please do share!
Cassidy Tubbs
I know it says the dough will be sticky, but mine was IMPOSSIBLY sticky. (It may be the humidity to blame.) Could I add more flour so it’s a *little* bit easier to work with? Or what else would you suggest?
Alaine
I would go ahead and add a couple of tablespoons of flour at a time until it is easier. You can also let the mixture sit for ~20 minutes before you knead it. This helps the flour absorb the moisture and makes it easier to work with. Good luck!
Mary
When we lived in Colorado I added extra flour and also put a pan of water in the oven when baking. We lived at 9,000 ft.
A Very Fat Cook
For anyone wondering, if you wanted to do mini kilobases (like with those appetizer sausages), make them the same way and just reduce the cook time to ~10 minutes
Alaine
Thanks for the tip!
Ruby
Thank you for sharing your recipe. This was my first time making Klobasnek. Your directions were easy to follow and your tips helped for a novice baker like myself. Definitely will make again. I give it ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Alaine
Thank you! I really appreciate that. It's hard to go back to store-bought once you learn how to make them at home. The more you make this recipe, the easier it gets too.
Robert Stack
I've either made these or a similar recipe and they turned out very good. Only problem was my technique in assembling them. But that'll improve with experience. I'm planning on making these again these weekend, and elevating them with some Texas raised, pure Japanese genetics Akaushi sausage. That should be over the top!!
Also, I really appreciate you trying to preserve Texas tradition and heritage. Even little things like referring to these as klobasnek/klobasniky is great to hear.
Alaine
Thank you, Robert. I really appreciate that!
Wow I bet those will be delicious! Might have to try that myself sometime. Exactly, the first batch is always tricky figuring out how to work with the dough but you really do get better each time. Enjoy the klobasnek!
Keely
Made these today and the family loved them! I grew up getting kolaches in West at Czech Stop and these are identical! Thank you for this recipe!
Alaine
So glad you made them! Thank you.
Kristi Johnson
What a great recipe! Dough was perfect, taste was great. Everyone enjoyed. Thank you!
Alaine
Glad to hear, you're welcome!
Inger Sherbeck
What kind of sausage do you recommend for the authentic Texas style?
Alaine
I like to buy the Kiolbassa Original Pork Breakfast Links. They are available in some Texas HEB's. A pork or beef breakfast link from a local meat market would be another option.
Vicky Bowron
These are so amazing! The dough is so fantastic that I used the leftover to make garlic/butter rolls and couldn't be happier. Thank you!!!
Alaine
Thank you! Sounds yummy, I want to try that sometime too.
Nate
Alaine! You are a God-send! I never comment on blogs but I just had to because of how special this is. I live in Florida and only get kolaches when I go visit my parents. The closest I get is Buc-cees in North Florida, which as much as I love Buc-cees, their kolaches don't really do it for me (their BBQ is amazing though). This recipe turned out perfectly (and I'm not really a baker). Thank you so much for posting this!
Alaine
You are very welcome, I really appreciate your comment! I agree with you about Bucee's. Cheers!
Alondra
These were so good! I did everything exactly as you said and they turned out great. My Texan husband was craving them (we live in FL) and he said they tasted just like the ‘real thing’. Thank you!
Alaine
So glad to hear, thank you for the review!