Fruit and Cream Cheese Kolaches
Texas Kolaches filled with cream cheese and cherry, or your choice of fruit topping.
Servings: 12
Ingredients
Proof Yeast
- ¼ cup warm water (100-110°F)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Dough
- ½ cup (110 g) sugar
- 1 cup milk
- ¼ cup shortening or butter, melted
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 3 ⅓ cups (420 g) bread flour, sifted
- 2 tablespoons butter melted, for brushing on dough
Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Fruit
- ½ cup fruit preserves or pie filling
Posypka Streusel Topping
- ⅛ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Dash ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ tablespoons butter
Instructions
Kolache Dough
- Activate the yeast. Combine warm water, yeast, and 1 teaspoon of sugar in a small bowl. Stir and let sit for 10 minutes, until the yeast is foamy and active.
- Mix the dough. In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, milk, melted shortening or butter, salt, and egg yolk. Stir in the yeast mixture. Add the sifted bread flour 1 cup at a time until 3 cups are incorporated, stirring until a sticky dough starts to form.
- Knead. Sprinkle the remaining ⅓ cup bread flour onto a hard work surface. Turn the dough out and knead for 10-12 minutes, until smooth and elastic. The finished dough should be soft and slightly sticky.
- Let rise. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover. Let rise for 1 hour until puffy and nearly doubled in size.
Shaping and Filling Dough
- Punch dough down. Roll into a log and cut into 12 equal size pieces, approximately the size of golf balls (2 oz. each). Place dough ball in a lightly greased half sheet pan (13” x 18”) and brush with 1 tbsp. of melted butter. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.
- Make wells in the center by pressing a lightly floured ¼ c. measuring cup into the center of each dough ball. Fill each dough ball with 1 Tbsp. of cream cheese filling. Brush sides with more melted butter. Cover and let rise for ~ 30 minutes-1 hour.
- After dough has risen, spoon 1-2 tsp. of fruit filling into center of cream cheese filling. Sprinkle with streusel topping.
- Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
Cream Cheese Filling
- In a high speed mixer, whisk together cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk and vanilla extract for 1-2 minutes or until creamy.
Streusel Topping
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon. Cut butter into dry mixture until coase crumbles form.
Notes
*Milk should not be cold, either room temperature or slightly warm.
Lemon Cream Cheese: Add lemon juice or zest to the cream cheese filling for a lemon cream cheese filling. Stand Mixer Method If you prefer to use a stand mixer, follow these adjusted steps to keep the dough from becoming too soft or greasy:
Lemon Cream Cheese: Add lemon juice or zest to the cream cheese filling for a lemon cream cheese filling. Stand Mixer Method If you prefer to use a stand mixer, follow these adjusted steps to keep the dough from becoming too soft or greasy:
- Step 1: In the mixer bowl, combine the activated yeast mixture, sugar, milk, salt, egg yolk, and 3 cups of the sifted bread flour. Mix with the paddle attachment on low until a shaggy dough forms.
- Step 2: With the mixer on low, slowly stream in your lukewarm melted butter or shortening. Mix for 60 seconds until completely absorbed.
- Step 3: Switch to the dough hook and turn the mixer to speed 2. Gradually add the remaining ⅓ cup of bread flour one tablespoon at a time.
- Step 4: Knead on speed 2 for 6–8 minutes until the dough looks smooth, elastic, and cleanly clears the sides of the bowl. Proceed to the first rise as directed.
