Texas Kolache Dough
A soft and slightly sweet Texas Kolache Dough recipe that can be used to make sweet kolaches or savory klobasneks. Make it in a stand-mixer or the traditional way by hand.
Servings: 12
Ingredients
Proof Yeast
- ¼ cup warm water (100-110°F / 38–43°C)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Dough
- ½ cup (110 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup milk (2% or whole)
- ¼ cup (58 g) shortening or unsalted butter, melted
- 1 ½ teaspoons table salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 3 ⅓ cups (420 g) bread flour, sifted
Instructions
Make the Dough – By-Hand
- 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 tacky.
- Let rise. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover. Let rise in a warm place for about 1 to 1.5 hours, until puffy and nearly doubled in size.
- After the first rise, the dough is ready to shape and fill. One batch makes about 12 pastries. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions, about 2.5 ounces each. From here, you can use it to make traditional sweet kolaches or savory klobasneks.
Make the Dough – Stand-Mixer (alternative to the steps above)
- 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 the mixer bowl, combine the activated yeast mixture, sugar, milk, salt, egg yolk, and 3 cups of the bread flour. Mix with the paddle attachment on low speed until a shaggy dough forms. With the mixer on low, slowly pour in the lukewarm melted butter or shortening, mixing until incorporated.
- Knead. Switch to the dough hook attachment and add the remaining ⅓ cup bread flour. Knead on low speed for 6-8 minutes (KitchenAid 2) until the dough looks smooth, elastic, and starts to pull off the sides of bowl. Scrape down the bowl and hook partway through making sure no dry pockets are left unmixed at the bottom. If the dough remains very sticky after kneading, add additional bread flour 1 tablespoon at a time as needed. The finished dough should be soft and slightly tacky.
- Rise. Transfer to a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours, until puffy and almost doubled in size.
- After the first rise, the dough is ready to shape and fill. One batch makes about 12 pastries. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions, about 2.5 ounces each. From here, you can use it to make traditional sweet kolaches or savory klobasneks.
