Authentic Czech Kolaches
Kolaches recipe made with soft yeast dough, creamy cheese, and fruit jam, finished with buttery streusel—an authentic Czech pastry you can bake at home.
There may be people who’ve never tried a Czech kolache—but no one eats just one. How can you not fall in love?
Kolaches (koláče) are traditional Czech sweet yeast buns, topped with velvety cheese and fruit jam. While savory versions exist in Texas (often filled with sausage), true Czech kolaches remain a sweet pastry at heart. Soft, pillowy, and finished with a crisp streusel bite, they’re beloved breakfast treats that deserve a spot in your kitchen.
I first tasted authentic kolaches in a small town in Texas and instantly knew I had to recreate them at home. No more cross-country trips—my version is easy, accessible, and just as delicious.
It’s my go-to homemade kolache recipe: a tender, buttery dough with lightly sweet fillings. While every Czech family has their own spin, mine blends tradition with simple steps and easy-to-find ingredients.
If you love kolaches, you’ll also enjoy Pulla (Finnish Cardamom Bread) and Sugar and Butter Brioche Galette . They are soft and satisfying sweet breads and everyone loves them.
Key Ingredients Notes
While you’ll find the full list in the recipe card below, here are a few tips on what makes these kolaches truly special:
- Cottage cheese + cream cheese: Traditional kolaches in the Czech Republic use farmer’s cheese (tvaroh), which isn’t easy to find elsewhere. After testing different combinations, I discovered that mixing cottage cheese and cream cheese recreates that same rich, creamy texture—close to the real thing!
- Fruit jams: Personally, I’m obsessed with using apricot and black currant jam for that classic sweet-tart flavor. But honestly, you can use any jam you have on hand—part of the charm of kolaches is how adaptable they are.
How to Make Czech Kolaches
Making kolaches at home is easier than you might think. Here’s a quick overview of the process (full steps in the recipe card below):
- Prepare the dough – Mix the yeast dough and knead until soft and elastic. Let it rise until doubled.
- Shape the buns – Divide the dough into equal portions and form small balls. Let them rest, then flatten slightly.
- Add the filling – Press an indentation in the center of each bun. Spoon in sweetened cheese and a dollop of jam.
- Make the streusel topping – Combine flour, sugar, and butter to form a crumbly streusel. Sprinkle over the kolaches before baking.
- Bake – Bake until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Want to see how it’s done? Watch the video tutorial below!
Watch Kolaches Recipe Video
Authentic Czech Kolaches
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tsp instant yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup butter, melted
- 1 cup lukewarm milk
- 2 egg yolks
- Egg wash for brushing
For the cheese filling
- 4 oz cottage filling
- 2 oz cream cheese
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 egg yolk
For the Fruit jam filling
- 4 Tbsp any fruit jam
- 2 tsp water
For the streusel topping
- 2 tbsp flour
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp butter, melted
- pinch salt
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, powdered sugar, yeast, and salt. Add the egg yolks, melted butter, and milk. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Attach the dough hook and knead on medium speed for about 5 minutes, or until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap (poke a small hole for ventilation) and place a towel over the bowl. Let it rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
- Punch down the dough to release gas. Shape it into a log and divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth ball. Arrange the dough balls on a parchment-lined half sheet pan, spaced slightly apart. Gently flatten each ball with your fingers.
- Using the flat bottom of a glass (about 2.5 inches wide) or your knuckles, press down the center of each dough ball to create a well for the filling. Cover with a towel and let rise again until doubled in size, about 30–40 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the cheese filling by mixing all filling ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.
- To loosen the jam, mix it with water and microwave for 7–10 seconds. Set aside.
- For the streusel topping, combine flour, sugar, and salt in a small bowl. Add melted butter and mix with your fingers until fine crumbs form. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Once the dough has finished its second rise, gently press down the center again with the glass to deepen the indentations (do not deflate the dough). Brush the surface lightly with egg wash.
- Fill each kolache with about 1 tablespoon of cheese filling and 2 teaspoons of jam. Sprinkle the streusel generously over the top.
- Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Kolache Tips & Storage
- Indentation Tip: To make room for the cheese and jam filling, press down the center of each dough ball after it rises. You can gently use your knuckles—or do what I did and use the flat bottom of a small glass to create a clean, even well.
- Make-Ahead Tip: You can make the dough the night before and refrigerate it. Bring it back to room temperature before shaping and baking.
- Storage: Kolaches are best enjoyed the day they’re made, but they keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a low oven or microwave for 10 seconds to refresh.
- Freezing: Let baked kolaches cool completely, then wrap tightly and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature and rewarm to serve.
These are delicious, and easy to make without using a mixer. The crumb is soft and slightly open, not dense. I added vanilla and nutmeg to the dough. Both rises were longer than the ones given in the recipe. I used my own cheese filling and streusel and drizzled the cooled kolaches with a thin icing. The video is helpful. Thank you for posting.
Thank you for your comment. So happy to hear that these kolaches turned out well for you.
I made your recipe as written except I made one mistake, I forgot the egg yolk for the cheese filling. Still looks good, I think. Taking to a Memorial Day get together with friends and so excited to try. Easy to follow recipe and will definitely go in my book of recipes, which is high standards!! Have some great pictures I wish I could share.
That’s wonderful to hear these kolaches turned out well for you! I hope everyone enjoyed them at your Memorial Day get-together. Thank you so much!
Wooww, this Kolache recipe turned out amazing 👏 🤩!
I for sure loved them, and so did my mom, I will definitely be making more to pass around at work!
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, these Czech Fruit Kolaches have always been a favorite of my family since before I was born, now we don’t have to travel 40 minutes just to enjoy them 😋
So happy to hear your family loved these Kolaches! Aren’t they amazing? My family adores them too. They take some time, but the result is so worth it. Glad you enjoyed them!
Holly, Thank you for posting your recipe on Koláčhes. I live in a high-altitude, dry climate. Are there any things I ought to consider to help them be successful? For example, I’ve noticed that other recipes for these babies contain entire eggs, while yours does not. Do you know what the outcome might be by simply adding 2 whole eggs to the dough? Thank you for your response 🫶
You can slightly increase the amount of milk since high altitude and dry climates can cause moisture to evaporate faster. The dough should be on the sticky side.
I used egg yolks instead of whole eggs because they create a softer, more tender, and richer dough, and they also add a more golden color. You can use 1 whole egg instead, but keep in mind that egg whites contain a good amount of water, so you should reduce the amount of milk to compensate. I would suggest reducing it by about 1-2 tablespoons. Use your senses to judge the dough’s texture as you knead.
For baking at high altitude, you can increase the oven temperature by 15-25°F and/or decrease the baking time. Start checking for doneness a few minutes earlier than the recipe suggests.
Thank you for those helpful tips, as well as the whole egg vs egg yolk question. It makes perfect sense. I’ll give it a go. Have a great day!
Hello, in the video you say knead for 5 min and in the instructions you say 3 mins. Which one is it? I’m wanting to try and make these, but I’m new to the making your own dough portion of baking.
It should be 5 minutes. I have corrected the recipe card. Thanks for pointing that out!
Thank you for the update. Also I noticed in the instructions you state 1/4 c powdered sugar and in the video its 1/2c.
It’s 1/2 cup.
Can you correct your recipe please. For the cheese filling you have included 2 tbsp melted butter in the recipe which is not in the video and you used 2 tbsp of icing sugar in the video which is not in the recipe. Thanks
Hi Riley
It should be 2 tbsp of icing sugar (powdered sugar), not melted butter. I corrected the recipe card. Thanks for letting me know the mistake. Hope you enjoy this recipe!
Kolaches are pretty good. I’ve never made them — always one of those things I always bought. I should though — pretty straightforward looking recipe. Thanks!