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Cream Cheese Kolache Recipe

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4.3 from 8 reviews

This Cream Cheese Kolache recipe offers an authentic Texas Czech style pastry filled with a smooth cream cheese mixture and topped with a sweet streusel. Perfect for breakfast or brunch, these kolaches feature a soft, slightly sweet yeast dough that’s rolled, filled, topped, and baked to golden perfection. The combination of creamy filling and crunchy streusel topping creates a delightful balance of textures and flavors that’s both comforting and indulgent.

Ingredients

Proof Yeast

  • ¼ cup warm water (100-110°F)
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
  • 1 teaspoon sugar

Dough

  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 cup milk
  • ¼ cup shortening or unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 ½ teaspoons table salt
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 3 ⅓ cups bread flour, sifted
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (for brushing on dough)

Cream Cheese Filling

  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 egg yolk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Posypka (Streusel Topping)

  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ teaspoon table salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Instructions

  1. Activate yeast: Combine warm water, active dry yeast, and 1 teaspoon of sugar in a small bowl. Stir gently and let sit for 10 minutes until the yeast is bubbly and has doubled in size, indicating it’s active.
  2. Prepare dough mixture: In a large bowl, mix together sugar, milk, melted shortening or butter, salt, and the egg yolk. Stir in the activated yeast mixture. Gradually add bread flour, 1 cup at a time, stirring until about 3 cups are incorporated and a sticky dough begins to form.
  3. Knead the dough: Sprinkle the remaining ⅓ cup sifted bread flour onto a hard work surface. Turn the dough out onto this surface and knead for 10–12 minutes until the dough becomes sticky yet elastic. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise for 1 hour until doubled in size.
  4. Shape dough balls: Punch the dough down to release air. Roll the dough into a log shape and cut into 12 equal pieces, approximately 2 ounces or the size of a golf ball each. Place the dough balls in a lightly greased 9×13 inch pan, brush them with 1 tablespoon of melted butter, cover, and let rise for 30 minutes.
  5. Create wells and fill: Using a lightly floured ¼ cup measuring cup, press gently into the center of each dough ball to create wells. Fill each well with 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese filling. Brush the edges with additional melted butter and sprinkle 1 to 2 teaspoons of posypka (streusel topping) evenly over each kolache. Cover again and let rise for 1 to 2 hours until puffed.
  6. Bake kolaches: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the kolaches for 28 to 33 minutes or until they turn golden brown. Remove from oven and cool for about 1 hour before serving to allow the filling to set.
  7. Make cream cheese filling: In a high-speed mixer, whisk together cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla extract for 1–2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
  8. Prepare streusel topping: In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Cut in the unsalted butter with a pastry cutter or two knives until the mixture forms coarse crumbs, creating the posypka topping.

Notes

  • Bread flour quantity is measured before sifting.
  • For a fruit and cream cheese variation, top the cream cheese filling with 1 tablespoon of quality fruit preserves such as peach, dewberry, or cherry before adding streusel.
  • For extra creamy filling, double the cream cheese filling recipe and add 2 tablespoons to each kolache well.

Find it online: https://bitezly.com/cream-cheese-kolache-recipe/