Kolaches are a traditional pastry with Czech origins. Traditionally served at weddings or celebrations, the word "kolac" literally means cake in Czech. They're a sweet brioche pastry filled with fruit or cheese fillings, and oh my are they delicious! In the late 1800's Czech immigrants brought kolaches to Texas, creating the American version of the kolache we know today. These pastries can be sweet or savory, but today I'm going to walk you through making my take on a kolache (sourdough of course).

We are going to start with a sweet levain to make our sourdough brioche dough, and let that rise overnight for optional fermentation. I paired this dough with a sweet cream cheese filling and a homemade berry compote, topped with a golden butter crumble to really set this kolache apart. Because it's close to the 4th of July, I decorated mine to mimic little American flags- but you can garnish these any way you like!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

This recipe features a long-fermented sourdough brioche dough that gives these kolaches incredible flavor and tenderness. Customizable fruit compote means you can use any berry, perfect for seasonal summer baking. The easy cheesecake filling offers a tangy contrast to the sweet fruit. Top the kolache with a buttery streusel that adds texture and a rustic bakery-style look for the ultimate finishing touch. Overnight option makes them perfect for prepping the dough ahead and baking fresh in the morning. You can also prepare your compote, filling, and crumble ahead to make for easy assembly on your time table.

Why Use a Sweet Levain?

Milder flavor- the added sugar in the levain feeds the yeast while tempering the sourness of the sourdough. The sugar works to stabilize fermentation and works beautifully in enriched doughs.

Tools You’ll Need:

• Stand mixer with dough hook- I highly recommend a strand mixer for this dough as it is very enriched, but if you're used to kneading by hand you can do that too.

  
  

• Rubber spatula- for mixing compote

  
  

• Mixing bowls- for compote and streusel

  
  

• Kitchen scale- recommended for accurate measurements

  
  

• Parchment paper- to line pans to avoid burning

  
  

• 2 baking sheets- for baking buns

  
  

• Saucepan or small pot- for berry compote

  
  

• Piping bag or ziplock- for piping cream cheese

  
  

• Microplane or zester- for lemon zest

  
  

• Hand mixer- for blending cream cheese filling

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Gather Your Ingredients:

• Sourdough starter- feeds your sweet levain and is your leavening agent. Essential for fermentation.

  
  

• Milk- adds softness and tenderness to the crumb; works to hydrate the dough.

  
  

• White granulated sugar- works to feed the levain, sweeten the dough, compote, cream cheese filling and crumble.

  
  

• Egg + egg yolks- adds creaminess and structure to the dough. Works to thicken and help cream cheese filling hold structure.

  
  

• Honey- adds sweetness and tenderizes the dough.

  
  

• Unsalted Butter- enriches the brioche dough, and adds golden crispness to crumble.

  
  

• Avocado Oil- adds enrichment for a tender crumb and helps dough retain elasticity.

  
  

• Bread flour- can be substituted for all purpose. Adds gluten to the dough, providing structure. Thickens cream cheese filling and key for crumble to achieve proper texture.

  
  

• Salt- balances and enhances all other flavors.

  
  

• Berries- you can use any variety you like, I used blueberries. Frozen or fresh can be used, this makes up the base of the compote.

  
  

• Lemon juice + zest: brightens and balances sweetness of the berry compote.

  
  

• Cream cheese- gives filling that classic tang and creamy texture.

  
  

• Vanilla- adds warm and aromatic depth to the cream cheese filling.

Now let's bake!

Sourdough Berry Cheesecake Kolaches

Dough Ingredients:

• ¾ cup + 1 tbsp (200g) sweet levain (see Step 1 below)

• Scant 1 cup (200g) whole milk

• ⅓ cup + 1 tbsp (75g) granulated sugar

• 2 tbsp (40g) raw honey

• 1 large egg (50g)

• 2 large egg yolks (36g)

• 8 tbsp (113g) unsalted butter, softened

• 4 tsp (20g) avocado oil

• 4¼ cups (550g) bread flour

• 1½ tsp (10g) fine sea salt

Berry Compote:

• 1 cup (150g) fresh or frozen blueberries (or any berries)

• 2 tbsp (25g) granulated sugar

• 1½ tbsp (20g) lemon juice

• Zest of ½ lemon

• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Cream Cheese Filling:

• 8 oz (225g) full-fat cream cheese, softened

• ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar

• 1 egg yolk

• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour

• ½ tsp vanilla extract

• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Streusel Crumble:

• 2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter, melted

• ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar

• ¼ cup (30g) all-purpose flour

Instructions

Step 1: Make the Sweet Levain (Night Before)

Baker's Schedule: 8:00 PM- Night Before

Ingredients:

• 25g (1 Tablespoon) sourdough starter (100% hydration)

• 100g all-purpose flour (¾ cup + 2 tbsp)

• 100 g  water (3/4 cup + 2 tbsp)

• 25g granulated sugar (1 tbsp + 2 tsp)

Instructions:

1. Mix all ingredients until a paste forms.

2. Cover and let ferment at 74–78°F (23–26°C) for 10–12 hours, or until doubled and domed.

Baker's Schedule: 8:00 AM- Day 1

Step 2: Make the Dough

Dough Ingredients:

• ¾ cup + 1 tbsp (200g) sweet levain (see Step 1 below)

• Scant 1 cup (200g) whole milk

• ⅓ cup + 1 tbsp (75g) granulated sugar

• 2 tbsp (40g) raw honey

• 1 large egg (50g)

• 2 large egg yolks (36g)

• 8 tbsp (113g) unsalted butter, softened

• 4 tsp (20g) avocado oil

• 4¼ cups (550g) bread flour

• 1½ tsp (10g) fine sea salt

In the bowl of your stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl), combine sweet levain, milk, sugar, honey, eggs, and oil. Mix wet ingredients with a whisk until loosely combined.

Add flour and salt to the dough. Mix on low until a shaggy dough forms, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down bowl if needed. If using your hands, knead until you work dough into a ball.

Once dough has formed a rough ball, add:

• 8 tbsp (113g) softened unsalted butter, one a tablespoon at a time

Continue mixing on medium-low (speed 2–3) for 8–10 minutes, until dough is smooth, elastic, and tacky but not sticky. If mixing by hand knead dough until butter has fully incorporated and dough is smooth and tacky.

If kneading in a mixer or if dough is very wet when mixing by hand, add an additional 25 grams (3 Tablespoons) of flour and mix into dough.

Do not add more than 25 grams of flour at this stage, or you will lose the high hydration of the dough and end up with a dense dough. If using a stand mixer, dough can become more warm and sticky and I have found kneading dough with my hand for a minute after mixing really helps bring the dough together.

Step 3: Bulk Fermentation

Spray a clean bowl with oil. Shape the dough into a smooth ball and place it in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap.

If you used a stand mixer, perform one set of stretch and folds after 30 minutes to strengthen your dough. If you mixed dough by hand, perform 3 sets of stretch and folds at 30 minute intervals at the beginning of bulk fermentation. After stretch and folds are completed, cover dough and allow to continue proofing.

Let dough rise at 75–80°F until doubled in size—about 5–6 hours. If your house is very cold, you can put dough in the oven with the light on for a warmer atmosphere.

Once dough has finished rising, you can cover and transfer to the refrigerator overnight for a longer ferment or you can skip this step and go straight to shaping your kolaches. I do find it to be easier to shape the dough when it has been refrigerated but it isn't necessary.

Step 4: Preparing Compote

Baker's Schedule: 8:00 AM- Day 2

Berry Compote:

• 1 cup (150g) fresh or frozen blueberries (or any berries)

• 2 tbsp (25g) granulated sugar

• 1½ tbsp (20g) lemon juice

• Zest of ½ lemon

• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt

  
  

  In a small saucepan, combine the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, zest, and salt.

Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to avoid burning on the bottom.

Cook compote over medium/low heat for 10-12 minutes and it becomes thick and jammy.

Remove from heat and let cool completely.

Cover with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Set aside while making your cream cheese filling and the crumble.

Step 5: Prepare the Cream Cheese Filling

Cream Cheese Filling:

• 8 oz (225g) full-fat cream cheese, softened

• ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar

• 1 egg yolk

• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour

• ½ tsp vanilla extract

• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt

  
  

  Allow cream cheese to soften completely at room temperature before mixing filling.

Transfer cream cheese to a medium sized bowl and add sugar. Beat with hand mixers on high until ingredients are fully incorporated about 2-3 minutes.

Add egg yolk and vanilla to bowl and beat again for about 1 minutes until everything is combined. Add in flour and salt lastly and combine with beaters for another minute.

Transfer filling to a piping bag or Ziplock bag and set aside for when you're ready to assemble your kolaches.

Step 6: Prepare Crumble

Streusel Crumble:

• 2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter, melted

• ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar

• ¼ cup (30g) all-purpose flour

Melt butter in a microwave safe bowl for 30 seconds to 1 minute and butter is melted. Add flour and sugar to bowl, and mix with a spoon or fork until a crumbly mixture forms. Set aside.

Step 7: Final Proofing

If dough was refrigerated overnight, remove from refrigerator and allow to warm on the counter about 30 minutes for better handling. If you didn't chill dough, skip this step.

Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and spray lightly with cooking oil. Set side.

Grease a clean work surface with a little cooking spray, and transfer dough from bowl to counter. Weight out 9 dough balls (roughly 130 grams), and shape them into taut balls.

Note: 130 grams makes large kolaches; if you want to make a dozen smaller kolaches weigh out dough to be 100-110 gram balls.

Transfer dough balls to prepared baking sheets and cover with oiled plastic wrap. Allow dough balls to proof 2 hours at room temperature.

Step 8: Assemble Kolaches

Prepare an egg wash with 1 egg yolk and 2 teaspoons of water in a small bowl. Beat together until smooth and set aside.

Gather your berry compote, piping bag filled with cream cheese filling, and crumble.

Grease the back of a small glass or use your fingers to press a deep well in the center of each dough ball.

Fill the well of each kolache with 2 Tablespoons cream cheese filling, and 1 teaspoon of berry compote. Swirl if you would like.

Brush the outside ring of the kolache with the egg wash. I like to do this with a paper towel to make sure you don't end up with an eggy rim around the bottom of the kolache.

Sprinkle 2 teaspoons approximately of crumble around the ring of the kolache where you brushed the egg wash.

Step 9: Bake Kolaches

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake kolaches for 18–22 minutes until golden brown and fillings are just set. Internal temp should read around 200°F in bread portion of bun. Avoid cheesecake filling browning or cracking. Tent with foil if needed.

Cool on a wire rack for 15-20 minutes and center are set. Garnish with fresh fruit if desired.

Enjoy your fresh homemade Sourdough Berry Cheesecake Kolaches!

How to Store:

Store in an airtight container at room temp for 1 day, or refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheat gently at 300°F for 5–7 minutes. Serve warm.

FAQ's:

Can I use different berries?

Absolutely. Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, or mixed berries all work beautifully.

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