Sourdough Kolaches

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Kolaches are soft, pillowy buns made with a slightly sweet brioche dough and traditionally filled with fruit or sweet cheese. Originally from the Czech Republic, they became a Texas staple after Czech immigrants brought them to the United States in the late 1800’s. My Sourdough Kolaches put a twist on the classic, using a sweet sourdough brioche and filling them with homemade berry compote, a rich cream cheese filling, and topped with a buttery crumble.

Want a faster option to this recipe? Try my Sourdough Discard Blueberry Danish Buns!

Why Use a Sweet Levain?

Milder flavor to the dough. 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:

1. 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.
2. Zester or Microplane- to zest the lemons for the compote. I love this zester and reach for it all the time.
3. Rubber spatula- for mixing the blueberry compote to avoid burning.
4. Mixing bowls- for compote, crumble, and cream cheese filling.
5. Saucepan or small pot- for mixing the blueberry compote.
6. Digital kitchen scale (optional)– for accurate measuring, especially helpful with sourdough baking as I weighed out the kolaches. I linked the one I like here.
7. Measuring cups and spoons– for measuring ingredients.
8. Kitchen thermometer (optional)- helpful for checking internal temperatures. This is my go-to kitchen thermometer.
9. Hand beaters- to beat cream cheese filling.
10. Parchment paper– to line pans to avoid buns burning while baking. You can also use silicone mats if you prefer.
11. 2 half size baking sheets– for baking buns.
12. Piping bag or ziplock– for piping cream cheese filling.

Gather Your Ingredients:

1. Sourdough starter– you’ll need a recently fed and active sourdough starter for this recipe. This feeds your sweet levain and is your leavening agent. Need help on making a starter? Check out my Guide to Making Sourdough Starter from Scratch.
2. All-purpose flour- I recommend using all-purpose flour for a softer bun, but you can substitute for bread flour. Make sure to avoid using flours that are enriched, and for best results select a high protein flour. You’ll also use flour for the crumble.
3. Whole milk– milk works in the dough to create a tender crumb.
4. Unsalted Butter- butter makes your dough rich and soft. I prefer using unsalted butter and then adding salt so I can control the amount being added. If you use salted, reduce the salt you’re using by 1/4 teaspoon. You’ll also use butter in the crumble.
5. Honey- adds sweetness and tenderizes the dough.
6. Eggs + egg yolks– provide richness and works to bind the dough. Stabilizes the cream cheese filling.
7. White sugar– Boosts sweetness and supports the rise and golden color of the kolaches. You’ll also use this for the crumble and to sweeten the compote.
8. Salt– balances sweetness and enhances overall flavors. I prefer a high quality sea salt.
9. Vanilla extract– Enhances the flavor and brings warmth.
10. Cream cheese– gives filling that classic danish taste. Only use real cream cheese not spread.
11. Blueberries- You can use fresh or frozen blueberries for the blueberry compote filling. If you don’t have blueberries you cans swap any berries you’d like!
12. Cornstarch- Used to thicken the berry compote so it sets nicely.
13. Lemons- You’ll use lemon juice and zest in the compote to brighten the flavors.
14. Fresh Raspberries (optional)- if making the flag designs.
15. White Star Sprinkles (optional)- if making kolaches into little flags. I used these white star sprinkles.

Instructions

Step 1: Make the Sweet Levain

To start your dough, you’ll want to mix a sweet levain the night before. If this sounds intimidating, it’s not! It’s literally just adding sugar to your starter. This curbs the tang of the sourdough for the perfect dough.

In a clean jar, mix your mother starter with the flour, water, and sugar. Give it a good stir, and allow it to rest at room temperature (optimally 73-75 degrees F). I like to mark the volume in my jar with a rubber band so it’s easy to asses the rise the next morning. When the sweet levain has doubled in size, it’s time to mix your dough.

Step 2: Mix the Dough

In the bowl of your stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl), add the sweet levain, milk, sugar, honey, egg, and egg yolks. Whisk ingredients together quickly, it’s okay if it’s lumpy.

Add the flour and salt to the wet ingredients.

Mix on low speed or Speed 1 until a shaggy dough forms, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl if needed. If using your hands, knead until you work the dough together. This is a higher hydration dough, so be aware it will be sticky.

Once the dough has come together add the softened butter, a tablespoon at a time mixing each tablespoon in until adding the next. Use a dough scraper to scrape the edges of the bowl to make sure everything is getting mixed in.

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.

Mixing Notes: 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. Make sure to work flour in completely and assess if you need more flour.

Do not add more than 50 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 (perform a set of stretch and folds) for a minute after mixing in my stand mixer really helps bring the dough together.

Step 3: Bulk Fermentation

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 the dough and allow to continue proofing.

Let the dough rise at 75–80°F until doubled in size, this takes 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.

This proofing time is a general guide, this process may take longer the key is to assess when the dough has nearly doubled that’s when it’s ready.

Overnight Fermentation: Once the 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 making your kolaches.

Step 4: Make the Blueberry Compote

Add the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt to a small saucepan or pot.

Cook the berry mixture over medium heat, bringing the berries to a simmer or low boil stirring often with a spatula to avoid burning.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for roughly 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the berries release their juices and begin to break down.

In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water to make a slurry.

Stir the slurry into the blueberry mixture and cook for 1 more minute until the berries are thick, glossy, and jammy.

Remove from heat and scrape into a bowl and let the compote cool completely before using. Place a piece of plastic directly on the top of the compote after it cools slightly to avoid a skin forming while you cool it.

Compote Tip: The compote should be thick enough to mound slightly on a spoon. If it looks loose, cook it another minute or two. A thick compote helps prevent soggy or messy centers.

Step 5: Make the Cream Cheese Filling

Add the softened cream cheese and sugar to a medium bowl. Beat with a hand mixer for 2–3 minutes on high, until smooth and creamy.

Add the egg yolk, vanilla, flour, and salt to the cream cheese mixture. Beat on medium speed until combined.

Transfer the cream cheese filling to a piping bag or zip-top bag and chill for 15–20 minutes while the dough finishes rising.

The short chill makes the filling easier to pipe and helps it stay in the center of the kolaches.

Step 6: Make the Crumble

In a small microwave safe bowl, melt the butter.

Add the sugar and flour, combine until the mixture is clumpy and crumbly.

If the crumble feels too wet or paste-like, add 1–2 teaspoons of flour and mix it in until it forms small clumps.

Set the crumble aside for later.

Step 7: Shaping and Final Proofing

Overnight Fermentation Note: If you chilled this dough overnight, allow it to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to relax before attempting shaping.

Line 2 half size 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 the dough from bowl to counter. Weight out 9 dough balls (roughly 130 grams), and shape them into tight balls.

Shaping Note: 130 grams makes larger kolaches and that’s my preference; 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 an 1-2 hours at room temperature until puffy and almost doubled in size.

Don’t skip this step for proofing; For a light and fluffy bun it’s essential.

Optional Overnight Chill/Fermentation: If you want to transfer the dough balls to the frig at this time, you can transfer the covered baking sheets to the frig before proofing. Allow the kolaches to proof as directed when you want to bake them.

The dough can be refrigerated up to 48 hours before baking.

Step 8: Assemble the Kolaches

Prepare an egg wash with 1 egg 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. If you are making these into flags, you’ll also need the raspberries and star sprinkles.

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

Spoon 1-2 teaspoons of blueberry compote into the top left corner of the well in the center of the bun.

Snip about 1/4 inch off of the end of the bag filled with cream cheese filling. Pipe 2-3 Tablespoons of the cream cheese filling around the blueberry compote to fill in the center.

Brush the outside ring of the bun with the egg wash. You can do this with a paper towel or a pastry brush.

Sprinkle 2 teaspoons approximately of crumble around the edge of the bun where you brushed the egg wash.

Arrange the raspberries in rows to form your stripes for the flags. Add the white star sprinkles on top of the blueberry compote to finish the flag.

How to fill the kolaches if you aren’t making flags: Pipe 2-3 Tablespoons of cream cheese filling in the center of the kolaches, and add 2-3 teaspoons blueberry compote on top. Finish with the egg wash and crumble as directed.

Step 9: Bake the Kolaches

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Transfer the buns to the hot oven, and bake the buns for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and fillings are just set. Internal temperature should read around 195-200°F in bread portion of the koalches.

Avoid the cream cheese filling browning or cracking; if kolaches start to brown too much tent with foil if needed.

Cool on a wire rack for 15-20 minutes and allow the centers are set. If needed, add more of the star sprinkles to the compote. Enjoy!

Yields 9 Kolaches

How to Store:

Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container at room temp for up to one day. Because of the cream cheese filling, these kolaches need to be refrigerated.

Refrigerator: Refrigerate up to 4 days in an air tight container. Reheat gently at 300°F for 5–7 minutes. Serve warm.

FAQ’S

If you loved this recipe, drop a comment and leave a star review and don’t forget to checkout more of my sourdough pastry recipes!

Sourdough Pastry Recipes:

• Sourdough Discard Blueberry Danish Buns
• Jumbo Sourdough Strawberry Rolls
• Sourdough Cream Puffs (Sourdough Pâte à Choux)