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–+ servings
cream cheese savory kolaches

Savory Cream Cheese Kolaches

A famous Czech pastry with a Texan twist. These sweet and savory cream cheese kolaches are not only soft but also super tasty.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Proofing time: 4 hours
Total Time: 5 hours
Servings: 12 kolaches
Author: Tu

Ingredients 

For the dough

  • 3 ⅓ c unbleached AP flour
  • 2 tsp instant yeast prefer SAF gold instant yeast, see Notes.
  • ½ tsp Kosher salt
  • 1 c whole milk room temperature
  • 5 oz unsalted butter melted, room temperature
  • ⅓ c sugar
  • 2 large eggs room temperature

For cream cheese filling

  • 7.5 oz cream cheese
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp unbleached all purpose flour
  • 1 c whole milk

For streusel

  • 6 tbsp unbleached all purpose flour
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 0.5 oz unsalted butter chilled, cut into small cubes

Topping

  • arugula as needed
  • basil leaves as needed
  • cherry tomatoes

Instructions

For cream cheese filling

  • In a medium sauce pan, combine all ingredient over medium heat. Whisk until cream cheese completely melted and everything incorporated.
  • The cream cheese mixture should be smooth and lumpy. Remove from heat and set aside.

For streusel

  • In a small mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and use your fingers to rub everything together until the mixture comes together like wet sand. Set aside for later use.

For kolaches

  • Combine all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook.
  • In a mixing bowl, whisk all wet ingredients together. Make sure melted butter is warm or at room temperature. If you whisk hot butter into egg and milk mixture, they will solidify. If so, discard the mixture and start over
  • On slow speed, gradually add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until the dough starts to come together, approximately 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of mixing bowl if necessary.
  • Increase the speed to medium and knead until the dough is smooth and pull away from the mixing dough.
  • Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead with your hands.
  • Use your fingertips and gently lift and fold edge of the dough that's farthest away from you toward the middle. Turn the dough 90 degrees and fold again.
  • Repeat the process of turning and folding the dough until the it forms a smooth round ball, approximately 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Turn the dough seam side down in a lightly greased large mixing bowl.  Cover tightly and let it proof until the size increases at least almost by half, approximately 1.5 to 2 hours.
  • Press down the dough and deflate. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. 
  • Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces (approximately about 2.3 to 2.5 oz each).
  • Work with 1 piece of dough at a time. Cover the rest with plastic wrap or a damp towel to prevent them from drying out.
  • Stretch the dough by using your fingers and pinch the edges together at the bottom to form a smooth dough.
  • Place the dough seam side down on clean, dry surface (no extra flour should be added at this point - see notes).
  • Use your hand to drag the dough in small circles until it is completely round and smooth.
  • Place the smooth dough seam side down on a baking pan lined with parchment paper at least 1 inch apart from each other.
  • Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let them rise until increase by half, approximately 1.5 to 2 hours.

Baking process

  • Pre heat oven to 350F.
  • Gently grease the bottom of a measuring cup with spray cooking oil or flour. Then press it firmly into the center of each round dough until the cup almost touches the bottom.
  • Then using a spoon to divide equal amount of cream cheese filling on to each dough. Smooth the top with the back of the spoon if necessary.
  • Carefully sprinkle streusel on the edges, don't let them get into the cream cheese filling.
  • Bake until the edges turn golden brown color, approximately 20 - 25 minutes, remember to rotate the baking pan half way of the process.
  • When kolache done baking, let them cool down for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve warm with arugula, basil leaves, and cherry tomatoes.

Notes

  • The key to accomplish such smooth round ball of dough is not to flour your counter during this process. You want the dough to stick to the counter to create enough friction between it and the surface
  • I use instant rise yeast from SAF gold instant yeast. It is the world’s top selling instant yeast. They also have the red version of instant yeast. You can read more about the difference between SAF red instant yeast and SAF gold instant yeast; and how to store yeast HERE.