This Texas-Czech is a breakfast favorite.
It may come as a surprise that one of the most Texan dishes out there was brought to the Lone Star State by Czech immigrants. Kolaches can be sweet or savory; you might find these pastries filled with cream cheese filling, fruit filling and topped with powdered sugar.
In the 1950s, Village Bakery in West, Texas, put an even more American spin on the Czech kolache recipe with the creation of the klobasnek or klobasniky, which is a sausage kolache. It looks a little like the breakfast version of a pig-in-a-blanket, but this savory kolache recipe is so much better.
To make a klobasnek, full-size sausages the size of hot dogs are the best way to go. Choose a jalapeno sausage for an extra kick or a cheese-filled sausage for a cheesy version of this American-Czech recipe. To enjoy a Cajun-themed sausage kolache, go for Andouille sausage.
What Are the Ingredients in a Kolache?
Kolaches are essentially the healthy cousin of doughnuts and can often be found in donut shops. The kolache dough starts with a basic pastry dough like a donut: active dry yeast, warm milk, room temperature unsalted butter, large eggs, sugar, and salt, then add your and all-purpose flour. Start with the yeast and warm milk in a small bowl and let it sit and bubble for a few minutes. Add in the rest of the ingredients and knead together the yeast dough. You can use whole milk, 2%, or whatever you have on hand.
Lyndsay Burginger
A stand mixer with a dough hook makes the process much easier, but you can also mix everything by kneading it in a large bowl. Once the dough comes together, let it rise in a warm place, then divide it into 12 dough balls. Each of those sections is rolled out into a rectangle and topped with shredded cheddar cheese, jalapeño slices, and a cooked sausage link then rolled back up and placed on a baking sheet, seam-side down. Total time is only half an hour!
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the kolache on the baking sheet. While the oven preheats, let the kolache rest, then bake until golden brown. While they're going to smell amazing, give the pastries a chance to cool before you try them because they are going to be hot, hot, hot just like Central Texas!
This post was originally published on August 20, 2021.
Homemade Texas Sausage Kolache
Sausage kolaches, or more accurately called klobasniky, are a staple for hearty, on the go breakfasts throughout Central Texas.
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
Total Time 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 1/4 tsp yeast (One packet)
- 2/3 cup lukewarm milk
- 6 tbs melted butter, cooled
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 cups flour
Filling
- 12 fully cooked sausage links (We like using pork)
- 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup jalapeño slices
Instructions
In the bowl of your stand mixer (or whichever bowl you plan on mixing everything in), combine the yeast and water. Let rest to proof about 5 minutes.
With the mixer on low, add milk, butter, eggs, sugar, and salt until evenly combined.
Add 2 cups of flour to the milk mixture and mix until blended. Add 2 more cups and mix until blended. Add the remaining 3/4 cup and continue mixing. If the dough still sticks to the side of the bowl, continue adding flour about 2 tbs at a time until the right consistency is reached.
Lightly grease the dough and cover with plastic wrap. Let rest at room temperature until the dough has doubled in size, about 90 minutes.
Meanwhile prepare a baking sheet by lining with parchment paper.
Punch down the dough and divide into 12 portions. Roll each into rectangles about 5 inch by 2 1/2 inch long.
Sprinkle 1 tbs cheese in a line down the middle. Layer on a few jalapeño slices, then lay on the sausage. Wrap the sausage in the dough, pinching to seal.
Transfer the kolache to the baking sheet, and place seam side down. Let rest for 30 minutes while the oven preheats to 350 F.
Bake until golden brown, about 25-30 minutes.
Let cool about 20 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 196kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 8gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 384mgPotassium: 127mgFiber: 1gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 150IUCalcium: 10mgIron: 1.1mg
FAQs
Klobasneks are much more commonly known as kolaches in Texas, but should not be confused with traditional Czech kolaches, which are also popular and are known by the same name. Klobasneks are similar in style to sausage rolls, but the meat is wrapped in kolache dough.
Why are kolaches only in Texas? ›
Kolaches are arguably one of the most popular pastries in Texas. Brought to the Lone Star State by Czech immigrants, the pastries were a weekly mainstay and snack in local households, made with sweet yeast dough with a center filled with fruits typically available in Eastern Europe.
What is kolache dough made of? ›
For the dough
Whisk flour, yeast, and salt together in bowl of stand mixer. Whisk milk, melted butter, sugar, egg, and egg yolks in a 4-cup measuring cup until sugar has dissolved.
What is the story of kolache? ›
The kolache (pronounced ko-LAH-chee) entered the American repertory in the mid-1800s, soon after immigrants from Central Europe settled in the hills and prairies of central and south-central Texas. The region was once home to more than 200 Czech-dominant communities.
What the heck is a kolache? ›
A kolach, from the Czech and Slovak koláč (plural koláče, diminutive koláčky, meaning "cake/pie") is a type of sweet pastry that holds a portion of fruit surrounded by puffy yeast dough.
What is the kolache capital of Texas? ›
Kolache Festival in the Kolache Capital of Texas
This delicious pastry took the state of Texas by storm and for the last 36 years has been celebrated by the folks in Caldwell, Texas, or as it is known during Kolache Fest, the Kolache Capital of Texas.
What do Texans call pigs in a blanket? ›
The Texanist: Why Do Texans Call a Pig in a Blanket a Kolache? – Texas Monthly.
Do kolaches have pork? ›
Texas Kolaches—savory beef/pork and cheddar sausage is surrounded by fluffy bread dough and baked until browned. Add in grated cheddar and pickled jalapenos to take it to a whole new level.
Are kolaches only sold in Texas? ›
While you can find kolaches almost anywhere in the United States, outside of Texas, they remain most popular in areas where Czech immigrants settled, such as Nebraska, Wisconsin and Oklahoma. But for generations, Texans have flocked to West, and especially to the Czech Stop, to satisfy their kolache cravings.
Can you freeze kolaches? ›
Yes, you can. Kolaches freeze quite nicely.
Kolaches are Czech pastries made of a yeast dough and usually filled with fruit, but sometimes cheese.
What is Russian kolache? ›
Kolach or kalach is a traditional bread found in Central and Eastern European cuisines, commonly served during various special occasions – particularly wedding celebrations, Christmas, Easter, and Dożynki. The name originates from the Old Slavonic word kolo (коло) meaning "circle" or "wheel".
What does kolache mean in English? ›
kolache (plural kolaches) A pastry consisting of a filling (typically fruit or cheese) inside a bread roll, popular in the United States.
What is a kolache with meat called? ›
One may also find a meat (particularly sausage) option in the bakery case, but mercy on your soul if you call it a kolache. It's generally accepted that any meat-filled pastry of this family is in fact a klobasnek.
Why do Texans love kolaches? ›
First, Texas has a strong Czech heritage, and many communities throughout the state still celebrate Czech traditions and culture. Second, kolaches are simply delicious and easy to eat on the move, unlike other breakfast food.
What do they call pigs in a blanket in Texas? ›
The meat or savory part, often a sausage but not always, is wrapped in kolache dough and not croissant dough. This dish in Texas is most commonly referred to as "kolache", although traditional Czech-style kolaches are a sweet dish, not a savory dish.
What are the different types of kolaches? ›
The most common flavors are: prune, poppy seed, cream cheese, and apricot. I've also seen blueberry, cherry, and lemon. I'm willing to talk about savory kolaches with eggs, bacon and sausage, but honestly, I didn't grow up on those.
What is a Shipley kolache? ›
Kolache [kuh-lah-chee] noun. (plural kolaches) Try our signature Shipley Yeast Dough stuffed with one of four savory combinations and baked to golden perfection. Our Menu.
What is a kolache at Buc-Ee's? ›
Kolaches are a popular Czech pastry that has become a staple in Texas as well. Buc-ee's kolaches are soft, pillowy dough filled with a variety of sweet or savory fillings. Some popular choices include sausage and cheese, ham and cheese, or fruit-filled options, but our favorite is the Sausage Cheese Jalapeño Kolache.
