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Sourdough Kolaches

This recipe is my sourdough version of homemade kolaches — meaning no commercial yeast, just the power of natural yeast from your sourdough starter. The dough is enriched with warm milk, butter, egg yolks, and even a little sour cream, which keeps them pillowy soft. After an overnight ferment, you’ll wake up the next morning to the best dough for shaping. Fill them with cream cheese and your favorite jam, then drizzle with glaze for a bakery-style finish.
5 from 2 votes
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 25 minutes
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Servings 6

Equipment

  • stand mixer
  • baking tray
  • parchemnt paper
  • Kitchen scale

Ingredients
  

Kolache Dough

  • 225 g all-purpose flour (about 1¾ cups, or roughly a cup of flour plus more)
  • 1 tsp sea salt (6 g)
  • 120 ml whole milk, warmed
  • 70 g unsalted butter, melted (5 Tbsp)
  • 1 tbl sugar (12 g)
  • 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
  • 57 g sourdough starter (¼ cup of starter, active or sourdough discard)
  • 1 tbl sour cream

Sweet Cream Cheese Filling

  • 170 g cream cheese, softened (6 oz)
  • 50 g sugar (¼ cup)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tbl lemon juice

For the Fruit Layer

  • 1/2 cup ½ cup of your favorite jam or preserves — apricot, blueberry, cherry, or even apple filling all work beautifully.

Crumble

  • 1 tbl melted butter
  • 2 tbl sugar
  • 2 tbl flour

For the Glaze

  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 2-3 tbl heavy cream (or whole milk)
  • Splash of vanilla extract

Instructions
 

Make the Kolache Dough

  • In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment), combine the dry ingredients — flour and salt.
  • In another bowl, whisk the wet ingredients: warm milk, melted butter, sugar, egg, yolk, sour cream, and sourdough starter.
  • Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir until a shaggy dough forms.
  • Knead on low speed in a stand mixer or by hand on a lightly floured surface for 6–8 minutes, until the dough is smooth. You should be able to stretch a piece of dough thin enough to pass the windowpane test.
  • Place in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let bulk ferment at room temperature in a warm spot until puffy (5-6 hours). If you can’t make them right away, you can put the dough into the fridge for an overnight ferment.

Prepare the Cream Cheese Filling

  • In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese with a whisk or a hand mixer until smooth.
  • Add sugar, egg yolk, vanilla, and lemon juice. Mix until creamy.

Shape the Dough Balls

  • If you did the cold fermentation: The next day, remove the dough from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  • Divide into equal pieces (8 portions) and roll each into a smooth ball shape using the palm of your hand. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, spaced apart.
  • Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let them rise in a warm place for about 1-2 hours or until puffy.

 Fill the Kolaches

  • Press down in the center of each piece of dough with the bottom of a small glass to create a well. Then brush egg wash over the sourdough kolaches.
  • Spoon a little cream cheese mixture into the well. Top with 1 tbl of jam or fresh fruit.
  • Sprinkle the crumb on top.

Bake the Kolach

  • Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
  • Bake until golden brown, about 15–18 minutes. The sides of the bowl-shaped kolaches should puff beautifully.
  • Cool slightly before glazing.

Glaze the Kolaches

  • Whisk together powdered sugar and heavy cream until smooth
    Drizzle over the warm kolaches for the perfect shiny finish.
Keyword sourdough kolache, sourdough recipe