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These Texas Sausage Kolaches are a hearty breakfast pastry made with a fluffy, sweet breading around a cheese filled sausage. Skip the donut shop and make your own at home!
All about these sausage kolaches…
Texas Kolaches are a hearty breakfast pastry found at most donut shops around the great state of Texas. They are made with a light, fluffy yeast dough that surrounds a sausage. Typically cheese and jalapeno are included.
These pastries came to Texas by way of Czech immigrants. And while most Texans will call one of these a KOLACHE (Kol-ah-chee), Czech Texans will be quick to point out that this name refers to the sweet pastry, filled with fruit jellies. While the sausage variety is technically called a Klobasnek. The donut shops still list these as Kolaches, and if you order a Sausage Kolache, this is exactly what you will get
Ingredients Needed:
Notes on some ingredients:
- Sausage: classic options would include a polish sausage. Many local donut shops simply use beef hot dogs.
- Cheese: sliced or shredded cheese will work, use what you have on hand.
- Jalapeños: for this particular recipe, pickled jalapeños work better. If you have fresh on hand and would prefer to use that I would recommend sautéing them first before adding to the recipe.
How to make (step-by-step):
- Step 1: Bloom the yeast. This recipe uses active dry yeast, to reactivate it and to test and make sure that your yeast is nice and active, mix it with some warm water and a bit of sugar. Let this sit for about 5 minutes and you should see bubbles forming on the top. If nothing happens, then it’s possible your yeast is no longer active and you will need to replace it and start over.
- Step 2: Combine wet ingredients. The eggs, melted butter, milk, remaining sugar, and salt. Add this to the yeast mixture.
- Step 3: Add in the flour needed for the dough.
- Step 4: Mix in a stand mixer, or by hand if needed, until dough comes together. It will be sticky.
- Step 5: Sprinkle a small amount of flour on a clean counter and gently knead until the dough is no longer sticky and forms into a ball. This should only take an additional 2 tbsp of flour as noted in the recipe.
- Step 6: Lightly grease a bowl and place the dough ball inside. Give the dough a spin to coat in the oil. Cover and let rest for for 1 hour until doubled in size. During the last 20-15 minutes of rise time, cook the sausages to have them ready to prep the kolaches.
- Step 7: Remove the cover from the dough bowl, punch down the dough and then place dough on a lightly floured work surface.
- Step 8: Press the dough out into a rectangular shape approximately 7×5 inches. Then divide into 12 equal portions.
- Step 9: Working with one portion of dough at a time, press the dough out into a square (3 inches by 3 inches) then top with cheese, slices of jalapeño, and a cooked sausage. Roll this up and pinch together the dough where it meets. Set this on a baking sheet, seam side down. Top with slices of jalapeño if desired.
- Step 10 & 11: Continue working with all the dough, until all kolaches are filled and rolled. Then place on a baking sheet about 1 inch apart, they will spread while they bake, and you will most likely have to cut them apart. Brush the tops with an egg wash before baking. This gives a nice golden coloring. Then after baking brush with a melted butter and honey mixture to give added sweetness and flavoring to the dough.
Expert Tips:
- Jalapeños: When making this for the family, it’s possible some may prefer to skip the jalapeño, simply leave them out of the inside of the kolache, and mark the ones you are making with jalapeño with a few slices on top before baking.
- Make Ahead: prepare these the night before, cut the second rise (after they are prepped and on the baking sheet) to only 30 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap nice and tight and place in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning, remove from the fridge and let sit out at room temperature while the oven preheats and bake as instructed.
- Switch out the Filling: my family loves these with ham and cheese as a filling or you could use scrambled eggs and sausage or bacon. Another popular option in Texas is a Boudin Kolache, cook up the boudin (sausage mixed with rice) and use as a filling!
Kolache: FAQS
Are kolaches a Texas thing?
Traditional Kolaches are a Czech thing. Czech immigration to Texas began in the 1850s. Once here, they settled in Central Texas. Overtime their sweet kolache dough began being used with polish sausage, then cheese and jalapeño were added. This is now a classic Texan recipe thanks to the blending of different food cultures. These meat filled “kolaches” are now featured in most all local donut shops throughout the state.
Is a kolache the same as a “pig in a blanket?”
Pigs in a blanket are typically made using a crescent dough. Kolaches are made using a sweet, yeast dough for making fruit pastries. Making kolaches just a bit sweeter than your average pig in a blanket. In other words, don’t offend your favorite Texan by referring to these as a ”pig in a blanket”.
What are sausage kolaches called?
While most Texans will simply call them kolaches, the actual name is Klobasneks.
Other Breakfast Recipes:
Texas Sausage Kolaches (Klobasnek)
Easy to follow recipe for Homemade Texas Sausage Kolaches! Sausage, cheese and jalapeño all rolled up inside of a sweet, yeast Kolache dough. Brushed with a bit of honey butter after baking, these kolaches will be better than the ones at the local donut shops!
Ingredients
- ½ cup water (118 g) warmed to 110 degrees F
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tbsp active dry yeast
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter melted and cooled
- ½ cup milk (123 g)
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 cups all purpose flour (545 g) plus 2 tablespoons for dusting
- 12 sausages (full hot dog size)
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp water
Honey Butter
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp honey
Instructions
- Pour the warm water into the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Add 1 teaspoon of the sugar and the yeast. Stir to combine. Let this sit for 5 minutes to activate the yeast, it will be bubbly and foamy.
- Stir together the eggs, melted butter, milk, remaining sugar, and salt.
- Add this mixture to the yeast mixture in the bowl. Pour in half of the flour.
- Using a dough hook, mix until combined.
- Add the remaining flour and mix. Dough will be sticky. Continue to knead for another 2-3 minutes, dough will still be sticky.
- Sprinkle a tablespoon of flour on a clean working surface. Using your hands or a silicone spatula scrape all of the dough onto the floured surface.
- Using your hands, knead the dough 2-3 times until dough forms into a smooth ball thanks to the small amount of extra flour on your work-surface.
- Pour the teaspoon of oil into a large bowl and spread around to coat the bottom half of the bowl, then place the dough in the bowl, spin and turn over so the top of the dough is lightly greased.
- Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
- After 40 minutes, while dough is still rising, add the sausages to a large skillet and cook until warmed through, turning while they cook to ensure all sides are lightly seared.
- Remove the cover from the bowl, punch the dough down, then remove the dough to a work surface lightly sprinkled with the remaining tablespoon of flour.
- Press the dough into a rectangular shape, approximately 7 inches by 5 inches.
- Cut the dough into 12 equal square shapes.
- Prepare a large baking sheet with a silicone mat or sprayed with non stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Working with one piece of dough at a time, press the dough into a larger square shape, approximately 3 inches by 3 inches. Place a half slice of cheese on one side, then lay the sliced jalapeño on top, then the sausage.
- Roll the dough and pinch together where it meets.
- Place on the prepared baking sheet with the seam side down.
- Press some sliced jalapeno on the top of the dough if desired.
- Continue until all the kolaches are prepared. Place the kolaches on the baking sheet with approximately 1/2 to 1 inch of space in between, they rise while they bake, but it’s ok if they run into each other.
- Cover and let rise for an additional 45 minutes.
- While rising, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Remove the cover from the kolaches, prepare the egg wash by beating the egg with the water. Then brush this over the top of the dough.
- Bake for 14-15 minutes until the tops are golden. Turn the baking sheet during the middle of baking if needed for even browning.
- Remove from the oven, combine the melted butter and honey, and brush this on top of the kolaches while they are still hot.
- Let cool for several minutes, then serve warm.
Video
Notes
This recipe has been changed and updated from the initial posting in 2020. The dough recipe has been updated to increase the hydration and sweetness. Plus the addition of the honey butter wash at the end has been added. If you are a fan of the original recipe you can find that here: Original Kolache Recipe.
- Sausage: classic options would include a polish sausage. Many local donut shops simply use beef hot dogs.
- Cheese: sliced or shredded cheese will work, use what you have on hand.
- Jalapeños: for this particular recipe, pickled jalapeños work better. If you have fresh on hand and would prefer to use that I would recommend sautéing them first before adding to the recipe.
- Make Ahead: prepare these the night before, cut the second rise (after they are prepped and on the baking sheet) to only 30 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap nice and tight and place in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning, remove from the fridge and let sit out at room temperature while the oven preheats and bake as instructed.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 559kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 128mg | Sodium: 757mg | Potassium: 294mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 431IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
- Recipe first published April 3, 2020. Recipe has been changed and updated as of July 1, 2022. Original recipe can be found here. Images and video updated to reflect changes.
- Photography by the talented @KJandCompany.co
Our son is stationed in Corpus Christi, so we enjoy kolache whenever we visit. I had told myself I wanted to try and make some myself, so I searched for the “best kolache recipe” and yours popped up! The recipe lived up to its recommendations… soft, sweet dough and steps that we easy to follow. My dilemma, however, is that my kolaches came out pretty flat. The dough proofed well and was easy to work with and they seemed to cover my polska kielbaska well. Any suggestions?
The dough flattened while it baked? It’s possible the dough was over proofed. This could cause the yeast to be done by the time you bake and they can flatten during baking time. If your room is fairly warm and the dough is rising quickly, you may need to cut down the rise times from what is stated in the recipe.
I absolutely love this dough recipe for all of the breakfast items I make. I use it with a scrambled egg ,bacon and cheese filling or when I make a patty sausage, cheese and Mexican egg filling. My favorite is link sausage, cheese and diced candied jalapeno fully encased in the dough. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe, I use it weekly
I’ve been making this recipe for quite some time now. Did you change the recipe a bit? I don’t remember seeing half water and half milk. It used to be 1/4c sugar.
Hi Becky, I did update the recipe. I know there is a lot of love for the original, so I did save it and you can find it here: Original Kolache Recipe
But I hope you give the new recipe a try also!
I’ve never made Kolaches before, and the closest thing I’ve had to them were some kind of baked hot dog casserole, this looks much better, nice set of ingredients in these, and choice of polish sausage since that’s my sausage preference anyway, and good tip too about using pickled jalapeno, very nice and thank you!
I live in a very small town, and our 1 grocery store only has bratwurst or hot dogs. The only sausage is the traditional italian style pork sausage like Jimmy Dean. Can I use the jalapeno cheddar Brats in these? Would they still taste the same?
I would just snag some hot dogs! Sprinkle some cheese and use pickled jalapeño, then wrap that all in the dough. They will taste more authentic that way 🙂
Actually yes!! That’s far more authentic than using a hot dog! We only use smoked sausages like kielbasa and other polish style sausage 🙂
I completely agree with you! My czech relatives would roll over in their graves with just the thought of using hot dogs!
I have not found a kolache bread recipe better than this one. Definitely a 5 star all the way.
Do these freeze well after they are prepared?
Love this recipe! So good and easy to make. My husband loves them!
I’ve made this several times and love it! But I’m needing to make them for school this week and am wondering if I can refrigerate the dough overnight after step 4? Thanks!
You can let the dough do a slow rise in the refrigerator overnight, and then take them out of the fridge and finish the rise at room temperature before baking.
I love this recipe. I added jalapeños on top and chopped my sausage with shredded cheese and chopped jalapeños. Thank you for sharing.