PPQ: Ham and Cheese Kolache

in Bread, Breakfast, Pastry, Pork, Project Pastry Queen, Texas

Ham and Cheese Kolache

This week’s Project Pastry Queen challenge was selected by Emily of She Makes and Bakes. And it’s one of my very, very favorite recipes in the entire book: Kolache.

Kolache are czech breakfast pastries that are very popular in Texas. While traditionally topped with a cream cheese or fruit mixture, it was the savory versions that sold out day after day at my parents’ bakery. Sausage, ham and cheese, and jalapeno sausage & cheese were the most popular varieties.

Ham and Cheese Kolache

There’s almost no better breakfast during the summer than a peach kolache but I chose to make a few changes to the recipe and make ham & cheese kolache this week:
– I let the dough rest in the fridge overnight. The recipe suggests at least 4 hours but the long overnight rise makes the dough more flavorful.
– I used 2 oz of dough per kolache (a little smaller than a golf ball), flattened the dough into a circle, and topped with a pinch of shredded cheddar and a spoonful of cubed ham.

Ham and Cheese Kolache

– 1 lb of ham (I got two 1/2-inch slices from the deli counter) and 4 ounces of shredded cheddar will get you about 20 kolache from a half batch of kolache dough.
– Adding fresh jalapeno slices to the filling is optional. Recommended, but optional.

Check out Emily’s blog for the full recipe and see how the other PPQ members tackled kolache this week.

29 comments… add one
  • I cant wait to make these. Loved them when we were in TX! What a great Sunday breakfast.

  • We were first introduced to kolaches when we lived in Houston. What bakery did your parents own? Wonder if I ever stopped in it. We love kolaches!!

  • I’ve never had kolache before but man am I excited to try these out! And I will most definitely add the jalapeños 🙂

  • Carolyn

    My grandmother was of Czech descent and she used to make poppy seed kolache. Haven’t had them in years and I’m excited to try this.

  • I am making these for my 4 year old. It will make a good lunch. Thank you for the recipe.

  • Holy cow. I haven’t bad a kolache in about 10 years. I think we even had a place in my city called Kolache Station. Oh. Looked it up and it still exists! I’m closer to the Czech Republic than to Texas at this point so I guess I can get my kolache fill there if need be. Although I suppose making these would be much easier. Love the ham and cheese combo!

  • Oooh wow I love the look of these, you just don’t get this kind of thing in the UK!

  • My favorite Kolaches are the sausage, jalapeno and cheese ones. Sadly I can’t for the life of me figure out what kind of sausage they use in them. Any ideas?

    • HEB sells jalapeno, sausage, and cheese links that are perfect – sometimes they even have them in small links. Otherwise, I just cut the large links to make them thinner. They’re more similar to “on the grill” links rather than the breakfast sausage links.

  • deb in sc

    did you use all of the sugar in the recipe on Emily’s blog for your savory ham and cheese ones? seems to me you would change that a bit….

    • I didn’t reduce the sugar ratio but I did only make half the recipe.

  • Debra

    I printed the peach recipe. Now I want to try this version too. Yum.

  • OTA Mom

    My husband’s family is Czech and I have enjoyed authentic kolaches in the past but never attempted to make them myself. Now I can, thanks! 🙂

  • Texas Baker

    I have a quick question! I like the way you made the ham & cheese kolaches to look more like a dinner roll- how do you fold it after you have placed the filling in the middle? I am guessing you bake it seam-side down too?

    Thank you!!

    • Yes – I flatten out into a round, put the filling in the center, and then pull up the edges, pinch, and flip over.

  • Demetria

    Where can I find the recipe? It is not listed on the site where the link takes me.

  • Kerstin

    Where is the recipe for the dough for the Kolache’s?? Am I just over looking it?

  • Kathy Fritsch

    Probably a silly question, but when you use the sausage, is it raw or do you cook it first?

    • It’s smoked sausage so it’s already cooked when you buy it.

  • Julie

    I’m horrible at making real dough, is there a store version that will work for these?

  • Lynnette

    West, Texas has the best Kolache’s ever! Love them!

  • Karen

    I grew up on Kolache’s – My family is from MN where there is a heavy influence in S. MN of Czech familys. This sounds yummy!

  • carmen

    Houston had the best Kolaches ever. Now I’m in N Tx, The DFW area and all they have is the ones with the little sausage. I don’t eat those. I like the ham n cheese and the scrambled eggs ones!! Yum for this recipe!!

  • L A

    Earl campbell Kolaches are awesome i miss Texas

  • Teresa Cretel

    I live in Kansas city and every now and then we will have someone bring in kolaches with scrambled eggs and sausage in the middle. How do you do the eggs and sausage in the middle, are they already partially cooked? Please let me know. thanks

  • Shirley

    Where does one buy poppy seeds for a fair price?

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