Gluten Free Kolaches are soft pastries filled with a sweetened cream cheese filling and fruit, and then sprinkled with a crunchy streusel.
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Gluten Free Kolaches were originally posted on May 7, 2019 and have been updated with new pictures, a slightly different recipe, and a new video.
When I first made these kolaches in 2019, they were good, but I thought they could be better. I don't have a reference as to how kolaches taste (I've never had them). But when I was visiting my sister in Texas (the home of kolaches), I saw them in a supermarket and they looked totally different than my original gluten free kolaches looked. They were big (everything's bigger in Texas 😜) and soft-sided and filled with cream cheese AND fruit. Sadly, they didn't have gluten free ones, but that's okay because I knew I could make 'em. And here we are.
My first bite of one of these and all I could think is "have I made anything as good as this in my life?" They're THAT good, y'all! Read on and I'll show you just how easy they are to make.
What Are Kolaches?
From what I've learned, kolaches are a lot like a danish, only the dough is more like a brioche than a laminated dough. They're filled with different fillings, some sweet, some savory. There is a crunchy sugary topping/streusel (called posipka) that's sprinkled on top that adds the final touch to these glorious pastries.
here's what you'll Need
- Gluten free sweet dough - my go-to dough recipe for all sweet dough needs.
- Cream cheese filling - simple and delicious.
- Posipka - a streusel that's crunchy and sweet.
- Fruit spreads/jams - I chose strawberry, blueberry, and apricot, but you do you and use your favorite flavors.
let's make gluten free kolaches
Make sweet dough per recipe instructions; proof and refrigerate overnight.
Prepare cream cheese filling: mix together cream cheese, egg yolk, sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth; set aside.
Make streusel: Mix together flour blend, sugar, butter, and cinnamon (or vanilla extract) and crumble with a pastry blender or fingers into small nuggets; refrigerate.
Divide dough into 12 equally-sized portions. Shape each into a smooth, round ball.
Place dough balls one inch apart onto well-buttered 9 by 13-inch sheet pan or dish. Press down using the palm of your hand to flatten dough slightly. Cover and let rise until doubled in size.
Brush risen rolls with melted butter.
Using fingers, press down into the center of each roll to create a well for the filling.
Spoon cream cheese filling into center of each roll.
Top cream cheese with fruit filling, pushing down lightly.
Sprinkle streusel over tops of each roll.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes, or until edges of rolls are light golden brown. Cool and serve warm or at room temperature.
Gluten Free Kolaches FAQs
Kolache is a breakfast pastry made with a sweet dough. Filled with cream cheese and/or fruit fillings, it's found mostly in Texas, where Czech immigrants settled.
Yes! You can stuff them with sausage and cheese, bacon and eggs, and even things like sausage gravy! The proper name for them is Klobasneks, although many people still call them kolaches.
There are many different flavors to use. The most popular seem to be apricot, blueberry, plum, and poppy seed. But use the flavors that you like the most.
more gluten free breakfast pastries
- Gluten Free Brioche au Chocolat
- Gluten Free Apple Turnovers
- Gluten Free Cinnamon Knots
- Gluten Free Conchas
- Gluten Free Orange Rolls
- Homemade Gluten Free Poptarts
- Gluten Free Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls with Brown Butter
If you've never had kolaches, I urge you to give this recipe a try. You'll be pleasantly surprised and wonder why you'd never had them sooner!
Gluten Free Kolaches
Ingredients
Dough
Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 ounces (226g) cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Streusel
- 1 cup (140g) Kim's gluten free all purpose flour blend (a store bought blend may be substituted, but has NOT been tested)
- 1½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
- dash or two cinnamon
- ½ cup (113g) butter, cold and cut into chunks
Finishing kolaches
- fruit fillings, homemade or store bought (Use what you love. My favorite are apricot, strawberry, and blueberry jams or preserves)
- 2 tbsp (28g) butter, melted
Instructions
For the dough
- Shape each piece of dough into a smooth, round ball and place about one inch apart onto a well-greased quarter sheet pan or 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Press down lightly with your palm to flatten dough into roughly ½-inch thick. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to proof until doubled in size.
For the cream cheese filling
- In a medium bowl beat cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute; set aside until ready to use.
For the streusel
- Combine flour and sugar in a large bowl. Add chilled cubed butter and "cut in" by flattening and then rubbing between your fingers until small pea-sized nuggets are formed. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Finishing kolaches and baking
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- When rolls have risen, brush each liberally with melted butter. Use your fingers to make a large well by pressing and degassing the center of each roll.
- Add about 1 tablespoon of cream cheese filling into the center, followed by a tablespoon of fruit jam or preserves, pressing down lightly on the jam to push more into the middle of the roll.
- Sprinkle the rolls all over with streusel.
- Bake until light golden brown around the edges, 20-25 minutes. Cool and serve warm.
Notes
Inspired by Lydia Faust's Texas Kolaches
Kara says
So minor currently baking this Christmas morning and we can’t wait to try them my only question is I have so much leftovers streusel topping is it really necessary to make that big of a batch for this recipe I even used all of the cinnamon roll dough for these and have a lot left over just wondering what else I could use it for thanks
Kim says
No, you can cut the streusel in half if you want. I keep my extra streusel in my freezer and when I want to add streusel to something (anything really, cookies, cupcakes, more sweet rolls, one crust fruit pies, etc) then I just pop out what I need.
Jeanette Frazier says
Kim,
do you use the same dough recipe for the GF Kolaches as you do for the GF Cinnamon Rolls?
Kim says
Sure do!
Jeanette says
For the Gluten Free Bread Flour Blend...will the flour blend work with products bought at a store instead in a different brand rather than the products recommended from Amazon by you?
Kim says
Most of them can be purchased in a store, but unless you find superfine or ultrafine white rice flour in a store, you'll need to order those online. I wish it were different and those were available in stores. It would definitely make all our lives easier.
Jeanette says
Kim, the GF Kolache recipe calls for ½ the recipe of ultimate gluten free cinnamon roll dough. When making the kolache dough I cut the cinnamon roll dough recipe in half to make the kolache dough or do I make the entire amount of cinnamon roll dough and cut it in half for the kolaches?
Kim says
You can do either. The reason I offer this method is because the cinnamon roll dough is kind of known as my "crazy sweet dough" in that it is used for so many recipes. Quite often people (including myself) will have a half of the recipe already in their fridge, just waiting to be used for another purpose. But if you don't, you can cut the entire recipe in half and only make half the amount (although I would recommend making the whole thing and then checking out the breakfast category for more things to make with it 🙂
Amanda says
Help!! Your cinnamon roll recipe link is broken! And I need it!
Kim says
I'm so sorry! There was a glitch on my website, but it is now fixed. Thank you so much for alerting me to this!!!
Molly says
Hi, I’ve been trying to figure out what the heck I’ve done to this amazing recipe- it’s SO sticky!! The only difference I can see is in my flour mixture: I could only get my hands on a fine ground brown rice flour. Could that be my sticky culprit?? Do you have any tips to help combat my goof? Thank you oh so very much.
Cindy Schaeffer says
Kim- I’m getting ready to make your delicious recipe and I’m wondering if (and when) they can be frozen? There’s just two of us snd I’d love to pull them out for company.
Kim says
That's a good question! I haven't made them in years and it's about time for me to update this recipe with new pics and perhaps a video. Until then, I would suggest shaping them into rounds (instruction #1), but don't proof them. Place them instead into the freezer to freeze until solid. Then place them in a well-sealed container or ziptop bag and freeze them for up to two months. To thaw, place them on a baking sheet and cover. Thaw in the fridge overnight (or several hours during the day) and then proceed with the recipe instructions at #2.
I hope this helps 😍
Kayla says
How long can the cinnamon bun dough be in the fridge?
Kim says
I wouldn't leave it more than 3-4 days because of the raw eggs in it.
Rachael says
So I made these over Thanksgiving here in Texas, and they are super yummy and my gluten-free partner approves. I have a question though - how do they do in the freezer? Thanks!
Kim says
I think they would do great, Rachael! I never had any leftover to try, but if I did I would individually wrap them in plastic and then place them in a larger container or ziptop bag and remove as much air as possible. Thaw individually, still wrapped, before reheating 🙂
Julianna says
These kolaches are AMAZING! My partner is from Houston and has been craving kolaches since moving up north. Since I’m
Gluten-free I thought I would give these a shot and boy did it pay off! They’re not exactly like the kolaches my partner remembers, but the texture is unlike anything I’ve ever baked gluten free. Just fluffy and light and perfect. I am bragging about these to all my friends as we speak.
Kim says
Yay!!!! I'm so glad you and your partner like them! I was recently in Texas (Fort Worth area) and saw kolaches in Central Market. They were totally different than the ones I make. Those looked more like a dinner roll with an indentation in the top for the filling. I suppose they taste just the same, but the shape definitely was completely different.
Thank you so much for your kind words, Julianna 😊
Tonya says
Kim, these were FABULOUS! I haven't had a kolache since I was a child (pre-celiac) - these were even tastier than I remember. I followed your recipe exactly as written, and then created some fruit fillings in addition to the delicious cream cheese topping. (I found them here: https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/kolache/) I love that I can finally create GF baked goods that are delicious, and so tender and tasty that nobody believes they're truly gluten-free. I'm having a blast baking my way thru your website - (the croissant recipe was aMAZing). Thank you for sharing your GF flour recipes - I'll never use anything else for my baked goods from here on out.
Kim says
Awe, thank you so much, Tonya!!! You're so sweet and I'm so glad you liked the kolache! Those fruit ones look amazing and I must try those very soon 😍
Erin says
Hi Kim! Thank you so much for the wonderful recipe! I made these today as sausage and cheese Kolaches as I am a Texan and those have been greatly missed in my life since having to bid adieu to gluten. The only change I made to the dough was to cut the sugar in half. I also brushed with melted butter before baking and after. They were perfect!
Kim says
That's wonderful, Erin! If I might ask, how did the dough do with only half the sugar? Every time I've tried to reduce the sugar amount, it tends to not be as fluffy and soft as it normally is.
Erin says
Hi, again! Well, the dough was actually perfect with the reduced sugar and the flavor when they were first baked was fantastic. HOWEVER, I will not be reducing the sugar again! As they sat, they became very sour. So I researched and looked at your softest gf rolls ever post and found my reason for the sourness (not enough sugar, not following the recipe!). I will make them again without reducing the sugar and report back. I feel pretty silly for making such a huge adjustment right off the bat and rating it with my changes. Lesson learned! Maybe I will try your recipe for the soft rolls as a Kolache that is less sweet. I'll let you know! Thank you for your wonderful recipes!
Kim says
Oh, no! I had the same problem when I would try to reduce the sugar. One thing to note, though, is that with the amount of yeast in the recipe, a lot of the sugar is being "consumed" by the yeast so the final bread result won't be quite as sugary as you would think. It's kind of like brewing kombucha (if you've ever had that). A lot of sugar goes into the brewing of it, but the end product has barely any sugar because the bacteria and yeast "feed" on the sugar.
Erin says
Hi! So I made them actually following the directions today and they turned out beautifully. Just wanted to let you know! Have a happy weekend!
Kim says
Oh, yay!! I'm so happy they came out!
I hope you have a wonderful weekend, too 🙂
Angela says
Here in Texas, they sell Kolaches that are made with the dough wrapped around a sausage or hotdog, kind of like a pig in a blanket but the dough is much softer like a roll. Before I was diagnosed celiac, I used to love getting the jalepeno cheddar ones.......have you ever had one like that? Wondering if this dough would be very similar or not.
Kim says
Before I made them, I had never had any Kolaches but I always saw them at a local place here called the Kolache Factory. I think they're different here in Virginia than in Texas, but maybe not. I think this dough would probably work well, though, for wrapping around a sausage or hotdog. I would give it a try!
Denise says
I used to love bread, I made an awesome authentic French Baguette, but no more. I have spent a small fortune trying to have a slice of bread or a sweet roll. My husband doesn't say a word about my attempts because I'm a perfectionist and I have shed quite a few tears over all the failures.
This morning was a day to celebrate!!! I baked your kolaches. Soft, light, flavorful, and oh so wonderful. I will serve them to the family and no one would ever guess they are G F. I am making the Italian loaf today because I have a bumper crop of tomatoes waiting to be part of a BLT.
Thank you
Kim says
Oh, that's wonderful! I'm with you in that I'm also a perfectionist when it comes to baking and used to bake and make all my own breads, too and I was devastated when I was diagnosed with celiac. I'm so happy you loved the kolaches and you will LOVE the Italian bread! It is my absolute favorite 🙂
Colleen says
What temperature should I bake these at? Looking forward to making them!!!
Kim says
Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! And I'm so glad you caught that! It's 350 degrees.
Thank you for catching my mistake 🙂
Raven says
Hello Kim! I've been going thru and using your recipes weekly, they are so well done. I love baking with your flour blends!
Two questions.
1.) If I wanted to make a savory version of this kolache, what modifications would you suggest? I live in Texas and we so often eat them with sausage and cheese.
2.)Also, I noticed you referred to the cinnamon roll recipe as your "master sweet dough" recipe. What other recipes in your collection would you consider to be a master dough that is commonly reused in many different forms? I want to start experimenting!
Kim says
Hi, Raven! Thank you so much!!
I've heard of the sausage and cheese ones, but never saw what they looked like. Do you have a picture? I find so many different variations on websites that I'd much rather go by something that you might have locally. My sister lives in Texas and I remember seeing the sweet version in Central Market once and they were even different from the ones I have on the website currently. I'm planning on updating this post in the near future so I would love to see a pic of the sausage ones. Can you send me an email with a picture attached? My email is [email protected] Thank you!!!
I have several doughs that can be used for different recipes, and my hope is to get together an ebook very soon of all of them so everything is in one place. The sweet dough, Italian dough, and artisan dough are the top 3 I can think of at this time, but I'm sure there are others that I'm forgetting.