Texas Sausage Kolaches

Texas sausage kolache cut in half showing smoky breakfast sausage wrapped in soft sweet yeast dough on a white plate

Soft, buttery Texas sausage kolaches made with sweet yeast dough and savory breakfast sausage. A classic Czech-Texan pastry that freezes beautifully.

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Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: Czech

Keyword: Breakfast Food, Czech Immigrants, czech recipes, Hearty Breakfast Pastry, Homemade Sausage Kolaches, Klobasnek Recipe, Sausage Rolls, Sweet Yeast Dough Recipe, Texas Kolache

Prep Time: 2

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 2 20

Servings:

Calories: 315kcal

Author: Jennifer Locklin

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Ingredients

For the Dough

1 ½ tablespoons active dry yeast from 2 [¼-oz.] envelopes
½ cup warm water 105°F to 115°F
½ cup salted butter
1 ½ cups whole milk lukewarm, about 100°F to 105°F
6 cups Bread Flour divided, plus more for work surface
¾ cup evaporated milk
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoons kosher salt
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
5 tablespoons salted butter melted, divided

For the Filling

36 fully cooked smoked sausages picnic links, cut in half* (about 1 pound)
36 pieces American cheese cut into thick strips (optional), (about ½ pound)
144 slices Sliced pickled jalapeños optional

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Instructions

Activate the Yeast

In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over warm water and stir to combine. Let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.
In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter (about 1 minute on HIGH). Stir to combine.
Whisk in the lukewarm whole milk and yeast mixture.

Make the Dough

Transfer the yeast mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
Sift in 3 cups of bread flour, then add evaporated milk, sugar, salt, eggs, and egg yolk.
Beat on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute.
Switch to the dough hook attachment and gradually add the remaining 3 cups of flour.
Beat on medium speed until the dough is smooth, about 2 minutes.
Let the dough rest at room temperature for 5 minutes, then continue kneading on medium-high speed until elastic and very smooth, about 10 minutes. The dough will be very soft and slightly sticky.

First and Second Rise

Brush the top of the dough with 1 tablespoon of melted butter.
Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Punch the dough down, re-cover, and let rise again until doubled, about 30 minutes.

Shape the Dough

Lightly flour a work surface and roll the dough into an 18x14-inch rectangle, about 1 inch thick.
Use a 2-inch round cutter to cut circles from the dough. Place them 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.
Brush the tops with 2 tablespoons of melted butter.
Let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, about 20 minutes.

Fill and Assemble the Kolaches

Using your fingers and the palm of your hand, flatten each dough circle to about twice its original size.
Place a sausage in the center of each piece of dough. Flatten the dough slightly more if needed.
Bring the sides of the dough around the sausage and pinch them together in the center to form a seam. The top should have more dough coverage than the bottom.
Pull and stretch the top and bottom edges of the dough around the sausage, pinching to seal at the center seam.
Place the filled kolaches seam-side down on a lightly greased baking sheet, spacing them 1–2 inches apart.
Brush liberally with melted butter, cover, and let rise for 30 minutes.

Bake the Kolaches

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the sausage is heated through.
Remove from the oven and brush with additional melted butter.
Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

For Sausage, Jalapeño, and Cheese Kolaches

Place 1 thick strip of American cheese, 3 slices of pickled jalapeño, and half a sausage link in the center of the dough before sealing and shaping. Place 1 slice of pickled jalapeño on top of the shaped dough in the pan to see the difference between regular sausage kolaches and jalapeño.

Notes

• Sausage: Our favorite sausage comes from Green’s Sausage House in Zabcikville, Texas, a small Czech community in East Bell County (though the Google address lists it as Temple, TX). We prefer Green’s Smoked Beef and Pork Picnic Links for our kolaches. If unavailable, use any high-quality smoked sausage.

•Cheese: American cheese is traditional for jalapeño-cheese kolaches, but sharp cheddar or pepper jack can be used for a bolder flavor.

•Milk: If whole milk isn’t available, half-and-half can be substituted.

•Flour: While bread flour yields a softer dough, all-purpose flour can be used in a pinch, though the texture may be slightly different.

Nutrition

*Nutrition information is automatically calculated based on ingredient data and should be considered an estimate. When multiple ingredient options are provided, the first listed is used for calculation. Optional ingredients and garnishes are not included in the nutrition analysis.