Czech Sweet Rolls (Koláče)

By
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek is a former chef who became a cooking school instructor and award-winning food writer.
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Updated on 06/8/21
Czech sweet roll kolace recipe

The Spruce Eats/Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Rise time: 2 hrs
Total: 2 hrs 50 mins
Servings: 36 servings

This recipe for koláče is from Ann Beran, Rita Varilek, and Brenda Underberg who demonstrate the art of baking these Czech sweet rolls at Czech Days in Tabor, South Dakota. This celebration is held in June every year to keep alive the heritage of the early Czechs who founded this little South Dakota town in 1869. Czech Days are so well attended, AAA lists it as one of the Top 20 June attractions in the nation.

Czech kolace, also spelled kolache and kolachy are yeast-risen rounds of dough topped with fruit filling and, sometimes, a crumb or streusel topping. These are not to be confused with Polish kolaczki, which are not yeast-risen. Kolache are more similar to Polish drozdzówki.
The word koláče comes from the singular koláč or koláček, which is just a generic word for "cake." But it also comes from kolo, which means "circle" or "wheel," the shape of these cakes that were an early wedding dessert. In some parts of the United States today, particularly in Texas, koláče have become savory affairs stuffed with ham and cheese, and other fillings.

This recipe calls for instant potato flakes, which hardly seems traditional, but many early recipes call for mashed potatoes in the dough, so this is just a modern concession, as is the use of a blender to speed things up.

You can fill these pastries with homemade fillings of your choice or with poppy seed filling.

Ingredients

For the Sweet Dough:

  • 2 (0.25-ounce) packets active dry yeast (or 4 1/2 teaspoons)

  • 1 teaspoon sugar

  • 3/4 cup warm water

  • 2 cups warm milk

  • 3/4 cup instant potato flakes

  • 1 tablespoon salt

  • 3/4 cup sugar

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1/2 cup oil, plus more to brush on dough balls

  • 4 to 5 cups all-purpose flour

For the Poppy Seed Filling:

  • 1 cup poppy seeds, ground

  • 1 1/2 cups milk

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 3 tablespoons light corn syrup

  • 1/2 cup sugar

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 1 pinch salt

For the Streusel Topping:

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 cup sugar

  • 1/2 cup finely chopped coconut, optional

  • 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter

For Finishing:

  • 3 tablespoons hot water

  • 1 tablespoon sugar

Steps to Make It

Make the Dough

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for dough
    The Spruce Eats/Julia Hartbeck

  2. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water, blending with a fork. Set aside.

    Dissolve yeast
    The Spruce Eats/Julia Hartbeck

  3. In a blender or food processor, place 2 cups warm milk, potato flakes, 1 tablespoon salt, 3/4 cup sugar, eggs, and oil. Blend until well mixed.

    Milk in measuring cup
    The Spruce Eats/Julia Hartbeck

  4. Place 4 cups flour into a large bowl or stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment. Add mixture from blender and mix.

    Place flour in mixer
    The Spruce Eats/Julia Hartbeck

  5. Add yeast and up to 1 additional cup of flour if the dough is too sticky. Mix until the dough is smooth. It will be sticky.

    Add yeast
    The Spruce Eats/Julia Hartbeck

  6. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise until doubled.

    Cover with wrap
    The Spruce Eats/Julia Hartbeck

Make the Poppy Seed Filling

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for filling
    The Spruce Eats/Julia Hartbeck

  2. While the dough is rising, make the poppy seed filling by combining ground poppy seeds, 1 1/2 cups milk, vanilla, corn syrup, 1/2 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons flour, and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over low heat.

    Frying pan
    The Spruce Eats/Julia Hartbeck

  3. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently.

    Reduce heat
    The Spruce Eats/Julia Hartbeck

  4. Cool completely before using. Can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Make the Streusel Topping

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for streusel
    The Spruce Eats/Julia Hartbeck

  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and optional coconut until well mixed. 

    Make filling
    The Spruce Eats/Julia Hartbeck

  3. Cut in 1/4 cup butter until coarse crumbs result. Set aside.

    Reduce heat
    The Spruce Eats/Julia Hartbeck

Form the Koláče

  1. Using a medium cookie scoop, portion out equal-sized pieces of dough and roll into a ball.

    Scoop dough
    The Spruce Eats/Julia Hartbeck

  2. Place on parchment-lined baking pan, brush with oil and cover with plastic wrap and let rise until almost doubled.

    Place on baking sheet
    The Spruce Eats/Julia Hartbeck

  3. Using the bottom of a floured glass or with your fingers, make an indentation in the tops of the koláče and dollop with poppy seed filling or your favorite.

    Make an indentation
    The Spruce Eats/Julia Hartbeck

  4. Sprinkle streusel on top and bake for 11 to 12 minutes.

    Sprinkle streusel
    The Spruce Eats/Julia Hartbeck

  5. Remove from oven and brush sides of koláče with a mixture of 3 tablespoons hot water and 1 tablespoon sugar.

    Remove from oven
    The Spruce Eats/Julia Hartbeck

  6. Serve and enjoy.

    Serve and enjoy
    The Spruce Eats/Julia Hartbeck

Tip

  • If you prefer, skip the sugar-water mixture and brush melted butter on the finished rolls instead.
  • These will freeze well, but because they don't contain preservatives, they will stale quickly at room temperature or when refrigerated. Try microwaving them briefly to warm them for a just-baked taste.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
204 Calories
8g Fat
30g Carbs
4g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 36
Amount per serving
Calories 204
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g 10%
Saturated Fat 2g 11%
Cholesterol 18mg 6%
Sodium 209mg 9%
Total Carbohydrate 30g 11%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 13g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 0mg 2%
Calcium 91mg 7%
Iron 1mg 8%
Potassium 98mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)