Texas Kolaches—savory beef/pork and cheddar sausage is surrounded by fluffy bread dough and baked until browned. Add in grated cheddar and pickled jalapenos to take it to a whole new level. Use the yogurt function on your Instant Pot to speed up the proofing process.
Texas Kolaches
When Greg suggested I make kolaches for dinner I was confused. I had never heard the word kolache in my life. He explained that when he lived in Texas he would go to the doughnut shops and they would have sausages (the size of hot dogs) rolled up in a pastry dough. Kind of like pigs in a blanket. I knew that I would love them! And I did. So good. So so good.
After a little internet research I found out that the word kolache is Czech. It is pronounced koh-la-chee. Czech immigrants to Texas and other areas of the midwest made delicious, sweet fruit filled pastries. Real kolaches do not have savory ingredients like sausage and cheese, rather this is something that has come about in recent years. You’d never find a meat-filled kolache in the Czech Republic.
However, you can find the savory Tex-Czech version of kolaches at doughnut shops in Texas. Greg told me he would love to stop at the doughnut shop on the way to school and pick up a sausage kolache. He said they were “sooo good.” And my homemade version was also sooo good. My favorite version was adding a bit of cheese and pickled mild jalapenos. It just kicked it up to a whole new level. We made these for dinner but they could also be a hearty breakfast.
Where do you find the jalapenos? Look in the aisle with pickles. These are less intense jalapenos that taste super good with the cheesy sausage. They are called “tamed” jalapenos.
What kind of sausages did you use? I found these Johnsonville smoked sausages that are the size of hot dogs. You can use any sausages that are hot dog size. Heck, you could even use hot dogs if you want!
Can I make this recipe if I don’t have a stand mixer? Yes. Place dough ingredients in a mixing bowl and use a spoon to stir. Then knead with your hands. It’s a little more labor intensive but it will work just fine.
How much yeast is in a packet of yeast? 2 ¼ teaspoons, which is how much you’ll need for this recipe. I buy a big container of yeast from Costco because I bake a lot so I measure mine out.
Where did you get your mixer? I get this question a LOT! It’s so funny to me because I inherited my mixer from my sister’s mother-in-law and it is straight from the 80s or early 90s. It is old but it is a treasure. It is a Bosch mixer* and is sturdy and works great for kneading dough.
How To Use Instant Pot To Proof Dough
So what does the Instant Pot have to do with making Texas kolches? Well it’s not necessary to have an Instant Pot to make this recipe but it’s nice because you can speed up the proofing process of the dough by using the yogurt button.
Related YouTube video! Please subscribe to my Instant Pot channel!
All you do is oil the pot so that the dough doesn’t stick. Place the dough in the bottom of your pot. Then select the yogurt button. Use the adjust button to cycle through until the light is on the “less.” My pot says 24 hours on the display. Then cover the pot with a glass lid or a plate. Let the dough double in size My dough only took 30 minutes to raise as opposed to the normal hour it would have taken sitting on the counter.
Can I make this recipe if I don’t have the yogurt button? Yes. Instead of raising the dough in your Instant Pot place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with a towel. Place on your counter for an hour to raise.
Try these other bread Instant Pot recipes…
What equipment is needed to make kolaches?
I used the following items, although they are not all necessary:
- Stand Mixer* with dough hook
- Pastry Brush*
- Digital Thermometer*
- Instant Pot with yogurt button*
- USA non stick pan*
Texas Kolaches
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
Description
Savory beef/pork and cheddar sausage is surrounded by fluffy bread dough and baked until browned. Add in grated cheddar and pickled jalapenos to take it to a whole new level. Use the yogurt function on your Instant Pot to speed up the proofing process.
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 3 large eggs
- 6 Tbsp butter, melted and cooled
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 1/4 to 4 cups flour
- 1 Tbsp oil
- 12 smoked sausages (I used the Johnsonville brand, they are the size of hot dogs)
- Optional: tamed jarred jalapenos and grated cheddar
Instructions
- Heat the milk in the microwave or on the stove until it reaches 110-115° F. Pour the milk into your stand mixer bowl and stir in the sugar and yeast. Let sit for 5 minutes.
- Beat 2 of the eggs (save the last one for later). Add eggs, butter and salt into bowl. Mix to combine.
- Add in 2 cups of flour and mix until combined. Add in a quarter cup of flour at a time until the dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl (I only needed 3 ½ cups). Knead on low speed for 5 minutes.
- Swirl oil in the bottom of Instant Pot. Add dough to the Instant Pot. Set Instant Pot to yogurt function LESS (use adjust button to get it to less, it should say 24 hours) and let it raise for 25-30 minutes. Dough will double in size.
- Punch the dough down. Remove dough from Instant Pot and divide into 12 equal balls of dough.
- Brown the sausages in a large skillet on your stove top or in your Instant Pot using the saute setting. These should be fully cooked sausages so you can just brown for a couple minutes to add a bit of color.
- Use a rolling pin to roll each piece of dough into a rectangular shape about 5 inches by 2 1/2 inches long. Place the sausage on top and wrap the sausage in the dough (see visual below). You can add jalapenos and cheddar if you desire too. Pinch the seam together and place it seam side down on a baking sheet. Repeat for the rest of the sausages.
- Let the kolaches rise for 20 minutes.
- Beat the egg and use a pastry brush to brush it over the tops of the dough.
- Bake at 400℉ for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
I used my 6 quart Instant Pot Duo 60 7 in 1*.
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
These were awesome! The bread was so light and these were a huge hit with my employees! I used my crock pot hook up set to warm, then turned it off once it was warmed up. Worked out great. I made the first batch last week and am doing another batch today. I would have included a pic if I could have. Perfection.
★★★★★
So glad you tried this recipe and that it was a hit!!
These turned out really well! I used cocktail sausages. 8 balls of dough cut into quarters made 32. I rolled some like crescents (seal well) and some rectangles. Froze half and 2 weeks later, thawed a few, still great. My first time using the Instant Pot for raising the dough, loved it! Do you make other recipes using this dough? Thank you!
Oh yes all the time! It is great: https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/tag/bread/
Can I do it in my bread maker and just push the dough function
I’m sorry I don’t know the answer to this question. I haven’t used a bread maker.
I was wondering the same thing. I’ve used many recipes in my machine that weren’t suggested for it specifically. My rule of thumb is the amount of flour can’t exceed what’s recommended for your machine. In this recipe I would use 3 1/2 cups of flour. I’m going to give this a try.
Question: why do your recipe u see the title of 365 days of slow + pressure cooking yet I. The recipe you don’t say how long to cook in the crockpot? I currently don’t have an oven or even a counter top oven. I do have an electric pressure cooker and a crock pot. What is the time you recommend?
Can you use frozen dough
Yes I would let it thaw until it’s cold to the touch. Then follow instructions: Use a rolling pin to roll each piece of dough into a rectangular shape about 5 inches by 2 1/2 inches long. Place the sausage on top and wrap the sausage in the dough (see visual below). You can add jalapenos and cheddar if you desire too. Pinch the seam together and place it seam side down on a baking sheet. Repeat for the rest of the sausages.
Let the kolaches rise for 20 minutes.
Beat the egg and use a pastry brush to brush it over the tops of the dough.
Bake at 400℉ for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve and enjoy!
I don’t think we have these in Louisiana (?😂) I have seen some kind of bread stuffed with crawfish at donut shops, but it was just eh. Oh. My. Gosh! These were so delish I wished I’d made the whole recipe – I halved for the 3-qt. I guess I’ve been under a rock – never heard of Johnsonville sausage, but yum! Thanks for the introduction to them Karen! The dough smelled just like cafeteria rolls so I made 2 sausages & rolled the rest to try as dinner rolls. Rolls cooked too fast so I think next time will drop the temp & cook longer. They were still tasty! Even half the recipe is really too much, but love that using some of the dough for rolls for another meal is just so fantastic! Thanks also for the inspiration to raise dough in the Instant Pot – I’ve read about that, but never done it before. Boy Howdy, it worked great! Will try my crusty bread – really cuts down on time & what a beautiful rise. Another great recipe for rotation, thanks!
★★★★★
I do love the bread part of this recipe. It is so good! I’m glad you tried it and liked it Jan!
Can I either freeze these or make a smaller batch? There are only two people in my household!!!! Thanks!!! I recommend the instant pot and your blog to all of my friends!
Thanks for sharing the love Meredith! I would halve the recipe perhaps. I do think these would freezer great and would be a quick and easy meal!
Can I cut out the sugar in the dough recipe?
Looking forward to making Pig’s in the Blanket this coming weekend when my Grandkids come for the long weekend . Since my IP doesn’t have a yogurt maker what other steps do I need to do. They are also vegan so I got busy and made vegan hot dogs.
I love my IP
Lynnette
You’re a nice grandma! Instead of raising the dough in your Instant Pot place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with a towel. Place on your counter for an hour to raise.
Small erratum:
Recipe brings up three instances of Johnsonville beef and cheddar smoked sausages, but one picture clearly displays “Johnsonville 100% pork and cheddar smoked sausages.” Other pics show close-up side cuts which also seem to reveal pork. Perhaps all instances in text should be changed to read: “beef or pork smoked sausages (or mixture of both) with cheese”? 👍
★★★★★
Good observation. I was mistaken. I kept reading the package as beef and cheddar instead of better with cheddar. Really use either beef or pork!
Great site Karen, congratulations and thank you for your inspiration!
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You’re welcome! Thanks for being here.
Where I grew up this is not the Kolache we make. If you are German, Checz or Belgian, you would make a soft dough similar to a bread dough and fill with a fruit filling or the most popular is poppy seed. This is more of a doughnut with fruit.
Sounds so delicious I would love to try that sometime.
My granny made theses often and filled them with a prune filling. Lost her recipe years ago unfortunately.
I bake at 350~F and I slice pieces of block cheddar cheese.
Sounds great! Love all the different options!
And you can put cheese with the wiener if you like.
Greetings to you, Karen,
i make what I call “woomp-‘um Kolaches”.
You need:
1 can Extra-large buttermilk biscuits (No flaky layers please)
I pkg wieners or sausages 10-ct
1. Roll out each biscuit separately, I sprinkle a little flour to prevent sticking.
2. Lay on a parchment lined baking sheet with rims.
3. Bake 10-15 mins. Watch carefully .
These look similar to yours only a little less dough.
I can hardly wait to try your recipe. Thank you so much!
This would be a great fast and easy option!
Is there a way to make this gluten free?
You could try to find a gluten free biscuit dough at the store?? I would be nervous to make a gluten free dough.
So glad you got some help on the name! As a Texas Czech, we spend a lot of time trying to get bakeries To use the term Klobasniky. My husband loves the ones with jalapeños And cheese.
“It” is a klobasnik.
“They” are klobasniki
★★★★
Definitely Klobaskniky. I am full blooded Czech but second generation born in the US. My family makes Kolaches and Klobaskniky. Nothing like them home made! My late Mom’s were the best! However, she taught me how to make them, so the tradition goes on.
I bet they taste amazing!
Thought I’d add some additional info about tamed jalapeños.
The jalapeños you want for this recipe are Mezzetta Deli Sliced Tamed Jalapeño Peppers. As their website notes, these peppers were “Developed by Texas A&M for Mezzetta, this unique pepper variation delivers a robust flavor without extreme heat.” They should be available at your supermarket.
I use them in a chicken salad recipe I make. They do add a nice jalapeño pepper flavor without knock your socks off heat. They’d be perfect for Karen’s kolaches as well.
They are so good! And like you said they don’t knock your socks off.
These look yummy & I will make them.
Just curious…what kind of mixer do you have?
Thanks.
inherited my mixer from my sister’s mother-in-law and it is straight from the 80s or early 90s. It is old but it is a treasure. It is a Bosch mixer* and is sturdy and works great for kneading dough.
These are actually Klobasniky. Kolaches are fruit filled pastries. Many people call then sausage kolaches though, I’m guessing since Klobasniky is more difficult for non-Czech to say.
Haha yes that’s definitely harder to say!
We get those when we visit my husbands relatives in Texas. Before that I’d never heard of them. Good recipe.
★★★★★
Yep it was a new vocab word for me too!