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Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 (176g)

Recipe makes 8 servings

Calories 574
Calories from Fat 297 (51%)
Amount Per Serving %DV
Total Fat 33.0g 50%
Saturated Fat 19.0g 94%
Monounsaturated Fat 9.7g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.8g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 155mg 51%
Sodium 518mg 21%
Potassium 269mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 45.6g 15%
Dietary Fiber 1.6g 6%
Sugars 6.8g
Protein 23.4g 46%

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Houston Ham and Cheese Kolaches

Recipe #229820 | 2¾ hours | 45 min prep | add private note
(3) RATE IT NOW Print Recipe
CraftScout

By: CraftScout
May 23, 2007

This recipe is not EXACTLY like they have around here, but I am working on it. This will give you a really good idea of what we bring home from a donut shop in and around Houston. These breakfast treats come from the Czech immigrants who settled the Texas Hill Country (between Houston and Austin and around Austin), and frequently come in a fruit type (dimpled and filled, like a danish) that is also available up North, and meat (which apparently doesn't exist anywhere else but around here in Texas). Ham and cheese has always been one of my favorites. The amount of flour you use will greatly depend on whether you are making this in or around Houston right before or after a rainstorm, as I always seem to; or if you are making it someplace with a normal, low level of humidity. Start the sponge the night before.

SERVES 8 , 32 kolaches (change servings and units)

Ingredients

Sponge

Final Dough

Filling

Topping

Directions

  1. 1
    SPONGE: Mix together yeast and 2 cups of flour. Add the rest of the sponge ingredients. Mix with spoon until thoroughly combined and then put in your refrigerator overnight. (this time is not in the cook time).
  2. 2
    The next morning, stir the sponge lightly and add the salt. Begin adding flour until it forms into a dough ball. If there is little humidity, this could be as little as one cup. If you are here in Houston, I usually end up putting in a couple and then kneading another half cup.
  3. 3
    Once you have a doughball, Let it rest for 20 minutes.
  4. 4
    Knead for 10 minutes on a lightly floured surface, adding flour as needed. The dough should be very easy to knead, fairly loose.
  5. 5
    Place kneaded dough into a bowl, lightly oiled and turn dough so that it is covered with oil. Let it rise until doubled in size, about an hour. Meanwhile, mix together ham and cheese.
  6. 6
    Punch down dough.
  7. 7
    Divide into 32 small balls (divide in half, then divide in half again, and again, etc.). Take each ball and flatten with your hand to a 3" circle. Place one tablespoon ham and cheese mixture into the center of each circle and close into a ball, twisting the opening closed. Make sure the opening is well sealed, or the kolaches will burst open in the oven.
  8. 8
    Place filled balls seam side down onto greased cookie sheets (I use 2). Cover and let rise again for half an hour. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
  9. 9
    Brush kolaches with melted butter. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden colored. You don't want these to get brown, or they will be too dry. Just golden, like biscuits or dinner rolls.
  10. 10
    Baked kolaches can be frozen, thawed, and reheated in the microwave.

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Featured Reviews for This Recipe

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From: WiGal

On Feb 15, 2009

Featured in my Thirty ONe Favorites of 2008. Originally reviewed on July 10, 2008. Definitely 5 stars-- still smacking my lips! I had to go to book club so DH shaped them, and he did the rest. And did great! He really is a super man! We made them as posted-and I can see that maybe some people might add something--maybe even some mustard with the ham/cheese mixture, but we thought they were perfectly delicious just as posted. We will take them camping with us. Thanks for sharing another great recipe, Craft Scout. This is going right into my leftovers cookbook. I also appreciated how you could start it out the day before. Second time-I have a vegetarian DIL and for hers I mixed together 1 tablespoon of minced mushroom, 1 tablespoon of shredded swiss cheese, and about 1/16 teaspoon of dried thyme. And because I had used part of the bread dough for that instead of all being used with the ham mixture, I had leftover ham filling so I put the leftover filling of ham, mustard, and mushroom into a baked potato pulp. Made for ZWT4 the Flying Dutchess'.

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    From: Houseblend

    On May 24, 2007

    It must be fate...thank you for taking this project on!! I was just thinking to myself that the one thing I really miss about living in Houston is going to "Best Donuts" and getting ham, cheese and jalapeno kolaches. There's no hope here in Kansas...I'll definitely be trying this recipe!

    1 person found this review helpful

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    From: appleydapply

    On Feb 9, 2009

    Wow! These are amazing. Like eating baby angels. It was so time consuming that I started to wonder if it could be worth it - YES! Next time I think I'll make twice as many and freeze them. I used cheddar cheese which was great, but I can't wait to try the Swiss. The only problem I had was that even though I was sure I had pinched & pressed them together well, most of them popped open during baking. Oh, well, it did NOT affect the taste! I'll just have to work on my technique. Thanks for bringing back memories of visiting kolache shops in Austin, Houston, and West, Texas.

    1 person found this review helpful

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    From: Susie D

    On Jun 17, 2008

    These were wonderful and definitely worth the effort. I did make them larger so only had 16 & increased the baking time. I froze 8 of those and hope they reheat well. Thank you for sharing the recipe! Made for ZWT4.

    1 person found this review helpful

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