Apple Cream Cheese Kolaches

Fall breakfast just entered its Apple Era! These Apple Cream Cheese Kolaches are the perfect way to kick off the cooler weather and spiced apple season. They are the kind of bake that is perfect for a slow, crisp fall morning. 

These apple kolaches do take a little more time and effort than your average breakfast, but trust us, you’re going to be obsessed with the result! Each kolache is made with a pillowy, soft homemade kolache dough, filled with tangy cream cheese and warm spiced apples before it’s finished with a buttery, cinnamon crumble and a drizzle of glaze. 

The contrast of the tart cream cheese and sweet, spiced apple filling makes them so good. Each bite of this fluffy dough is full of fall spices, tangy cream cheese, and a little crunch from the crumble. 

They’re perfect for a fall brunch, holiday breakfast, or whenever you’re craving a cozy fall breakfast bake. You can also freeze any leftovers to reheat whenever a craving for a cozy breakfast hits. They are super comforting, a little indulgent, and belong on your fall baking list!

Why You’ll Love These Apple Cream Cheese Kolaches

• The dough is super soft and pillowy! They’re exactly what you’d want a kolache dough to be: golden on the edges, pillowy soft in the center, and sturdy enough to hold the yummy cream cheese and apple filling. 
• They freeze well! Make a batch and freeze the leftovers for later. They freeze and reheat really well. 
• They’ll make your morning feel super special! Although they take a little more time and effort than your average breakfast, they are 100% worth the effort!

How to Make These Apple Cream Cheese Kolaches, Step by Step

Step 1. Make Brioche dough and let it rise for 1 hour.

The brioche dough is super simple to make; it just takes some patience to let it rise and develop. And the end result is a pillowy soft base for these apple cream cheese kolaches.

Start by activating the yeast. To do this, heat milk in the microwave or over the stovetop on medium heat until the milk is lukewarm. Shoot for a temperature of about 105- 115°F.  Whisk a couple teaspoons of yeast into the warm milk and let it sit for 10 minutes. You’ll know it’s activated when it’s nice and foamy. 

Pour the yeast mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the rest of the dough ingredients to the mixer bowl, attach the dough hook attachment, and beat the dough on medium speed for a couple of minutes until a dough forms. 

If the dough is too sticky to work with, mix in 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until it reaches a workable texture. (This dough will be sticky, but not overly sticky.)

Turn the speed of the mixer to high to knead the bread for 5-10 minutes until the dough is slightly sticky in the bowl.

Grease a large bowl with some olive oil and place the dough ball at the bottom of the bowl. Cover the bowl with a towel or some plastic wrap and place it in a warm, dry place to rise for 1 hour. The dough should double in size.

Step 2. Make cinnamon-spiced apple filling on the stovetop. 

While the dough is rising, you’ll have enough time to make the fillings and crumble topping. 

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together sugars and spices. In a separate bowl, add chopped apples, lemon juice, and the sugar-spice mixture. Use a spoon to stir the mixture to evenly coat the apples in the juice and sugar. Let the apples sit for about 10 minutes. 

While the apples are soaking in the sugar mixture, heat a Dutch oven or medium pot over medium heat. Add the apples into the hot pan and cook them down until tender. 

Once tender, whisk in a cornstarch slurry to thicken the mixture and bring it to a simmer. To give the apple mixture a buttery finish, stir in butter and vanilla and simmer for a couple more minutes. 

Remove the pot from the heat and pour the mixture into a bowl to cool in the refrigerator while you make the cream cheese filling and crumble topping.

Tip: Frequently stir the apple mixture as it’s cooking so that the apples cook evenly and don’t burn. 

Step 3. Make cream cheese filling and crumble topping.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together softened cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until creamy. Set this to the side while you make the crumble topping.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Mix in melted butter and stir or use your hands to form the crumble topping into a pebble-like texture. 

Tip: Make sure the eggs and cream cheese are at room temperature so that you get an even, smooth cream cheese filling. 

Step 4. Separate kolache dough into 10-12 even-sized pieces and form into kolache shapes. 

When your dough has doubled in size, gently punch down the dough to release any excess air that has built up in the dough. 

Gently roll the dough into a log on a floured counter or cutting board. Divide the dough into 12 even-sized pieces and roll into 3-ounce balls of dough. Use a rolling pin to roll them into 3/4-inch rounds.

Line a large rimmed baking sheet with some parchment paper. Place the kolache rounds in rows on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Use your fingers or the back of a measuring cup to create an indent in the center of the dough. This is where your fillings will go.

Step 5. Fill the center of the kolaches with cream cheese, apple filling, and crumble. Bake for 25 minutes.

Fill the center of each kolache with a heaping tablespoon of cream cheese filling first. Add a large spoonful of apple filling and finish with a sprinkle of crumble. 

Let the kolaches rise for 30 minutes while the oven preheats to 350°F. Use a pastry brush to brush the edges of the kolaches with some milk. Bake the kolaches for 20-25 minutes until golden brown on top. 

Tip: Depending on your oven and type of baking sheet you use, you may need to adjust the cooking time. 

Step 6. Drizzle vanilla glaze on top of baked kolaches before enjoying!

When the kolaches are hot out of the oven, drizzle them with some powdered sugar glaze and let them sit for about 10 minutes before serving. They’re best if served warm with a cup of tea or coffee!

How to know when to stop kneading kolache dough

Kolache dough has a lot of moisture in it to make it light and soft. The dough should require about five minutes of kneading. But to be sure, you can use one of these methods to test your dough as you are kneading. If it passes one of these tests, you can stop kneading and let it rise.

• Poke test: Poke the dough. If it bounces back, you’re done kneading.
• Window pane test: Pull off a small piece of dough and stretch it until it is very thin. Hold it up to the light. If you can see light through the dough before it tears, you are done kneading. 

How to store leftover kolaches

Allow the kolaches to cool completely before storing them. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days for the freshest texture, and microwave before serving. 

You can also freeze leftover kolaches. Once again, allow them to cool completely, store them in a freezer-safe bag, and thaw and gently reheat in the microwave or oven before serving.

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