Description
Soft, pillowy dough filled with sweet-tangy cream cheese and spiced apple filling, then finished with cinnamon crumble. This cozy fall breakfast recipe is perfect for slow mornings, weekend brunch, or making ahead and freezing.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Kolache Dough
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup warm milk
- 1 packet instant yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3 eggs, room temp
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp vanilla
Spiced Apple Filling
- 2 apples, peeled and chopped
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp white sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp water
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 4 tbsp butter
Cinnamon Crumble Topping
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3 tbsp butter, melted
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
Powdered sugar drizzle
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make kolache dough. Heat milk in the microwave or over the stovetop on medium heat until lukewarm (about 105-115ºF). Whisk in yeast and sugar into warm milk and let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Pour yeast mixture into a stand mixer with a hook attachment. Add in sugar, eggs, butter, salt, and flour.
- Beat on medium speed for a couple of minutes. If the dough is too sticky to work with, add 1 tbsp of flour until it reaches a workable dough.
- 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.
- Oil a medium bowl and place the dough ball at the bottom. Cover with a towel and place in a warm, dry place to rise for 1 hour. It should double in size.
- While the dough is rising, make the apple pie filling, cream cheese mixture, and crumble.
- Make Apple Filling. In a bowl, add chopped apples, lemon juice, sugar and spices. Stir until the apples are evenly coated. Let the apples sit for about 10 minutes. Heat a Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add the apples to the hot pan and cook down until tender. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water. Add it to the filling and stir. Bring the mixture to a simmer and add in butter and vanilla to finish. Let it simmer for a couple more minutes. Pour the mixture into a bowl and refrigerate it to cool down while you make the cream cheese and crumble.
- Cream Cheese Filling. In a small mixing bowl, mix together cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla extract.
- Make crumble topping. In a medium mixing bowl, combine melted butter, flour, sugar, brown sugar, and salt.
- Punch the dough down and turn it out onto a floured countertop or cutting board. Gently roll into a log and cut the dough into 10-12 pieces. Roll each dough piece into a ball and roll out slightly until it’s about 3/4-inch thick. Use your fingers to make a wide indent in the dough for your fillings.
- Fill the center with cream cheese and apple filling. Let them rise for another 30 minutes while you preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush the edges with milk wash and sprinkle with crumble filling.
- Using a pastry brush, brush the kolaches with some milk. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown on top. Depending on the dish you use, you may need to bake for an additional 5 minutes.
- While the kolaches are baking, make the powdered sugar glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
- Remove the kolaches from the oven and drizzle with powdered sugar glaze. Let them set for about 10 minutes and serve warm.
- Prep Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Cool Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes