Kolach

A Czech round yeast pastry with a sweet filling in the center, such as fruit, poppy seed or farmer's cheese.

Kolach: A tray of round golden kolache with soft yeast dough edges, their centers filled with dark plum butter, apricot jam and sweet white cheese, with a light crumble topping.
  • Cakes, cookies, pastries and baked goods
  • Czech Republic

Kolache, from the Czech word kolac, are made from a soft enriched yeast dough shaped into rounds. A deep well is pressed into the middle and filled with plum butter, apricot jam, sweetened poppy seed or sweet farmer's cheese, and the top is often scattered with crumble before baking.

Large round kolac pies are baked for weddings and holidays in the Czech lands, while small individual kolache are the most familiar today. Czech immigrants brought them to Texas, where kolache shops are common and the name is also used for pastries with savory fillings.

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Sources

Written by VanillaGoods in our own words from these sources. Last reviewed October 15, 2026.

  1. Kolaches, Rice University Wiess College