Crushed gingerbread, lemon zest, and lard give the yeast dough a delicately spiced aroma, softness, and tenderness. The kolaches are filled with poppy seed, walnut, or carrot-orange jam, topped with a buttery streusel and finished with a fragrant butter-rum glaze.
This recipe requires time for rising, but shaping the kolaches is simple. Just form small balls, press a well into each with a glass, and fill as you like. Thanks to gingerbread and ladyfingers, the fillings have the perfect consistency, and lard helps keep the baked kolaches moist for longer.
What You’ll Need
For the gingerbread dough:
- 500 g plain flour,
- 2 tablespoons finely crushed dried gingerbread,
- 250 ml lukewarm milk,
- 1/2 cube fresh yeast, about 21 g,
- 80 g softened lard,
- 100 g granulated sugar,
- 2 egg yolks,
- 1/2 teaspoon salt,
- grated zest of 1/2 lemon.
For the poppy seed filling:
- ground poppy seeds,
- hot milk,
- sugar,
- 1 tablespoon plum jam,
- crushed gingerbread,
- 1 egg white.
For the walnut filling:
- ground walnuts,
- hot milk,
- sugar,
- crushed ladyfingers,
- 1 egg yolk.
For the jam filling:
- homemade carrot-orange jam or another thick preserve.
For the streusel and finishing:
- semi-coarse flour,
- powdered sugar,
- butter,
- egg yolk with a little milk for brushing the edges,
- melted butter with a drop of rum for the final glaze.
The original recipe does not specify exact amounts for the fillings, streusel, and finishing, so adjust according to the number of kolaches and the desired consistency.
Step-by-Step Preparation:
1. Preparing the starter: Make a starter from lukewarm milk, a teaspoon of sugar, and fresh yeast. Let it rise so the yeast activates and the dough will rise well later.
2. Making the gingerbread dough: In a bowl, mix plain flour with finely crushed gingerbread, the remaining sugar, salt, and grated lemon zest. Add the egg yolks, softened lard, and the risen starter.
3. Kneading and rising: Knead into a smooth, supple dough that doesn’t stick to the sides of the bowl. Let it rise in a warm place for about 45–60 minutes. The original recipe suggests a basic rising time of 45 minutes.
4. Preparing the poppy seed filling: Scald the ground poppy seeds with hot milk and let them thicken. Then stir in sugar, a tablespoon of plum jam, crushed gingerbread, and the egg white left over from the dough.
5. Preparing the walnut filling: Pour hot milk over the ground walnuts and let them thicken. Add sugar, crushed ladyfingers, and egg yolk. The ladyfingers help adjust the thickness so the filling doesn’t run out during baking.
6. Shaping the dough balls: Divide the risen dough into small pieces and shape them into balls in your hands. Arrange them on a baking tray with space between, and let them rise for another 10–15 minutes. The original recipe notes 20 minutes for this second rise.
7. Making the wells: Dip the bottom of a glass in flour and press a deep well into each dough ball. Higher edges help keep the filling inside the kolaches.
8. Filling and finishing before baking: Generously fill the wells with the poppy seed or walnut mixture or carrot-orange jam. Brush the edges with egg yolk beaten with a little milk and sprinkle the tops with streusel made from semi-coarse flour, powdered sugar, and butter. Let the kolaches rise on the tray for another 15 minutes.
9. Baking: Place the kolaches in an oven preheated to 180°C and bake for 15–20 minutes until golden. Adjust the time to your oven and watch for the color of the edges and streusel.
10. Final glazing: Immediately after removing from the oven, brush the hot edges with a mixture of melted butter and a drop of rum. This gives the kolaches shine and aroma and helps keep them moist.
How to Keep the Fillings Inside the Kolaches
Both the poppy seed and walnut fillings must be thick enough before filling. For the poppy seed, crushed gingerbread helps; for the walnut, crushed ladyfingers do the trick. A deeper well and sufficiently high edge are also important.
What to Use Instead of Dried Gingerbread
If you don’t have dried gingerbread for grating, you can use regular gingerbread cookies for coffee and blend them into a fine powder. The original tip also suggests adding a pinch of ground cardamom to the carrot jam, which complements the gingerbread dough flavor.
How to Store the Kolaches
Kolaches made with lard can be frozen. After thawing, simply reheat briefly in the oven. Thanks to lard, which is 100% fat and contains no water unlike butter, the dough stays soft, moist for longer, and is less sticky to work with.
