Homemade Sourdough Kolaches (Easy Starter or Discard Recipe)

Sourdough Kolaches are soft, stuffed rolls you can whip up with a sourdough starter or discard. They’re easy, kid-friendly, and perfect for busy days.

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Kolaches are a Czech pastry that has been Americanized and are super popular in the South. While I don’t live in the South, I live within an hour of a Kolache Factory. Back when I was working as a nurse, one of the pharmaceutical sales reps who came to my department always brought us kolaches, and I was hooked! 

They’re so delicious and super easy to make at home. Plus, you can get creative with your fillings an make them savory or sweet.  One of my favorite versions is cheeseburger kolaches. It’s basically like stuffing the burger and cheese inside of the bun, then baking it. 

I make these on really busy days at the farm when my husband might not make it in for dinner. I just wrap up a few kolaches and send them out to him in the field. They’re super easy for him to eat on the go, and they’re just fun so the kids love them too! 

If you don’t have time to long ferment the dough, just add in a tablespoon of instant yeast, and they’ll be ready in an hour or two.

What You’ll Need

INGREDIENTS:

Dough ingredients:

• 1/4 cup warm milk (60 g) 
• 1/4 cup warm water (50 g) 
• 2/3 cup sourdough starter (160g) 
• 1 tablespoon yeast if making as a discard recipe (7 g) 
• 1 egg (50 g, assuming a large egg) 
• 2 tablespoons sugar (25 g) 
• 1/4 cup softened butter (57 g) 
• 1 teaspoon salt (6 g) 
• 2 1/4 cups flour (270 g, assuming all-purpose flour) 

Cheeseburger filling: 

• 1 lb ground beef 
• 1 small onion, diced 
• 1/2 lb bacon 
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened 
• 1 cup shredded cheese 
• 1 tsp salt 
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Egg wash: 

• 1 egg 
• 1 teaspoon water 

TOOLS:

• Large bowls 
• Stand mixer (optional)
• Skillet
• Oven
• Parchment paper
• Rolling pin
• Cookie sheet
• Spoon
• Damp towel

Step-By-Step Instructions

Make the dough.

Add all dough ingredients into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer

Knead the dough thoroughly for 5-10 minutes until it is smooth and workable, but still a bit sticky.

Shape the dough into a large ball, place in a greased bowl

Cover with a damp towel, and set in a warm place to bulk proof for 4-12 hours until doubled in size. 

Make the filling

Cook the ground beef and onion in a skillet, drain and add to a large bowl.

Dice the bacon into ½-inch pieces, fry, then drain and add to the bowl with ground beef and onion. 

Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Place the cheeseburger filling mixture in the fridge to cool for half hour before assembling kolaches. You don’t want to add the mixture to hot filling.

Assemble the Kolaches

Divide the dough into 12 pieces (56 grams each) and use a rolling pin to roll each one out into a 4 inches circle

Use a spoon to scoop 1/3 cup cheeseburger filling onto each circle then gather the edges of the dough around the filling and pinch to seal. Place each kolache seal side down on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Let the kolaches rise for 2-3 hours. 

Brush kolaches with an egg wash & then bake in a preheated oven for 25 minutes at 350°F

Kolaches should be golden brown on top and bottom. Cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. 

FAQs

Sourdough Kolache Recipe Tips 

• You can skip the long ferment if you’re short on time: Add 1 tablespoon of instant yeast and your dough will be ready in 1 to 2 hours.
• You can turn this into a discard recipe: Just add 1 tablespoon of instant yeast and reduce the rise times. Let the dough double in size each time before moving on.
• Kolache dough works for other recipes too: Use it to make 12 dinner rolls (56g each), 9 burger buns (75g each), a small loaf of bread, or even cinnamon rolls.
• Expect sticky dough at first: Knead it well (a stand mixer helps), let it rest for 30 minutes, then knead again and add more flour one tablespoon at a time if it’s still too sticky.
• Don’t leave meat-filled kolaches out at room temperature for longer than 2 hours.

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Homemade Sourdough Kolaches (Easy Starter or Discard Recipe)

Sourdough Kolaches are soft, stuffed rolls you can whip up with a sourdough starter or discard. They're easy, kid-friendly, and perfect for busy days.

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Servings: 12

Course: Sourdough

Calories: 467

Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

Dough ingredients:

• 1/4 cup warm milk 60 g
• 1/4 cup warm water 50 g
• 2/3 cup sourdough starter 160g
• 1 tablespoon yeast if making as a discard recipe 7 g
• 1 egg 50 g, assuming a large egg
• 2 tablespoons sugar 25 g
• 1/4 cup softened butter 57 g
• 1 teaspoon salt 6 g
• 2 1/4 cups flour 270 g, assuming all-purpose flour

Cheeseburger filling:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 small onion diced
• 1/2 lb bacon
• 8 oz cream cheese softened
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 Egg wash:
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon water

Method

 

1. Make the dough. Add all dough ingredients into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Knead the dough thoroughly for 5-10 minutes until it is smooth and workable, but still a bit sticky (see notes for more on consistency). 
2. Shape the dough into a large ball, place in a greased bowl, cover with a damp towel, and set in a warm place to bulk proof for 4-12 hours until doubled in size. 
3. Make the filling. Cook the ground beef and onion in a skillet, drain and add to a large bowl. Dice the bacon into ½-inch pieces, fry, then drain and add to the bowl with ground beef and onion. 
4. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Place the cheeseburger filling mixture in the fridge to cool for half hour before assembling kolaches. You don’t want to add the mixture to hot filling. 
5. Assemble the Kolaches. Divide the dough into 12 pieces (56 grams each) and use a rolling pin to roll each one out into a 4 inches circle. Use a spoon to scoop ? cup cheeseburger filling onto each circle then gather the edges of the dough around the filling and pinch to seal. Place each kolache seal side down on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Let the kolaches rise for 2-3 hours. 
6. Brush kolaches with an egg wash & then bake in a preheated oven for 25 minutes at 350°F. Kolaches should be golden brown on top and bottom. Cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 467kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 25gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 122mgSodium: 890mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3g

Notes

Sourdough Kolache Recipe Tips 

• You can skip the long ferment if you’re short on time: Add 1 tablespoon of instant yeast and your dough will be ready in 1 to 2 hours.
• You can turn this into a discard recipe: Just add 1 tablespoon of instant yeast and reduce the rise times. Let the dough double in size each time before moving on.
• Kolache dough works for other recipes too: Use it to make 12 dinner rolls (56g each), 9 burger buns (75g each), a small loaf of bread, or even cinnamon rolls.
• Expect sticky dough at first: Knead it well (a stand mixer helps), let it rest for 30 minutes, then knead again and add more flour one tablespoon at a time if it’s still too sticky.
• Don’t leave meat-filled kolaches out at room temperature for longer than 2 hours.

Storage

Store leftover sourdough kolaches in an airtight container after they’ve cooled completely. Keep them at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to a week, especially if they have meat or dairy fillings. For freezing, wrap each cooled kolache in plastic wrap, then store it in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw and reheat thoroughly before eating. 

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