These Texas style kolaches are one of our favorite ways to use leftover proteins like brisket, pulled pork, and chicken. Sweet dough is stuffed with chopped or pulled meat and cheese then baked on the Traeger.
Prep Time 30 minutesminutes
Cook Time 30 minutesminutes
Proofing 2 hourshours
Total Time 3 hourshours
Servings 12Kolaches
Calories 355kcal
Author Mason Woodruff
Ingredients
For the Dough
⅔cupMilk
¼cupGranulated Sugar
1package (2 ¼ tsp)Active Dry Yeast
2largeEggsbeaten
6TablespoonsUnsalted Buttermelted and cooled
1teaspoonKosher Salt
4cups (480g)All Purpose Flourdivided
1-2TablespoonsHeavy Creamfor brushing on before baking
For the Filling
12ozYour Choice of Leftover Protein
6ozCheddar Cheesecut into 12 pieces
Instructions
To Make the Dough
Microwave the milk for about 25 seconds until it reaches 110ºF to 115ºF.
Add to a stand mixer bowl or large mixing bowl before stirring in the sugar and yeast. Rest for 10 minutes until foamy.
Stir in the salt, beaten eggs, and melted butter.
Add 2 cups of flour and mix with the dough hook attachment until evenly combined. Add the remaining flour and mix for another 6-8 minutes until the dough is smooth and no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl.
Form a ball of dough and place in a large, clean bowl coated with a small amount of oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and rest for an hour in your microwave or oven until it has doubled in size.
Filling and Baking
After an hour, punch the dough down and divide into 12 pieces weighing about 75 grams each. Place the dough pieces on a half sheet pan.
Working one piece at a time, press the dough flat and into a circle slightly larger than your palm. Add 1 oz of chopped or pulled meat and 1/2 oz cheddar cheese in the center of the dough. (You can fit more cheese—about 6 oz total—into each kolache by finely grating it and mixing with the meat before filling instead of slicing.)
Fold opposite sides over, pinching together, followed by the other opposite sides. Repeat with opposite corners to fully seal and place sealed side down on the sheet pan.
Once all 12 kolaches have been filled, cover the sheet pan with plastic wrap and rest for 45 additional minutes to rise once more.
About halfway through the final proof, preheat your Traeger or pellet grill to 400ºF with the lid closed. Brush the kolaches with heavy cream or an egg wash and place on the grill. Cook for 25-30 minutes until the kolaches are golden brown on top and cooked through.