A Taste of Caribbean Kolaches
Day 1 of Holiday Baking: Kolaches with a Caribbean Influence
Welcome to the first day of our Twelve Days of Holiday Baking! We’re starting with kolaches, soft, buttery pastries with Czech roots that are a perfect holiday treat. These pastries remind me of a favorite childhood snack from Jamaica—jelly-filled pastries—simple, sweet, and comforting, just like those that were often sold at local shops.
While donuts weren’t a holiday tradition in Jamaica, those jelly-filled treats—made with rich, homemade fruit preserves—were a staple of everyday life. Whether from a street vendor or a local bakery, these pastries were always a treat. The dough was soft, the fruit filling sweet, and each bite was a little piece of joy.
As I worked on these kolaches, I wanted to capture that same comfort and familiarity. The dough is just as soft, and the filling is infused with the bright, tropical flavors of Spanish Town Kitchen’s preserves:
Honey Pineapple for that tropical sweetness.
Sorrel Hibiscus Cherry for a tart, spiced kick.
Passion Fruit Peach Sesame for a tangy, nutty note.
Carnival Fruit Punch for a fruity burst of flavor.
These kolaches, with their Caribbean-inspired filling, bring me back to those simpler days, reminding me of the sweet, comforting snacks that are so much a part of the culture. I hope you enjoy baking them and that they bring a bit of the warmth and flavor of the Caribbean to your holiday table.
Kolaches with Spanish Town Kitchen Fruit Preserves
Yield: 12 Kolaches
Ingredients
Dough:
2 5/8 cups (368g) all-purpose flour
1 3/4 tsp instant or rapid-rise yeast
1 1/8 tsp salt
3/4 cup whole milk
7 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup (50g) sugar
1 large egg plus 1 large yolk
Cream Cheese Filling:
9 oz (255g) cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup (75g) sugar
2 tsp all-purpose flour
3/8 tsp pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1-1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
Streusel:
1 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
2 1/4 tsp (10g) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
Topping:
1 1/2 tbsp each of Spanish Town Kitchen’s fruit preserves (Honey Pineapple, Sorrel Hibiscus Cherry, Passion Fruit Peach Sesame, and Carnival Fruit Punch)
Instructions
For the Dough:
In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together flour, yeast, and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, melted butter, sugar, egg, and yolk until sugar dissolves.
Using a dough hook on low speed, gradually add the milk mixture to the flour. Mix until a cohesive dough forms, about 2 minutes.
Increase the mixer speed to medium-low and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, 8-12 minutes.
Knead the dough briefly on a floured counter, form it into a ball, and transfer to a greased bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, 1-1.5 hours.
For the Filling:
Beat cream cheese, sugar, flour, vanilla, and salt on low speed until smooth.
Add lemon juice to taste for brightness. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
For the Streusel:
Mix flour, sugar, and butter in a bowl. Rub together with fingers until it resembles wet sand. Refrigerate until needed.
Assembling the Kolaches:
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Punch down the risen dough and roll into a 12-inch log. Divide into 12 equal pieces (approximately 2.25 oz each).
Shape each piece into a ball, arrange on baking sheets, and let rise for 1.5-2 hours until puffed.
Filling and Baking:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour the bottom of a 1/3-cup dry measuring cup. Press the cup into each dough ball to create an indentation.
Add about 1 1/2 tbsp of cream cheese filling into each indentation. Smooth the top with the back of a spoon.
Add 1 tsp of your chosen fruit preserve on top of the cream cheese filling.
Brush the edges of the dough with egg wash (1 egg whisked with 1 tbsp water and a pinch of salt). Sprinkle streusel over the edges.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden brown.
Cool kolaches for 20 minutes on a wire rack before serving.
