Thanksgiving Leftovers Kolaches One Easy Dough Is All You Need – Sweet & Savory
Thanksgiving Leftovers Kolaches with One Easy Dough Is All You Need! You can Make Sweet and Savory Kolaches out of almost any Thanksgiving leftover! This one easy dough is all you need to transform those boring Thanksgiving leftovers into something new again!
Checkout my Savory Turkey & Cheese Filled Kolache on the left, and my Cranberry Streusel Kolache on the right.
What Is A Kolache?
A Kolache is a Pastry that is made from a soft enriched dough, that has a filling. Kolaches are either sweet, or savory, and can be made “open face” style or filled. These delicious gems of delight are a traditional Czech pastry that was brought to the United States in the mid 1800’s. Kolaches are also fairly popular in Texas, and surrounding areas. During our travels, We had the pleasure of visiting a few popular spots. Of course, there is Buc-ees, a large Travel Center chain that offers all kinds of goodies! But, the Kolaches there, can be topped by a place, called Hruska’s, in a little town in Texas. Ellinger, Texas to be exact! Hruska’s is the place that inspired me the most to start testing, and perfecting my very own kolache dough, made with fresh milled flour!
I am pressing little wells into my Kolache Dough for the Sweet Filling!
What Does A Kolache Taste Like?
A Kolache can be sweet or savory, so the taste can vary, and will match the flavor of the filling. But, one thing is for sure, the pillowy soft dough that surrounds the scrumptious filling is the same! Kolaches come in many flavors, so they taste like whichever filling that beautiful dough holds. From sausage to ham, or apricot to raspberry, and everything in between! Almost any meat would be amazing, and can also be paired with cheese, and/or egg. Pretty much every fruit filling is delicious! There are also chocolate, cinnamon, or cream cheese options as well. So, as you can see there is no shortage of flavors to chose from.
Here I am dividing up the Kolache Dough.
Are Kolaches Served Hot or Cold?
Kolaches can be served both hot or cold. Generally, Bakeries will sell them cold, but most will warm them, if you ask. So, whichever your preference, they can be enjoyed both ways! As for me, my personal preference is straight out of the oven! Yum!
These are my Sweet Kolache Made with Thanksgiving leftover Cranberry Sauce.
Thanksgiving Leftovers Ideas for Sweet Kolaches
Thanksgiving Leftovers? One Easy Dough Is All You Need! Here are some great Thanksgiving leftover ideas for sweet Kolaches. Firstly, an easy option is to use leftover Thanksgiving Pies! You can use leftover Pumpkin Pie, sweet potato mash or pie, pecan pie, cherry pie, pretty much any pie. Basically, If it tasted good as a pie, it will taste even better on this delicious pillow of goodness! Also, you could use up your leftover cranberry sauce, jelly, or salad as I show you in this video HERE. So, with any of these options, just make the dough, and plop one of these fillings on top, then bake. Undoubtedly, all of these options will give you a new transformed breakfast, snack, or side dish!
Sweet Kolaches Filled with Cranberry Sauce Thanksgiving Leftovers.
Thanksgiving Leftovers Ideas For Savory Kolaches
I showed you how to use ham in my first kolache video which can be seen Here. So, let’s shift our focus on the turkey, since this is easy Thanksgiving leftovers. Turkey and cheese make a great filling for your savory kolaches. Alternatively, You could also get two for one, and use your leftover cheese ball in place of the cheese component. Secondly, if you have leftover mashed potatoes, well, never fear, those can be added straight into your dough! You can add up to 1/2 cup of mashed potatoes to the dough without any special dough alternatives. Lastly, mac n cheese, my son LOVES macaroni and cheese! He will devour it in any way shape or form. So, I can put macaroni and cheese right in the center of a kolache, and give him something different.
Filling My Kolaches With Thanksgiving Turkey Leftovers and Cheese!
Ingredients To Make Fresh Milled Flour Kolaches With Thanksgiving Leftovers
Dough Ingredients
- 3/4 cup water 178g
- 3/4 cup milk 187g
- 1/3 cup sugar 67g
- 3 TBSP butter 43g
- 3 TBSP light Olive Oil 40g
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 4 to 4&1/2 cups of fresh milled flour (515g). (I milled 2 cups hard white wheat(360g) and 3/4 cup Kamut(155g) to make this flour (save about 2 TBSP of this flour for the streusel topping) You can use all hard white wheat or all hard red wheat if that is all you have.
- 2&1/4 tsp instant yeast
- Filling of your choice
Streusel Topping Ingredients:
- 2 TBSP Fresh Milled Flour 15g
- 2 TBSP sugar 25g
- 1 TBSP melted butter 14g
- pinch of salt
Instructions for Making the Kolache Dough:
- First, Heat up water, milk, butter, sugar, salt, and oil on medium heat until the butter and sugar melt, set aside to cool below 100 degrees F(38 degrees C).
- Next, while the milk & sugar mixture is cooling, mill Hard wheat berries to make the flour
- Once cooled, add it to your mixer bowl, add eggs, and flour. Mix until all incorporated. Then, let the mixture sit for 10 minutes or so to soak in the moisture.
- After the 10 minute rest, add yeast, then knead dough on 2 until smooth and it passes the window pane test
- Let rise until doubled in size(~1hr)
- While dough is rising, make your streusel topping and prepare any fillings you want to use.
- Once doubled, punch it down, and divide dough into 20 equal size pieces.
- Roll the sweet “open face” kolaches into a ball, and let them rise covered for 30 – 40 minutes.
- For the savory kolaches, flatten and put the filling in, then close and pinch the dough all around the filling. Let rise covered for 30 to 40 minutes.
- Once risen, press the sweet kolaches flat and then make a well ( I like to use a 1/3 cup measuring cup) put the filling in the well.
- Brush with egg wash, and then sprinkle the streusel topping on the sweet ones.
- Lastly, Bake filled Kolaches for 400*F (190*C) for 14-15 mins.
Savory Style Filled With Turkey & Cheese.
Also, If You Want To Learn More About Milling Your Own Flour
I have a Fresh Milled Flour 101 post. So, I Recommend Starting There!
My Fresh Milled Flour 101 Post!
Check Out Some Of My Other Recipes:
Chocolate Peppermint Cinnamon Rolls
Shop This Recipe
Thanksgiving Leftovers Kolaches – One Easy Dough Is All You Need!
Thanksgiving Leftovers Kolaches Recipe
Kolaches 2 Ways – Sweet & Savory
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup water 178g
- 3/4 cup milk 187g
- 1/3 cup sugar 67g
- 3 TBSP butter 43g
- 3 TBSP light Olive Oil 40g
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 4 to 4 &1/2 cups fresh milled flour 515g I milled 2 cups hard white wheat(360g) and 3/4 cup Kamut(155g) to make this flour (save about 2 TBSP of this flour for the streusel topping) You can use all hard white wheat or all hard red wheat if that is all you have.
- 2&1/4 tsp instant yeast
- Filling of your choice
Streusel Topping
- 2 TBSP Fresh Milled Flour 15g
- 2 TBSP sugar 25g
- 1 TBSP melted butter 14g
- 1 pinch of salt
Instructions
- First, Heat up water, milk, butter, sugar, salt, and oil on medium heat until the butter and sugar melt, set aside to cool below 100 degrees F(38 degrees C).
- Next, while the milk & sugar mixture is cooling, mill Hard wheat berries to make the flour
- Once the mixture is cooled, add it to your mixer bowl, add eggs, and flour. Mix to incorporate, and once no dry flour is left, let the mixture sit for 10 minutes or so to soak in the moisture.
- After the 10 minute rest, add yeast, then knead dough on 2 until smooth and it passes the window pane test
- Let rise until doubled in size(~1hr)
- While dough is rising, make your streusel topping and prepare any fillings you want to use.
- Once dough is doubled, punch it down, and divide dough into 20 equal size pieces.
- Roll the sweet “open face” kolaches into a ball, and let them rise covered for 30 – 40 minutes.
- For the savory kolaches, flatten and put the filling in, then close and pinch the dough all around the filling. Let rise covered for 30 to 40 minutes.
- Once they are risen, press the sweet kolaches flat and then make a well ( I like to use a 1/3 cup measuring cup) put the filling in the well.
- Brush with egg wash, and sprinkle the streusel topping on the sweet ones.
- Bake filled Kolaches for 400*F (190*C) for 14-15 mins.
Video
Notes
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