Vegan Kolaches (Texas Klobasnek)

Name: Vegan Kolaches (Texas Klobasnek)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 3/4 cup plant-based milk, (+ more for brushing); 2 tablespoons cane sugar; 2 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast, ((1 packet)); 3 tablespoons vegan butter, (melted); 1/2 teaspoon salt; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 8 vegan breakfast sausage links; 1/2 cup vegan cheese shreds, (such as cheddar); 2 tablespoons pickled jalapeños, (diced); 1/2 tablespoon olive oil

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These homemade Texas-style Vegan Kolaches (Klobasnek) are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or snacks! Pillowy soft dough is filled with sausage, melted cheddar cheese, and spicy jalapeños. These tasty sausage rolls easily come together with just 10 ingredients!

These filled, dairy-free yeast dough rolls were brought to Texas by Czech immigrants many years ago. Their actual name is “klobasnek” or “klobasniki” but they are widely known as “kolaches” in Texas.

Kolaches are usually a sweet pastry with fruit and cream cheese in the center. This recipe; however, is more of a combination of a mildly sweet roll filled with savory flavors. My favorite fillings are vegan sausage, vegan cheese, and jalapeños, but the options are truly endless.

The delicious aroma of the slightly sweetened dough alone takes me back to the donut shops of the Texas Hill Country like Shipley’s or the Czech Stop between Austin and Dallas. I don’t know if they have a vegan version available yet, so I’ve created my own!

Reasons To Love These Vegan Sausage Rolls

Easy to make
10 ingredients
Dairy-free, no eggs
Soft and sweet dough
Hearty filling with melted cheese
Great for breakfast, brunch, or snacks

Ingredients and Substitutions

Plant Milk - Use any kind you have on hand. It doesn’t matter if it’s sweetened or not.
Cane Sugar - Adds a bit of sweetness to the rolls.
Yeast - Use 1 packet or 2 ¼ teaspoons of instant yeast.
Vegan Butter - Your favorite brand will work. If yours is unsalted, you may want to add about ⅛ of a teaspoon to the dough.
Salt - Helps to enhance the flavors of the roll.
Flour - I use all-purpose flour in this recipe.
Vegan Sausage - Look for vegan breakfast sausage links either in the refrigerated vegan corner of your grocery store or in the freezer section. I use Beyond Meat's package of 8 links.
Oil - A small amount of olive oil (or any other kind) is used to line the baking pan.
Vegan Cheese (optional) - Any type of vegan cheese works! I like the flavor of cheddar in this recipe, but others would be just as delicious. Make sure they are in shreds or thin strips for easy melting.
Jalapeños (optional) - This ingredient adds a great level of spiciness. I use pickled jalapeños but fresh would work just as well.

How to Make Texas-Style Vegan Kolaches from Scratch

Here are some quick visual steps. Find the full recipe with exact measurements on the recipe card below.

Prepare the ingredients by melting the vegan butter and dicing the jalapeños. Cook the vegan breakfast sausage according to the instructions on the package. Try not to overcook them because they will spend more time in the oven later.

Make the Yeast Dough

Combine half of the flour with the other dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl.

Heat the plant milk in the microwave or on the stovetop until it reaches 120°F. I recommend checking the temperature with a digital food thermometer because if the temperature becomes too high, it can deactivate the yeast.

Stir in the wet ingredients with a spoon until they’re combined. Then, add in the rest of the flour. Keep stirring for about 2 minutes until the dough is not sticky anymore and easily comes away from the edge of the bowl.

Knead the dough for 5 to 7 minutes until it’s smooth and stretchy. Roll it into a ball and put it in a bowl. Loosely cover it with a kitchen towel. Place the bowl in a warm corner of the kitchen or in the microwave to rest for 10 minutes.

Divide the dough into 8 sections using a pastry cutter or knife. Similar to the way you would cut a pie, cut the sphere in half. Then cut each side in half, and then into quarters so that you have 8 small triangles.

Roll out the sections by gently flattening each one with your fingers. Next, use a roller to shape them out into ovals large enough to fit the vegan sausage links.

Step by step images for making kolaches.

Fill the Kolaches

Fill the kolaches by adding the sausage, cheese, and jalapeños to the edge closest to you. Tuck in the sides as you roll the dough around the filling. Seal the seam by pinching it together. Then give them a quick roll to smooth them out. Place each kolache on a lightly greased baking sheet, seam side down.

Let the dough rise by covering the tray with a kitchen towel and placing it in a warm corner of the kitchen or the microwave for 30 minutes.

Bake and Enjoy!

Preheat the oven to 375°F. At this point, the vegan sausage rolls should have risen to almost double their original size. Brush them with a light layer of plant-based milk and bake them for about 15 minutes or until they are golden-brown on top.

Recipe Variation Ideas

Try making them with different kinds of vegan cheeses.
Fill the rolls with vegetables such as spinach and peppers before baking.

No Waste Ideas

If your package of vegan sausage has more than 8 links, save some for this Just Egg Breakfast Casserole.
Make Jalapeño Popper Dip with leftover jalapeños and vegan cheese.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you store kolaches?

Refrigerate leftover kolaches in a covered dish for 4 days or freeze them for 3 months. Reheat frozen or refrigerated kolaches in the microwave at 30-second intervals until heated through.

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