- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup warm milk
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 whole egg
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 cup canned pie filling of your choice
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt until combined.
- Add the warm milk (it should be between 110-115 F), butter, egg, egg yolks, and lemon zest to the bowl, mixing until a sticky dough comes together.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it with floured hands for about 6-8 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour until it doubles in size.
- Next, divide the dough into 16 equal portions.
- Roll the portions into balls and place them on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
- Cover the baking sheets and let the dough rise in a warm place for another 90 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Use a floured ¼-cup measuring cup to press indentations into the center of each dough ball.
- Fill each indentation with a heaping tablespoon of the pie filling of your choice.
- Bake the kolaches in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, until the rolls are light golden brown.
- Let them cool slightly, then serve warm.