Gluten Free Sausage & Cheese Kolaches

If you’ve never had a kolache before, you’re in for a treat. It’s basically soft, slightly sweet dough wrapped around savory sausage and melted cheese. And yes, this version is completely gluten free.

Kolaches are a Czech pastry that became hugely popular in Texas. You’ll find them at bakeries and gas stations all over the state. But if you eat gluten free, grabbing one on the go just isn’t an option.

That’s exactly why I made this recipe. The dough is soft, pillowy, and holds together really well. You’d honestly never guess it’s gluten free.

Each kolache is filled with a sausage link and cheddar cheese. You can also add pickled jalapenos if you want a little kick.

They’re perfect for breakfast, lunch, or even a quick snack. And they reheat beautifully the next day too.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Soft Pillowy Dough – The dough bakes up incredibly soft and buttery so you would never guess these kolaches are gluten free.

Savory and Satisfying – Melty cheddar cheese wrapped around juicy sausage inside warm bread is a flavor combo that is hard to beat.

Perfect for Meal Prep – Make a batch on the weekend and reheat them all week for a quick grab-and-go breakfast or snack.

Ingredients

For the Dough

• 2 1/2 cups Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
• 2 tbsp Tapioca Starch
• 2 1/4 tsp Instant Yeast
• 3 tbsp Granulated Sugar
• 1 tsp Xanthan Gum
• 3/4 tsp Salt
• 1/2 cup Whole Milk, warm
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar

For the Filling

• 8 Fully Cooked Gluten Free Sausage Links
• 4 Slices Cheddar Cheese, halved
• 2 Pickled Jalapeno Peppers, sliced (optional)

For the Topping

• 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted
• Flaky Sea Salt

How to Make

Step 1

In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, tapioca starch, instant yeast, sugar, xanthan gum, and salt. Add the warm milk, eggs, melted butter, and apple cider vinegar. Stir until a soft, sticky dough forms.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, until it has doubled in size.

Step 2

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. With well-oiled hands, divide the dough into 8 equal portions. Flatten each portion into an oval shape about 1/2 inch thick and roughly 4 inches long.

Step 3

Place a sausage link and a half slice of cheddar cheese in the center of each oval. If using jalapenos, add a few slices on top of the cheese. Wrap the dough up and around the filling, pinching the seams together on the underside.

Place each kolache seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

Step 4

Cover the kolaches loosely with a kitchen towel and let them rise for 30 to 40 minutes, until noticeably puffy.

Step 5

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake the kolaches for 18 to 22 minutes, until golden brown on top and the dough is cooked through.

Step 6

Remove from the oven and immediately brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before serving warm.

My Tips

Oil Your Hands Generously

Gluten free dough is way stickier than regular dough, and this one is no exception. Before you start dividing and shaping, rub a good amount of neutral oil all over your hands and fingers.

You’ll probably need to re-oil your hands after every two or three kolaches. If the dough starts sticking again, that’s your sign to add more oil. Don’t be shy with it.

Get the Milk Temperature Right

The warm milk needs to be around 100-110 degrees F. If you don’t have a thermometer, it should feel warm to the touch but not hot. Think baby bottle temperature.

If the milk is too hot, it can kill the yeast and your dough won’t rise at all. If it’s too cool, the yeast won’t activate properly and the dough will take forever to puff up. This step matters a lot for gluten free doughs because you’re already working without gluten to give structure, so the yeast needs to do its job well.

Pinch the Seams Tightly

Gluten free dough doesn’t stretch and seal as easily as regular dough. When you wrap the dough around the sausage and cheese, really press and pinch those seams together firmly on the underside.

If the seams aren’t sealed well, the dough will open up during baking and the cheese will leak out all over the pan. Take an extra few seconds on each one to make sure everything is closed up tight before placing it seam-side down.

More Tasty Recipes

• Gluten Free Crispy Sausage Rolls
• Gluten Free Pepperoni Pizza Hot Pockets
• Gluten Free Cheddar Jalapeno Bread
• Gluten Free Biscuits & Sausage Gravy
• Gluten Free Baked Cheese Puffs

FAQ

Can I use a different gluten free flour blend instead of 1-to-1 baking flour?

You can try another gluten free all-purpose blend, but results may vary since different brands have different ratios of rice flour, potato starch, and other ingredients. The 1-to-1 baking flour is ideal here because it already contains a balanced mix that mimics regular flour pretty closely.

If your blend doesn’t include xanthan gum, make sure you still add the amount called for in this recipe. Without it, the dough won’t hold together well enough to wrap around the filling.