Texas Cream Cheese Kolaches

A kolache is a Czech pastry, right? It is. But Texas, believe it or not, has become known for them too. The Lonestar State has a style of making them that’s all their own and they can be found in bakeries and roadside stands across the state. Like the saying goes, everything is bigger in Texas, and that’s true of their Kolaches too. The Texas Kolache tradition originated with Czech immigrants who settled in central Texas, and over the years the Texas Kolache has become a taller, fluffier pastry than the original. You can stuff them with preserves, jam, even sausage, but here they’re filled simply with a silky cream cheese mixture that’s hard to resist.

Low-Point Texas Cream Cheese Kolaches

Makes: 12 kolaches

Ingredients

For the Dough

• 2 cups self-rising flour
• 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon granulated sweetener (or sugar)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg, beaten (for brushing)

For the Cream Cheese Filling

• 8 oz reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons granulated sweetener (or sugar substitute)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg white

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, mix the self-rising flour, sweetener, vanilla, and Greek yogurt until a soft dough forms.
3. Knead the dough for 2–3 minutes on a lightly floured surface until smooth.
4. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and shape each into a ball.
5. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet and flatten them slightly. Use the bottom of a glass or your fingers to make a deep indentation in the center of each.
6. In another bowl, beat together the reduced-fat cream cheese, sweetener, vanilla, and egg white until smooth.
7. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of filling into the center of each dough round.
8. Brush the edges with the beaten egg.
9. Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
10. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Approximate WW Points

• Per kolache (12 total): ~5 Points
• If you use a zero-calorie sweetener instead of sugar, the points may be slightly lower.