Dessert Recipes

Sheet Kolach with Streusel

1 large kolach (about 12 - 16 servings)

Bring the comforting aromas of a classic Czech bakery right into your home with this magnificent Sheet Kolach with Streusel! As a chef who loves traditional baking, I am thrilled to share this recipe featuring a cloud-like, lemon-scented yeast dough crowned with a vibrant, simmered berry filling and an irresistible buttery streusel. Making a homemade kolach is a beautiful celebration of real, unprocessed ingredients. From the active dry yeast blooming in lukewarm milk to the rich bread flour and room temperature butter coming together, every step of this process is incredibly rewarding. Read More

☆☆☆☆☆0x(write a review)👁314x

Tom the ChefPublished: 6.10.2026

Dessert Recipes

1 h.

3 h.

2/5

554 calories Per Serving (of 12) Read More

Before You Start

Let’s talk about important parts of the recipe before you start…

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Welcome to My Traditional Sheet Kolach with Streusel

Hello everyone, I am so excited to guide you through making this incredible Sheet Kolach with Streusel today. Whenever I want to bring the authentic scent of a Czech bakery into my own kitchen, this is the exact recipe I reach for. The foundation of this treat is an incredibly soft yeast dough that we flavor with just the right amount of fresh lemon zest. Then, we top it with a rich, simmered fruit filling and a generous layer of buttery streusel. As someone deeply passionate about traditional baking from scratch, I can promise you that the combination of active dry yeast, bread flour, room temperature butter, and a homemade berry filling creates a homemade kolach that is absolutely unforgettable. Let’s dive right into this wonderful culinary journey!

Activating the Leaven for the Yeast Dough

The very first and arguably most crucial step in making the Sheet Kolach with Streusel is preparing the leaven. I always start by gently heating half a cup of milk in the microwave until it reaches a lukewarm temperature of about 90 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. It is essential not to overheat the milk, or you risk killing the active dry yeast. Into this warm milk, I whisk half a cup of bread flour, two tablespoons of confectioners’ sugar, and one tablespoon of active dry yeast from a well-sealed package. I cover the bowl with plastic wrap, poke a tiny hole with a knife to let it breathe, and let it sit for 15 to 30 minutes until it doubles in volume. This careful step ensures our traditional baking yields a light, airy homemade kolach.

Kneading the Lemon-Scented Yeast Dough

Once the leaven is bubbly and ready, it is time to build the yeast dough. I use my kitchen mixer with a whisk attachment to process one egg, half a cup of granulated sugar, and a quarter pound of room temperature butter until a perfectly creamy texture is reached. Then, I blend in the activated leaven, a quarter teaspoon of salt, and the zest of one lemon, which gives the dough its signature bright aroma. Switching to the hook attachment, I gradually add two cups of bread flour and a quarter cup of lukewarm milk. The kneading process is critical here. It takes about 5 to 9 minutes, sometimes up to 10, on high speed for the dough to become compact and stop sticking to the sides of the bowl. If it remains too sticky after ten minutes, I add bread flour exactly one tablespoon at a time. This careful attention develops the gluten perfectly for our Sheet Kolach with Streusel.

Simmering the Vibrant Berry Filling

While the dough enjoys its two to three-hour rise, I move on to crafting the rich fruit filling. I take two pounds of fresh, thoroughly cleaned berries—blueberries, strawberries with the calyx removed, or a mix of both—and bring them to a gentle simmer with one cup of water and one and a half cups of granulated sugar. I cover the pot with a lid and let the fruit cook down for 5 to 10 minutes. Then, I reduce the liquid by half until the mixture visibly thickens and coats the back of my spoon. To give it the perfect texture, I quickly process it with an immersion blender right in the pot for about five seconds. Finally, I stir in half a cup of regular breadcrumbs, which brilliantly absorb the excess moisture and keep our Sheet Kolach with Streusel from becoming soggy. As an option that is a modification and not part of the standard scratch recipe, you could simplify the process by using about two to three cups of store-bought preserves, but I always prefer this homemade berry filling!

Creating the Irresistible Buttery Streusel

No traditional baking experience from a Czech bakery is complete without a rich crumb topping. For the Sheet Kolach with Streusel, the buttery streusel is incredibly simple yet essential. I place a quarter pound of room temperature butter, one cup of granulated sugar, and one cup of all-purpose flour into my mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. I process this on medium speed for about two to three minutes until it is fully combined. This streusel adds a delightful textural contrast to the soft yeast dough and the jammy fruit filling, making every bite of the homemade kolach absolute perfection.

Assembling and Baking the Homemade Kolach

The final assembly is where the magic truly happens. I roll out the rested dough evenly on parchment paper using a rolling pin, ensuring I do not use any additional flour. After moving the parchment paper to a baking sheet, I brush the outer diameter with a hand-whisked egg to ensure a gorgeous golden crust. I spread the berry filling evenly across the center, purposefully leaving a half-inch border untouched around the edges. Next, I generously sprinkle the buttery streusel over the top. After a brief 10 to 15-minute proof at room temperature, I bake the Sheet Kolach with Streusel in a preheated 370-degree Fahrenheit oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Once the edges are beautifully golden brown and the center is set, it is crucial to let the scalding hot fruit filling cool before slicing into squares and dusting with confectioners’ sugar.

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Desserts

Sheet Kolach with Streusel

1 large kolach (about 12 - 16 servings)Tom the ChefPublished: 6.10.2026 ☆☆☆☆☆0x(write a review)👁314x

Bring the comforting aromas of a classic Czech bakery right into your home with this magnificent Fruit Sheet Kolach! Featuring a cloud-like, lemon-scented yeast dough crowned with a vibrant, simmered berry filling and an irresistible buttery streusel, it’s a beautiful celebration of real, unprocessed ingredients. This is traditional baking made...

... approachable—a true slice of heritage that's perfect for gathering loved ones around the table.

1 h.

3 h.

2/5

🖨Print

Ingredients:

Click any ingredient to learn more

Leaven:

½ cup of lukewarm milk (about 90 to 100°F) (preheat in a microwave)

½ cup of bread flour (or All-Purpose)

2 TBSP of confectioners’ sugar

1 TBSP of active dry yeasts (from well-sealed packaging or from a sealed container in the fridge)

Dough:

1 egg

½ cup of granulated sugar

¼ LB of butter - room temperature

Zest from 1 lemon

¼ TSP of salt

2 cups of bread flour (or All-Purpose)

¼ cup of lukewarm milk (about 90 to 100°F) (preheat in the microwave)

Brushing:

1 egg

Fruit Filling: *

2 LB of berries of your choice (blueberries and/or strawberries)

1 cup of water

1 ½ cups of granulated sugar (adjust if needed, optionally, reduce to ½ cup for a less sweet taste)

½ cup of breadcrumbs (regular)

Streusel:

¼ LB of butter - room temperature

1 cup of all-purpose flour

1 cup of granulated sugar

For Dusting:

of confectioners’ sugar

* Note: Optionally, you can simplify the process by using about 2 – 3 cups of store-bought preserves or marmalade (no need to add any ingredients or heat it up).

Tools:

Click any tool to learn more

1x Measuring Spoons

1x Measuring Cups

1x Small Mixing Bowl (about 1 QT)

1x French Whisk

1x Kitchen Mixer with Whisk and Hook Attachment

1x Plate (or plastic wrap to cover bowl with dough)

1x Rolling Pin

1x Bowl Scraper or Silicone Spatula

1x Measuring Pitcher or Small Glass/Ceramic Bowl

1x Medium Mixing Bowl (3 – 4 QT)

1x Silicone Brush

1x Baking Sheet with Parchment Paper or Silicone Matt

1x Plate (For resting)

1x Medium Sauce Pan or Small Pot (4QT)

1x Wooden Spoon or High-Temperature Silicone Spatula

1x Immersion Blender or Food Processor or Blender

1x Knives

Nutrition per 1 Serving:(recipe split into 12 servings)

Estimated

Calories 554 Protein 7.4 g Fat 18.0 g Saturated fat 10.4 g Carbohydrate 92.4 g Sugars 61.5 g Fiber 2.2 g Sodium 210 mg Cholesterol 73 mg

Estimated. Worked out from the ingredients above using the United States Department of Agriculture’s FoodData Central reference data. An estimate, not a measurement — brands, sizes and how much of a marinade actually ends up on the plate all move it.

Directions:

1.Leaven:

Let’s start preparing our sheet kolach with streusel by making a leaven.

1.1.

Place into a medium mixing bowl:

½ cup of lukewarm milk

½ cup of bread flour

2 TBSP of confectioners’ sugar

1 TBSP of active dry yeast

Thoroughly stir with a whisk until fully combined (about 1 minute).

1.2.

Cover with plastic wrap, and using a knife, create 1 small hole to let the leaven breathe.

1.3.

Set aside until it doubles in volume (about 15 – 30 minutes).

2.Dough:

2.1.

Place into a kitchen mixer with a whisk attachment:

1 egg

½ cup of granulated sugar

¼ LB of butter (room temperature)

Whisk at high speed until fully incorporated and a creamy texture is reached (about 2 – 3 minutes).

2.2.

Add:

Leaven prepared in step 1

Lemon zest from 1 lemon

¼ TSP of salt

Whisk at a high speed until fully incorporated (about 1 minute).

2.3.

Replace the whisk attachment with a hook attachment and add:

2 cups of bread flour

¼ cup of lukewarm milk

Knead at a slow speed until all ingredients are partially combined (about 1 minute).

2.4.

Then increase the speed to high and knead until the dough is compact and stops sticking to the bowl – it can still have a little residue around the bowl, but at least the majority of the dough should be unstuck during processing.

Important Notes:

This process can take 5 to 9 minutes, or even up to 10 minutes. At first, the dough will seem too sticky, but eventually, it should start pulling away from the sides of the bowl. (It might still be slightly sticky, but at least the majority, if not all, of the dough should follow the hook during mixing).
If you go over 10 minutes and the dough is still too sticky, add 1 TBSP of flour and mix for another minute or two. That should solve the problem. If not, add more flour, 1 tbsp at a time, mixing after each addition until resolved. Try not to add more flour than necessary to achieve the desired texture.

3.Rising the Dough:

3.1.

Remove the mixing bowl from the mixer and cover it with a plate or plastic wrap.

3.2.

Let it rise in a warm place until it has doubled to triple in size (about 2 – 3 hours).

4.Fruit Filling:

While dough is rising, it is a good time to prepare the fruit filling.

4.1.

Fruit preparation:

4.1.1.

Thoroughly clean the fruit under cold water.

4.1.2.

If using strawberries, remove the calyx and chop or slice them.

4.2.

Simmering:

4.2.1.

Place a small saucepan on medium heat and add:

Fruit

1 cup of water

1 ½ cups of granulated sugar

Bring to a simmer with occasional stirring.

4.2.2.

Cover with a lid and cook for about 5 – 10 minutes, occasionally stirring.

4.3.

Finishing the filling:

4.3.1.

Reduce the liquid by half, until the mixture visibly thickens and coats the back of a spoon, but not to the point that the sugar starts to caramelize (about 5 – 10 minutes).

4.3.2.

Remove from the stove and, while still in the pot, briefly process with an immersion blender (about 5 seconds).

4.3.3.

Add:

½ cup of breadcrumbs

And thoroughly stir.

4.3.4.

Set aside for a later step.

Note: It can be placed on the kolach while partially or fully cooled, based on your convenience.

5.Streusel:

5.1.

Place into a kitchen mixer with a whisk attachment:

¼ LB of butter

1 cup of flour

1 cup of granulated sugar

Process at medium speed until fully combined (about 2 – 3 minutes).

6.Kolach Forming:

6.1.

Place the dough on parchment paper.

6.2.

Using a rolling pin, roll the dough evenly to cover almost all the parchment paper.

Important:

Do not use any additional flour while forming.

7.Assemble:

7.1.

Place the parchment paper with the dough on the baking sheet.

7.2.

Hand-whisk 1 egg in a measuring pitcher or in the mixing bowl (for whisking, you can also use a silicone brush) and then brush the whole diameter of the kolach (no need to brush the center since that is where the filling will be).

7.3.

Place filling in the center and then distribute evenly around the whole kolach. leaving about a ½-inch border around the edges without filling.

7.4.

Sprinkle evenly with streusel.