As a Texan who made the long trek to Colorado, there are things I miss and don’t miss (i.e. the humidity). The things I miss are all ingestible—breakfast tacos, margaritas, Whataburger, Franklin Barbecue, and most of all kolaches. I found some good stand-ins for my missing Texas cuisine in Colorado, but none better than the Glazed and Confused Kolache.

Kolaches are a staple to every Texan’s diet, but they hail from the former Czechoslovakia. A large population of Czech immigrants who primarily settled between Houston and Dallas beginning in the late 19th century brought their recipe for the breakfast pastry with them. The rolls of sweetened dough stuffed with savory or sweet accoutrements quickly became a popular Texas treat. The original Czech fillings consist of poppy seed, cottage cheese and prune, but Texans have have expanded the fillings to include sausage, cheese and fruit fillings, such as cherries and peaches. In Texas, they can be found at almost any donut shop and many towns, like Caldwell and East Bernard, have annual Kolache Festivals.

Kolache at Glazed and Confused. Courtesy of Josh Schwab at Glazed and Confused

Kolache at Glazed and Confused. Courtesy of Josh Schwab at Glazed and Confused

Glazed and Confused started creating kolaches after many Texans came into their shop asking for them. Owner and chef, Josh Schwab was confused as most Coloradans are, but saw an opportunity for a unique and delicious addition. He created his own, an “upgrade on the original,” he said. The pastries are made to order with Glazed and Confused’s house-made donut dough and then filled with smoked cheddar, house-made jalapeño-popper cream cheese and a Tommyknocker beer brat from local Continental Sausage. The taste is reminiscent of a Texas original with a twist from the jalapeño-popper cream cheese and the Colorado brat, made with Tommyknocker Butthead Bock. It is a perfect marriage of two unmatched state specialties, Texas kolaches and Colorado craft beer. A trip back home for any Texan and a new culinary adventure for any Coloradan, Schwab has truly created a luxury kolache fit for any meal.