Czech Pastry

Nothing beats the flavor of a freshly baked pastry. And the Czechs are crazy about pastries! With a cup of coffee for breakfast, a snack, or even a quick dinner, a piece of sweet kolach or strudel serves as a satisfying treat everywhere. Interested in Czech pastry names? In this article, I will go over some of the most popular types of sweet pastries in Czech cuisine.

I present many of these goodies in separate articles on my blog. I added the link to the recipe below each photo; feel free to click and explore each recipe in detail!

➜ Get the recipe: Czech kolache

Probably the most famous representative of Czech bakeries. Traditional koláč is always round in shape, with various fillings in the middle, most often poppy seed, Tvaroh cheese, or plum butter. The surface of the cake may be decorated with blanched almonds, raisins, or sprinkled with streusel topping, called drobenka or posypka in Czech.

The classic koláč is about the size of your palm. If it is smaller, it is named a koláček.

Fun fact: One piece is called koláč (kolach), while two or more pieces are koláče (kolache). The word "kolaches," the American version of the plural, is not used in the Czech Republic because it is essentially a double plural.

➜ Get the recipe: Vázaný koláč, šátečky

A type of kolach that is not round but square. A square-shaped piece of dough is covered with filling in the middle, and the sides are folded over it. A precise baker also sprinkles this pastry with a crumble topping. The Czechs call this kind of koláč vázaný, which could be freely translated as tied or folded. The other name the Czechs know for this pastry is šáteček, which means little scarf.

➜ Get the recipe: Czech vdolky

Made from yeast dough, a vdolek (or vdolky, plural) belongs to the popular Czech sweet pastries, either fried in fat or baked in the oven. When finished, it is covered with povidla plum jam and then topped with a cap of cream cheese filling.

➜ Get the recipe: Loupacek

A favorite sweet pastry that children love when spread with butter and jam or snacked on with yogurt. Loupáček is baked from yeast dough, made like a roll, and bent into the shape of a crescent. Before putting it in the oven, brush a loupáček with egg wash and sprinkle with poppy seeds.

The other Czech word for loupáček is makovka.

A simple pastry shape with a sweet filling. It is made from different types of dough; the one you see in the picture is made from puff pastry.

➜ Get the recipe: Mazanec

Mazanec is a Czech Easter bread made from rich yeast dough. The mazanec in the photo is a mini version. Before baking, traditional mazanec (regular size) is cut into a cross shape on the surface.

➜ Get the recipe: Easy apple strudel

While the word "strudel" originates from German, it is also widely used in the Czech Republic. The Czech alternative, "závin," refers to a rolled pastry, most often filled with grated or sliced apples, poppy seeds, or cream cheese (tvaroh). 

➜ Get the recipe: Vanocka or houska bread

Delicious buttery pastry, traditionally baked at Christmas. It is a braided sweet bread with a rich addition of almonds and raisins. In the past, vánočka was known as houska, which can be confusing today because modern Czechs associate houska with a completely different type of savory baked good (see housky braided rolls).

➜ Get the recipe: Buchty buns

No one can bake buchty better than our moms or grandmas! Buchty buns are sweet, brioche-like pastries with various fillings such as ground poppy seeds, plum butter, cheese, or fruit. They are square in shape, which is why they are sometimes called "bricks."

This pastry also appears in classic Czech fairy tales, where a mom gives a bunch of buchty buns to her son named Honza, who goes out into the world to gain experience.

➜ Get the recipe: Koblihy

Yum! This pillowy round pastry, filled with fruit jam, is fried to perfection and then generously sprinkled with sugar. Traditionally, Czechs baked koblihy during the winter carnival called masopust, but nowadays you can find these pastries in bakery shops all year round. The Czech kobliha is similar to donuts, beignets, or Berliners. It is a sweet treat that is sure to make your day!

Ještědka is a sweet pastry roll filled with poppy seeds and sprinkled with drobenka crumbs. It is a regional specialty from the region where I live. It got its name from the Ještěd mountain, looming above the city of Liberec.

The best translation of this pastry's name is "cinnamon snail," known in the American world as cinnamon rolls. This pastry probably isn't very Czech, especially since it has icing on it, which is not very common in Czech pastries.

➜ Get the recipe: Trdelnik

Trdelník is a famous Czech street pastry, sold by vendors in Prague and other major Czech cities. Often filled with ice cream, nutella or fruits, this dessert is a big hit with tourists, both from abroad and within the Czech Republic. What makes trdelník extra special is the way it is made – baked right on the street over hot coals!

➜ Get the recipe: Kohoutí hřebeny

Made from puff pastry and with various sweet fillings, this pastry tastes not only good but also looks beautiful. Making it can be a little tricky, but with just a little care, you'll wow your guests with this tasty goodness when they pop in for a talk and a cup of coffee.

If you visit a local bakery in the Czech Republic, you will discover a wonderful world of classically shaped pastries, as well as modern delicacies that have come to us from neighboring countries.

I believe that whatever piece of Czech baked goods you choose will melt on your tongue and leave you with a pleasant memory!