Kolaches: We found rare Texan pastries at Lonestar Bakeshop in New Jersey
In Haskell, the Lonestar Bakeshop restaurant serves kolatches, a mix of doughnut and Danish pastry famous in the South.
In Texas, everything is bigger—except for kolaches, which are about the size of one of those disposable plates from Dixie.
The small pastry is a fluffy cross between a doughnut and a Danish, yet it’s more coveted than the larger pastries. Its melt-in-your-mouth dough is tastier than a bowl of potatoes, and its buttery streusel topping is more impressive than the cowboy’s 1977 season.
As far as Texas concepts go, the kolache has as big a reputation as barbecued beef.
This fame, however, does not seem to extend beyond the state’s borders, as in much of the rest of the country the pastry (which is said to be as common in the area as bagels are in Manhattan) simply does not exist.
However, the Kolaches’ days of anonymity may be numbered, as Chris and Maryanne Certosimo have officially brought them to New Jersey.
And even though the couple’s Lone Star Bakeshop is hidden, I managed to find them.
We hope the pillowy treats go viral.
Texas Kolaches arrive in New Jersey
“We lived in Texas for 10 years,” said Maryanne Certosimo. “And every Sunday we would go to our local Kolach shop. Our kids were young then, but they would get up early and go to the 8 a.m. service because they knew that if we came any later, our favorite bakery would be sold out. That’s how we got them out of bed.”
Kolaches, Certosimo explained, are Czech baked goods that were brought to Texas from Europe generations ago. They are essentially doughnuts in size and texture, but look and taste similar to Danish doughnuts. They are made of fluffy yeast dough and a filling made from various ingredients.
Maryanne and her husband are the first to serve them in North Jersey.
“In Texas, kolache shops are as common as bagel shops,” Certosimo said. “But when we moved back to New Jersey, we couldn’t find a single one.”
“Then COVID came and we had a lot of free time,” Chris Certosimo interjected.
“ – So he decided to make them,” concluded Maryanne.
“It took me over a year to perfect the recipe,” said Chris.
When the kolaches reached optimal condition—an endeavor that dragged on due to the difficulty of “getting the pillowy texture”—the couple opened Lone Star Bakeshop.
Tasting of a unique regional pastry
Last week I headed west to Haskell to try Certosimo’s unique treats. Although I’ve been to Texas many times, I’d never had a kolache (although I’d heard of it). When I’m at a donut shop, I usually go for an apple fritter first before grabbing something fluffy and tender.
Just the prospect of trying the sweet cream version was reason enough to lure me in the door.
The prospect of posting it on Instagram added even more fuel to the fire.
I never claimed to be a light eater, so I’m sure no one was surprised when I ordered every kolache on the menu. Blueberry, cherry, apple, hazelnut and a hearty egg with cheese – if it was in the wrapper, it was in my to-go box.
I tried the sweet cream first.
As I sank my teeth into the freshly baked pastry, I noticed the outer ring of dough melting on my tongue. The high-gluten flour created an incredible airiness inside the kolache, causing each bite to melt before I had a chance to chew it thoroughly. Although the pastry looked like a doughnut, its texture was more like an Asian milk bun.
“The secret to the delicate texture of my kolashes,” said Chris Certosimo, “is the tangzhong baking method. In Japan, bakers use this technique to make Japanese milk bread.”
As a big fan of Asian pastries, I recognized the similarities between the two products.
I forgot about the bread, however, when I reached the creamy center of the pastry. Beneath a layer of sugar sprinkles, the filling tasted like a decadent cheesecake and added an irresistible richness to an otherwise light dish—and I absolutely loved it.
“I knew this flavor would be my favorite,” I told the Certosimos.
When I tried the blueberry, however, I had doubts (because I liked the way the crumbs sat on the fruit compote like crumbles on a cobbler).
How to Get Texas Kolaches in New Jersey
“We have a lot of repeat customers,” Maryanne said, “who all love the kolaches. Some come from Texas and say, ‘I never thought I’d find them here!’ and others tried them for the first time in our bakery. But everyone loves them, and we love making them.”
And if you’d like to try them, come to Lone Star before 10 a.m. Tuesday through Sunday.
Because, warns Maryanne, “Once we sell out, we sell out.”
Lone Star Bakeshop is located at 1185 Ringwood Ave. in Haskell. For more information about the bakery, visit lonestarbakeshopnj.com.
Kara VanDooijeweert is a food writer for NorthJersey.com and The Record. If you can’t find her at Jersey’s best restaurants, she’s probably racing at a mountain race track. Find her on Instagram: @karanicolev and @northjerseyeatsand sign up for their North Jersey Eats Newsletter.
