When I was serving for 18 months as a missionary in Washington, I would get asked all the time about cowboys and rodeos. People would talk to me about the oilfield, steaks, Tex-Mex food, Bluebell Ice Cream, and football; these are what people thought of when they heard I was from Texas. I get it too these are all super common things you see in every Texas town. There is one thing that every Texas town has, no matter how small it is, that nobody ever mentioned to me, kolaches and donuts.
I have lived all over America and traveled to many places, yet Texas is the only place I know of that has a Kolache/Donut shop in every town you visit. A Texas town is not complete without a Tex-Mex restaurant, a steakhouse, a BBQ, a taco truck, and a Kolache/Donut shop. This is why I decided to go on the hunt to find the best Kolaches that West Texas has to offer. Here is what we have found so far:
What Is A Kolache And Why Is It So Popular In Texas?
Funny story, Kolaches actually originated from Czechoslovakia. They are delicious breads centered and stuffed with sweet cheeses and fruits. They are delicious sweet treats! Well when the Czech immigrants began settling Texas they brought their treats with them. So what did Texas do with these treats….I mean what does Texas do with everything it gets? It takes it and makes it bigger and adds meat to it!
Texas started taking this bread and instead of stuffing the bread with sweets and fruits it stuffed it with cheeses, sausages, and of course jalapenos! Instead of a sweet treat it has become a warm meal! Texas then became hooked with these kolaches and now you can’t live in Texas and be more than an hour away from some sort of Kolache shop!
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Our Favorite Kolaches In West Texas:
Fat Jacks
I am not joking if you eat a Kolache at Fat Jacks you will never be able to eat a kolache anywhere else! This tiny little blue house is located in Odessa, Texas. It is super small and you would never even know it was there unless you were looking for it, but it is one of my favorite places to eat in Odessa! You have to get here super early or all of the kolaches will get sold out, that is how good they are! The bread is so soft and just melts in your mouth and compliments the sausage so well.
What we loved about Fat Jacks was not just how great their regular kolaches are, but we loved the variety they offer! I mean they had a kolache stuffed with mac n cheese, a chorizo kolache, a taco one, and so many other kinds. Most places have just the plain sausage and bread, but Fat Jacks takes a kolache above and beyond and it will blow your taste buds out of this world!
Location: 309 W Yukon Rd, Odessa, TX 79764
Donut Hut & Grub
Like most Kolache/Donut shops you drive up to this joint and think it’s a little hole in the wall, but I am telling you the kolaches here are amazing! They coat their soft bread with a slight sweet flavor and it compliments the sausage so perfect. I honestly wish I could just buy a loaf of the bread that they cook around their sausage. It is so good!
Location: 411 N Main St, Andrews, TX 79714
Bakers Dozen Donuts
This tiny donut shop was unique because the donut case was lined with about a 100 bobbleheads. It was so fun to look at all the different bobble heads! I don’t know the purpose of them, but it was kind of a fun, quirky feature to this shop.
The kolaches here were pretty standard. I got a sausage cheese kolache and it was good. The bread was soft and braided over the sausage which was unique and made the kolache more pretty in appearance. The only downside is there was no added cheese to the kolache, it was just what was in the sausage already.
Location: 801 N 5th St, Alpine, TX 79830
Honey Donuts
The breading around the sausage at Honey Donuts was so soft. SO so soft! It was so good, but because the bread was so soft it almost felt like there wasn’t enough bread! But the sausage and cheese inside had such a good flavor that it still tasted great. Just wish there was more bread to it.
You can’t miss this shop though cause it is green, bright green! Haha! Just walk in and you will see what I’m talking about!
Location: 4201 N Dixie Blvd, Odessa, TX 79762
Shipleys Do-Nuts
You can’t get a more southern donut chain that Shipley’s Do-Nuts. We love their donuts especially the Bavarian donut! Oh my mouth is watering just thinking of that delicious cream stuffed donut! We aren’t here to talk about donuts though, we are talking about kolaches.
Their kolaches had the true Texas look cause they were huge! My 2 year old could put it next to his head and the kolache was bigger! The sausage had an odd taste to it, but it was still a really good kolache. Best part was that one could fill you up with how big they were!
The reason we love Shipleys Do-Nuts is also how fun they make each of their shops! There is always some cute donut themed decoration that makes it stick out! Our favorite location is in Odessa, Texas. They have a mural of an oil rig spewing out not oil, but donuts. Instead of liquid gold its frosted gold!
Location: 5210 W Wadley Ave, Midland, TX 79707 & 2201 W Wall St, Midland, TX 79701
Andrews Donuts
Okay I can’t not bring up their donuts cause Andrews Donuts have an amazing Bear Claw! The donuts breading is so soft and fresh, but the apple pie filling is so good! I bought one for my son and may have snuck a couple bites while he wasn’t looking cause it was that good!
The kolaches were good as well. The bread was more a bland bread taste and slightly dry, but the sausage was delicious. Don’t let the appearance of this shop scare you off, like I said their donuts are incredible!
Location: 104 NE Ave B, Andrews, TX 79714
Jack N Jills
This common chain is found all over West Texas. Their kolaches are pretty original and cooked more in a roll than a bread. Regardless of the lack of originality, these kolaches are still a great stop in the morning for a warm breakfast. Our favorite part about Jack N Jills is how affordable they are!
Location: 2100 W Wall St, Midland, TX 79701
Other Fun Things To Do In West Texas:
Find all the painted boots in Pecos, Texas!
Walk to the Spring of Big Spring, Texas!
Watch Prairie Dogs in Lubbock, Texas!
Swim in Andrews, Texas at the Aquatic Center!
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Wow! I need a kolache now!!!