Makowiec (Polish Poppy Seed Roll)

About This Recipe

Makowiec is a real, traditional Polish dish, known as Polish Poppy Seed Roll. A sweet yeasted bread rolled around a dense, dark poppy seed filling, sliced into swirled rounds for holidays.\n\nMakowiec is a traditional centerpiece of Polish Christmas and Easter tables, its dense poppy seed filling reflecting a Central European baking tradition that spread across Poland, Austria and neighboring countries.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Polish home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.

Ingredients

Serves 12

• 500 gall-purpose flour
• 80 gsugar
• 10 ginstant yeast
• 0.5 tspfine sea salt
• 200 mlwhole milk(lukewarm)
• 80 gbutter(melted)
• 2eggs
• 300 gground poppy seeds
• 150 mlwhole milk(for the filling)
• 100 gsugar(for the filling)
• 50 gbutter(for the filling)
• 50 graisins
• 30 gchopped walnuts
• 1egg(beaten, for egg wash)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the dough

   Mix flour, sugar, yeast and salt, add warm milk, melted butter and eggs, and knead for 8 minutes until smooth. Rise covered for 1 hour until doubled.

2. 2

   Make the filling

   Simmer ground poppy seeds with milk, sugar and butter for 10 minutes until thickened, then stir in raisins and walnuts and let cool.

3. 3

   Roll the dough

   Roll the risen dough into a large rectangle.

4. 4

   Fill and roll

   Spread the cooled poppy seed filling evenly over the dough, then roll tightly into a log from the long edge.

5. 5

   Rise again

   Place the log seam-side down on a lined tray, cover, and let rise for 30 minutes.

6. 6

   Bake

   Brush with beaten egg and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 35 to 40 minutes until deep golden brown; cool completely before slicing.

Variations

• •

  Add a spoonful of orange zest to the filling for a bright citrus note.

• •

  Some bakers swirl a thin layer of apricot jam into the filling for extra sweetness.

• •

  A version glazed with a simple powdered sugar icing is common for festive occasions.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.

Frequently Asked Questions