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4.5 from 35 votes

Poppy Seed Roll

Jump to RecipePrintRate
By: Joanna Cismaru •8/30/22 34 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

This Poppy Seed Roll recipe is a traditional treat that is just as wonderful to eat as it is to look at. While this beautiful roll looks like a feat of a professional baker, it is so simple to make at home on your own.

a sliced poppy seed roll on a cutting board
Table of Contents Open
  • The Best Poppy Seed Roll Recipe
  • Ingredients You’ll Need
    • For the dough:
    • For the filling:
  • How To Make A Poppy Seed Roll
  • Other toppings
  • Tips for making the best dough
  • How to store
  • How to freeze
  • Looking to Make Some More Homemade Breads? Try These!
  • Poppy Seed Roll
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Equipment
    • Notes
    • Nutrition Information
  • Did You Make This?

The Best Poppy Seed Roll Recipe

This is a classic treat you’ll always see on the table at my house for holidays like Easter! I always end up making extra for my family members to take home. It’s just that good. Here we have a soft and fluffy bread dough, sweetened just slightly, all wrapped around a poppyseed filling spiked with fresh citrus zest. To die for!

I know it can be intimidating to conquer yeast doughs. In this post I have nice and detailed instructions and some of my favorite tips and tricks to give you the best possible poppy seed roll. You’ll be a pro in no time.

Ingredients You’ll Need

overhead shot of all ingredients needed to make a poppy seed roll

For the dough:

  • Flour – I used all-purpose flour.
  • Active dry yeast – Instant yeast will also work the only difference is that instant yeast doesn’t need to be activated in warm water, you can just add it with the rest of the ingredients.
  • Sugar – This roll is meant to be a bit sweet. You can use a bit less sugar, but I wouldn’t take it out completely.
  • Salt – Salt in baking is a must, it brings out all the flavors.
  • Milk – Any type of milk, skim to whole, will work. Make sure it’s lukewarm, usually I just microwave it for 1 minute.
  • Vegetable oil – Such as canola or safflower oil.
  • Eggs – We’ll be using one egg for the dough, and the other for an egg wash to give your loaf a nice shine.
  • Turbinado sugar – This is a type of sugar with large crystals. You’ve probably seen it sprinkled onto pastries to give them that nice sugary crunch on top. This ingredient is optional, I’ve made it with or without.

For the filling:

  • Poppy seeds – This is the most important ingredient! If you already have poppy seeds in the pantry but you aren’t sure how old they are, double check them to make sure they haven’t gone stale.
  • Water – It’ll need to be boiling, fresh from the kettle.
  • Almonds – Ground. You can buy them pre-ground or do it yourself in a food processor.
  • Sugar – Regular granulated sugar.
  • Vanilla extract – Vanilla paste or fresh vanilla bean will also work.
  • Zest – I used lemon and orange zest. Don’t skip on this part! The zest will take your poppy seed roll to the next level.

How To Make A Poppy Seed Roll

process shots showing how to make a poppy seed roll
  1. Make the poppy seed filling: Use a spice grinder or a food processor to pulse the poppy seeds for about 30 seconds. You can do this in batches if needed, but I added them all at once. Add the seeds to a medium bowl, then the boiling water along with the rest of the filling ingredients. Mix well and set aside to cool.
  2. Make the dough: In the bowl of your mixer, add the warm milk, then sprinkle the yeast over the milk. Give it about 5 to 10 minutes for the yeast to bloom, then add the flour, yeast, sugar, salt, milk, oil, and egg to the bowl, and mix for a few minutes to combine the ingredients. Let the hook knead the ingredients, adding a bit of extra flour if the dough it too sticky, until the ball of dough comes clean off the sides of the bowl.
  3. Let the dough rise: Cover the bowl with the dough with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm environment for 30 minutes to an hour or until doubled in size. Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  4. Fill the dough: Roll the dough to a 14″x16″ rectangle. Spread the filling, leaving about a 1/2″ border of dough on the edges. Roll the dough starting at the 14″ end. Pinch the edges and tuck the ends under the roll to seal the filling inside. Place the roll on the prepared baking sheet and rise for another 30 minutes to 1 hour or until doubled in size.
  5. Bake the roll: Preheat the oven to 350F. Brush the roll with egg wash and sprinkle turbinado sugar, if preferred, over top. Bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
a poppy seed roll cut in half and stacked on a poppy seed roll

Other toppings

An egg wash and a bit of turbinado sugar is my preferred topping. That is just my preference! I’ll give you a few ideas for different and delicious ways you can top your roll:

  • Honey butter generously brushed over after baking.
  • Simple glaze made from icing sugar and milk or lemon juice, drizzled over once the rolls has cooled.
  • Poppy seeds instead of turbinado sugar.

Tips for making the best dough

  • Test your yeast! Haven’t used it in a while? Mix the yeast with the warm milk and a tsp of sugar. If it foams up, it’s good to pour into the mixer. Nothing happening? Your yeast is dead and you need a new jar.
  • Store your yeast in the freezer to help it last longer.
  • Let the dough knead long enough. We want a solid gluten formation to give you that fluffy and chewy result. Knead the dough until it’s soft, smooth, and elastic.
  • Warm your oven to the lowest heat setting, then turn it off. This creates the perfect warm environment for your dough to rise.
overhead shot of sliced of poppy seed roll on a cutting board

How to store

Wrap the roll well with plastic wrap or store it in a sealable container if you have one large enough. You want to make sure this gorgeous roll doesn’t dry out! It’ll last 3-4 days at room temperature.

I suggest leaving it whole and slicing off pieces as you enjoy this roll rather than pre-slicing it. This will help ensure the bread doesn’t dry out and will keep that perfect soft texture.

How to freeze

Let the roll cool down completely to room temperature before freezing it. Wrap it well with plastic first, then a layer of foil, and finally in a large freezer bag. Freezer burn, who? Let the roll cool down completely to room temperature before slicing and serving it.

Alternatively, if you want just a few slices at a time, you can pre-slice the loaf in this circumstance. Wrap each slice well with both plastic wrap and foil. Store the slices in a freezer bag and take them out as you need.

a poppy seed roll on a cutting board

Looking to Make Some More Homemade Breads? Try These!

  • White Bread Recipe
  • Walnut Roll (Cozonac cu Nuca)
  • Finnish Cardamom Rolls
  • Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
  • Potato Bread
  • Pasca – Romanian Easter Bread
  • Cinnamon Bread
  • Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
  • Easter Bread

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

front shot of sliced poppy seed roll with the beautiful swirls exposed
Print
4.49 from 35 votes

Poppy Seed Roll

Prep 30 minutes
Rising Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Cook 35 minutes
Total 2 hours 20 minutes
Rate Recipe
This Poppy Seed Roll recipe is a traditional treat that is just as wonderful to eat as it is to look at. While this beautiful roll looks like a feat of a professional baker, it is so simple to make at home on your own.
16

Ingredients

Dough

  • 2¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoon active dry yeast
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup milk (, heated to 110 F)
  • 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg beaten ((for egg wash))

Poppy Seed Filling

  • 1 cup poppy seeds
  • ⅓ cup boiling water
  • ¼ cup ground almonds
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

Instructions 

  • Make the poppy seed filling: Use a spice grinder or a food processor to pulse the poppy seeds for about 30 seconds. You can do this in batches if needed, but I added them all at once. Add the seeds to a medium bowl, then the boiling water along with the rest of the filling ingredients. Mix well and set aside to cool.
  • Make the dough: In the bowl of your mixer, add the warm milk, then sprinkle the yeast over the milk. Give it about 5 to 10 minutes for the yeast to bloom, then add the flour, yeast, sugar, salt, milk, oil, and egg to the bowl, and mix for a few minutes to combine the ingredients. Let the hook knead the ingredients, adding a bit of extra flour if the dough it too sticky, until the ball of dough comes clean off the sides of the bowl.
  • Let the dough rise: Cover the bowl with the dough with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm environment for 30 minutes to an hour or until doubled in size. Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Fill the dough: Roll the dough to a 14"x16" rectangle. Spread the filling, leaving about a 1/2" border of dough on the edges. Roll the dough starting at the 14" end. Pinch the edges and tuck the ends under the roll to seal the filling inside. Place the roll on the prepared baking sheet and rise for another 30 minutes to 1 hour or until doubled in size.
  • Bake the roll: Preheat the oven to 350F. Brush the roll with egg wash and sprinkle turbinado sugar, if preferred, over top. Bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.

Equipment

  • KitchenAid Classic 4.5 Quart Stand Mixer
  • Aluminum Baking Sheet (2 pack)
  • Basting and Pastry Brush
  • Black Cooling Rack

Notes

  1. Wrap the roll well with plastic wrap or store it in a sealable container if you have one large enough. You want to make sure this gorgeous roll doesn’t dry out! It’ll last 3-4 days at room temperature.
  2. I suggest leaving it whole and slicing off pieces as you enjoy this roll rather than pre-slicing it. This will help ensure the bread doesn’t dry out and will keep that perfect soft texture.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 177kcal (9%)Carbohydrates: 26g (9%)Protein: 5g (10%)Fat: 6g (9%)Saturated Fat: 2g (13%)Cholesterol: 22mg (7%)Sodium: 90mg (4%)Potassium: 96mg (3%)Fiber: 2g (8%)Sugar: 10g (11%)Vitamin A: 54IU (1%)Vitamin C: 1mg (1%)Calcium: 116mg (12%)Iron: 2mg (11%)
© Author Joanna Cismaru

Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.

front shot of sliced poppy seed roll with the beautiful swirls exposed

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Joanna Cismaru

Joanna Cismaru

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

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34 Comments
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AlisaFrost
AlisaFrost
Posted: 2 years ago

Great recipe. This dessert associate my childhood times when I ate it every time when I’m coming to my granny. Now I will try to make it at home for my children

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  AlisaFrost
Posted: 2 years ago

You’ll love it!

0
Reply
melissa kamber
melissa kamber
Posted: 2 years ago

I love this recipe! I also made another recipe of yours ! I can’t wait till tomorrow Christmas Eve to share this roll with family and friends !

0
Reply
Lisa
Lisa
Posted: 3 years ago

5 stars
We make this every year for the holidays. Hubby the school bus driver has to remind everyone eatting poppy seeds that they will show on a drug test lol. Poppy seed rolls were a tradition in his family and we love them now too.

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Lisa
Posted: 3 years ago

Ha! Did not know that. 🙂

0
Reply
Jane Keefe
Jane Keefe
Posted: 3 years ago

Thanks for sharing this recipe, Jo! I’m using it with leftover Solo poppy seed filling, which is presweetened. I used most of it for kolacky and didn’t want to waste the rest.

0
Reply
David Barnabo
David Barnabo
Posted: 3 years ago

5 stars
Dough was easy to make. Turned out great. I used one can of poppy seed filling. It worked well. Will use this recipe again. I will try to make another one tomorrow. Use raspberry filling instead of poppy seed.

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  David Barnabo
Posted: 3 years ago

Oh I love the idea of a raspberry filling! Glad it turned out for you!

0
Reply
Doreen
Doreen
Posted: 4 years ago

I have a question! I made the poppy seed filing without washing them and it was very bitter. Why?

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Doreen
Posted: 4 years ago

Bitterness in poppy seeds is a known problem, especially with the ground ones, due to their high oil content. Store them in the freezer, like nuts, to keep them from going rancid.

0
Reply
Doreen
Doreen
Reply to  Joanna Cismaru
Posted: 4 years ago

I’ve read some people wash them to get rid of the bitterness

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Doreen
Posted: 4 years ago

Interesting, I’ve never washed mine.

0
Reply
Katy
Katy
Posted: 4 years ago

5 stars
Great recipe. I made it tonight. It is light and the flavors are perfect.

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Katy
Posted: 4 years ago

That’s awesome, happy you liked the roll!

0
Reply
Lanne Wilkinson
Lanne Wilkinson
Posted: 5 years ago

5 stars
Beautiful breads!!! Great work.

0
Reply
Theresa Mierzwa Roke
Theresa Mierzwa Roke
Posted: 5 years ago

I’m 100% Polish and my mom was a fantastic cook and baker. Poppyseed loaves were traditional at Easter and Christmas-she would make dozens of full-size loaves. It’s been so long since I’ve looked at her recipes, but I was lucky enough to enjoy spending time with her in the kitchen. I close my eyes and see exactly how she prepared the filling- melted butter in a huge pan (I still have it!), ground poppyseed stirred in with sugar and applesauce (for moistness) with an old wooden spoon. Everyone who visited left with a loaf of poppyseed or walnut. Now I want to make it for Easter and teach my granddaughter what her great-grandmother taught me! (I was also lucky that my mom had a notebook full of hand-written recipes in her beautiful penmanship-I’ve made copies for both my daughters.)

0
Reply
Oksana
Oksana
Posted: 6 years ago

5 stars
This is by far the best poppyseed bread I’ve ever had. It’s so easy to make too. I have tried other fillings like apricot, raspberry and cherry. That gives it a completely different bread. It’s a softer and lighter bread. I always make two breads. One poppyseed and one with a Solo filling. Thank you for the delicious recipe.

0
Reply
Louise Brownell
Louise Brownell
Posted: 6 years ago

4 stars
Made tonight still baking ! Will let you know how it comes out,so far so good easy!!!!

0
Reply
Danna O'Donnell
Danna O'Donnell
Posted: 6 years ago

3 stars
Baked this the other day and it was good. I liked the size of the recipe. I didn’t like that the yeast was not dissolved first. I found it a little bumpy on rolling out. After it was baked it was fine. I think I prefer a richer dough for this though and will be trying a recipe with butter and more egg in it today. I used a small canned poppy seed filling which worked well.

0
Reply
Zorana
Zorana
Posted: 7 years ago

Hi there,
First to say your recipes are awesome!
Here is link for Serbian (Serbia, Europe)version- Strudla sa makom http://www.coolinarika.com/recept/771480/.
There is also a version with walnuts.Raisins are must in both of them.
Woudl like your comment when you try it!
best regards

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Zorana
Posted: 7 years ago

Absolutely I love strudels!

0
Reply
Alexander Jasczyk
Alexander Jasczyk
Reply to  Joanna Cismaru
Posted: 6 years ago

5 stars
my 10 year old grandson made your poppy seed roll for his schools international food day, his mother sent me a photo of it….wow what a success….his first baking experience

just printed off your recipe so my wife can bake one for me

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Alexander Jasczyk
Posted: 6 years ago

That’s wonderful! Glad it worked out for him. 🙂

0
Reply
Valerie
Valerie
Posted: 7 years ago

hi…OMG….the same poppy seed roll my grandma would make us every summer…do you grind the poppy seeds before you make the rugelach
can’t rate it until I make it , but it sure looks like it….

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Valerie
Posted: 7 years ago

For the poppy seed roll yeah I ground the poppy seed, but for the rugelach I didn’t.

0
Reply
Senika @ Foodie Blog Stalker
Senika @ Foodie Blog Stalker
Posted: 7 years ago

This bread is absolutely gorgeous! I’ve never heard of it before! I definitely want to curl up on the couch with Jurassic Park and this Poppy Seed Roll!

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Senika @ Foodie Blog Stalker
Posted: 7 years ago

OMG I can’t believe you’ve never heard of Poppy seed roll before, you must try it!!!

0
Reply

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Hey there!

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

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