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2 hours 20 minutes
4.52 from 27 votes

Poppy Seed Roll

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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

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.

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

Ingredients

Keep scrolling down to the recipe card for full ingredient amounts and instructions, or click the Jump To Recipe button at the top.

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.
process shots showing how to make a poppy seed roll

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

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

Poppy Seed Roll

4.52 from 27 votes
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Rising Time: 1 hr 15 mins
Total: 2 hrs 20 mins
Author: Joanna Cismaru
Serves: 16
Print Pin Rate
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.

Equipment

Ingredients

Dough

  • 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp active dry yeast
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup milk , heated to 110 F
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg beaten (for egg wash)

Poppy Seed Filling

  • 1 cup poppy seeds
  • 1/3 cup boiling water
  • 1/4 cup ground almonds
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest
  • 1 tbsp orange zest
US Customary – Metric

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.

Recipe 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%)
Course:Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine:Polish
Keyword:poppy seed roll
Tried this recipe? Rate it belowtag @jocooks on instagram and hashtag it #jocooks!

Recipe source Jenny Can Cook

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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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Comments

  1. Lisa says

    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.

    Reply

  2. Jane Keefe says

    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.

    Reply

  3. David Barnabo says

    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.

    Reply

  7. Theresa Mierzwa Roke says

    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.)

    Reply

  8. Oksana says

    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.

    Reply

  10. Danna O'Donnell says

    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.

    Reply

  12. Valerie says

    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….

    Reply

  14. Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says

    This reminds me of the time we spent in Eastern Ukraine several years ago. We were having coffee and a poppy seed roll in a cafe. In the center of the cafe was a country marker showing that in years prior, one side of the cafe was in Poland. Everywhere we visited in Lviv had poppy seeds in nearly everything. I learned to love these pastries and can’t wait to try yours.

    Reply

  15. Helene says

    When I was a kid, 7/8 years old, my Mom would send me to the bakery to get the ground poppyseed I would get on my bike and ride about 10 blocks to get there. My Mom did not drive. This is my favorite kolach, the Slovak term for this roll. There is only one change I would make and that would be to increase the poppyseed filling by half. That’s how much I like this. Thank you for the recipe.

    Reply

  17. Cathy says

    My Mom used to make this – it is soooo good. It is great with a cup of tea or coffee.
    Thank you for the recipe and the reminder!

    Reply
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