Poppy Seed Polish Makowiec

Written by
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek is a former chef who became a cooking school instructor and award-winning food writer.
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Barbara Rolek
Updated 02/03/21
Poppy Seed Polish Makowiec

The Spruce / Julia Estrada
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 60 mins
Proving : 105 mins
Total: 3 hrs
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
10960 Calories
557g Fat
1,283g Carbs
248g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories 10960
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 557g 714%
Saturated Fat 241g 1,207%
Cholesterol 1835mg 612%
Sodium 5532mg 241%
Total Carbohydrate 1283g 467%
Dietary Fiber 118g 422%
Total Sugars 380g
Protein 248g
Vitamin C 17mg 86%
Calcium 7855mg 604%
Iron 96mg 532%
Potassium 6017mg 128%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

A symbol of wealth and prosperity, poppy seeds are largely used in Eastern European baking because their consumption is associated with a bright future. Many recipes feature these tiny seeds, but Polish makowiec is one of the most famous and beautiful to look at when sliced. Its yeasted dough is filled with a sweet poppy seed spread and rolled for baking, so a pretty black and white swirl results when cutting the pastry.

Made during the holidays and found everywhere in Poland, makowiec is a family tradition. Each household has a favorite recipe. In general, the flavor shouldn't be overly sweet, but some add apricot, raisins, honey, or fruit peel. It's usually eaten as a snack with a cup of coffee or tea. Beyond being tasty, poppy seeds have great levels of thiamin, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, and zinc.

The traditional recipe calls for poppy seeds ground from scratch. There are manual poppy and grain seed mills that will do the trick, but instead, use a clean electric coffee grinder or buy one labeled for grinding spices, nuts, and coffee. A food processor is also a good alternative, as are a mortar and pestle, even if they require a lot more physical effort. For convenience, use poppy seed paste, available in the baking or international aisle of most supermarkets. For this recipe, you'll need 25 ounces of poppy seed filling.

Ingredients

For the Poppy Seed Filling:

  • 1 pound poppy seeds (or 25 ounces os poppy seed filling)

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 3/4 cup butter (softened)

  • 1 cup milk (hot)

  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest

For the Dough:

  • 1 packet dry active yeast

  • 2 cups milk (warm; divided)

  • 8 cups all-purpose flour

  • 3/4 cup sugar

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 5 large eggs (room temperature)

  • 1 cup butter (melted; divided)

For Serving:

  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar, optional

Steps to Make It

Note: while there are multiple steps to this recipe, this poppy seed roll recipe is broken down into workable categories to help you better plan for preparation and cooking.

Make the Poppy Seed Filling

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    poppy seed filling ingredients

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  2. If grinding the seeds from scratch, place half of the poppy seeds in a coffee, seed, or spice grinder or in your food processor, without overcrowding. Process until the seeds have released some of their oil; pulse at high speed a few times. Repeat the process until all of the poppy seeds have been processed. Reserve.

    poppy seeds in a food processor

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  3. In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, butter, milk, and lemon zest. Beat well.

    In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, butter, milk, and lemon zest

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  4. Add the ground poppy seeds to the butter mixture, stir well to combine, and set aside.

    Add the ground poppy seeds to the butter mixture

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

Make the Dough

  1. Gather the dough ingredients.

    poppy seed roll dough ingredients

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  2. In a small heatproof bowl, dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup of the warm milk.

    dissolve the yeast in warm milk

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer or another large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, eggs, the remaining 1 1/2 cups of warm milk, 1/2 cup of melted butter, and the yeast mixture.

    combine the flour, sugar, salt, eggs, the remaining warm milk, melted butter, and the yeast mixture

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  4. With the paddle attachment, or by hand, beat until smooth. The dough should be sticky at this point.

    dough in the bowl of a stand mixer

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  5. Scrape the dough into a clean greased bowl. Sprinkle the top with a little flour and cover. Let stand in a warm place for 1 hour or until double in size.

    doug in a bowl, covered with a towel

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

Shape the Rolls and Bake

  1. Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a floured surface. Prepare two baking trays, layering them with parchment paper or a silicon mat.

    dough on a floured surface

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  2. Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a rectangle.

    Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a rectangle

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  3. Spread half of the filling onto one of the rectangles.

    Spread half of the filling onto one of the dough rectangles

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  4. Roll the rectangle up like a jelly roll.

    Roll the rectangle up like a jelly roll

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  5. Tuck the ends of the roll under so the filling will not leak out. Repeat with other dough and remaining filling to create two rolls.

    Tuck the ends of the roll under so the filling will not leak out

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  6. Place the rolls on the prepared trays. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise again until double in size.

    Place the roll on a prepared tray

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  7. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Brush the tops of the rolls with the remaining melted butter.

    Brush the tops of the roll with melted butter

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  8. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until rolls are golden brown. Remove the rolls from the oven and cool.

    baked poppy seed roll on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  9. Dust rolls with powdered sugar, if desired. Cut the rolls into 1/2-inch slices and serve.

    Poppy Seed Polish Makowiec, with powdered sugar on top

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada
Article Sources
The Spruce Eats uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. Poppy, Seeds. FoodData Central.