Poppy Seed Roll Recipe – Czech Makový závin - Cook Like Czechs (2024)

Do you love poppy seeds? If so, I've got an amazing recipe for you—a classic Old Bohemian poppy seed roll that's sure to delight anyone who tries it!

This is the revised version from 12/2023. You can find the original poppy seed roll recipe at this link.

➜ What is a Czech poppy seed roll?

This Czech poppy seed roll is a sweet bread made of yeast dough, generously filled with poppy seed filling, and rolled up into a loaf shape. Once baked, this roll is lightly dusted with powdered sugar and sliced into individual portions.

This delicacy is called "makový závin" or "makový štrúdl" in the Czech Republic.

Czech grandmothers used to bake these rolls at Christmas—not only poppy seed rolls but also nut rolls (ořechový závin) or a delicious apple strudel (jablečný štrúdl) made of stretched dough or puff pastry.

Sweet poppy seed bread rolls are also highly favored among our neighbors in Slovakia, where they're known as "maková štrúdla."

Meanwhile, in Poland, bordering the Czech Republic to the north, the poppy seed roll is called "makowiec." However, for us Czechs, there's a bit of a twist—the similar-sounding "makovec" refers to a poppy seed coffee cake topped with lemon icing, which can be a bit misleading.

Enough chatter—let's get baking!

➜ Ingredients

This recipe yields one loaf of poppyseed roll. You will find the precise measurements of the ingredients listed in the recipe card below.

Yeast roll dough ingredients:

• All-purpose flour
• Milk; warm but not hot
• Granulated sugar
• Unsalted butter; softened at room temperature. I let the butter warm up in the microwave for about 30 seconds, especially if I forget to take it out of the fridge on time.
• Active dry yeast
• Egg yolk; set aside the egg white for later, to brush the strudel roll before baking
• A pinch of salt; for a balanced flavor contrast

Poppyseed filling ingredients:

• Ground poppy seeds
• Milk
• Granulated sugar
• Vanilla paste; or vanilla essence
• Lemon zest; freshly grated
• Cinnamon; ground
• Raisins
• Spiced rum; e.g., Kirkland Costco (in the US) or Austrian Stroh 40/45

✅You’ll find the exact amount of ingredients below in the recipe card, which you can also print out.

Looking to enhance the aroma of your poppy seed filling? Try adding one or two ground cloves to it. In traditional Czech cookbooks, ground cloves were frequently used in poppy seed fillings for added fragrance.

Not having a spice grinder? Learn how to grind cloves and other dry spices by hand.

If you don't want to bother with preparing homemade poppy seed filling, you can opt for a store-bought variety, such as the Solo brand (in the US), as an alternative.

➜ How to make poppy seed roll

Making yeast dough:

Note: I process the yeast dough in a stand kitchen mixer fitted with a dough hook. If you have one in your kitchen, it's definitely worth using. You can also knead the dough manually with a wooden spoon, but that requires a certain level of experience and physical effort.

STEP 1/9: First, proof the yeast. Pour a teaspoon of sugar into warm milk, add active dry yeast, and stir. Let the yeast activate in a warm place; that means the yeast should be foamy on the surface. It all takes 10–15 minutes.

STEP 2/9: In the mixing bowl, pour in the flour, remaining sugar, yolk, and the activated yeast mixture with milk. Start the stand mixer at medium speed for about two minutes to roughly combine the ingredients. Then add the butter and salt, continuing to knead the dough—for about ten minutes—to achieve a very smooth and elastic texture.

STEP 3/9: Remove the finished dough from the dough hook, shape it into a ball, and place it in a bowl. Cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm spot until it doubles in size. This usually takes about an hour to two, depending on the surrounding conditions.

Midway through rising, it's beneficial to punch down the dough a few times with a spoon. This helps support its further rise.

Learn how to make the yeast dough rise in the oven.

Making poppy seed filling:

STEP 4/9: While the dough is rising, prepare the poppy seed filling. In a saucepan, heat milk with sugar; add the ground poppy seeds, cinnamon, lemon zest, and vanilla. Stir everything together. Reduce the heat and simmer for about ten minutes. Finally, add the rum. Let the filling cool on the kitchen counter.

As the poppy seed filling cools, it gradually thickens. If it seems runny, add a handful of ground-plain wafers.

My mom always adds a spoonful of cream of wheat (Czech krupička) when cooking the filling and lets it simmer for a few minutes. The cream of wheat ensures that the poppy seed filling thickens beautifully.

Crafting the poppy seed roll:

STEP 5/9: Turn out the raised dough onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a roughly rectangular shape, if possible. The size depends on the baking sheet—the roll should comfortably fit lengthwise on the sheet.

I baked the poppy seed roll on a 16x14-inch baking sheet and rolled out the dough to about 14x12 inches.

STEP 6/9: Spread the chilled poppy seed filling onto the rolled-out dough, leaving about an inch (2,5 cm) of space along the edges (photo 1). Fold the shorter sides over the filling first (photo 2), then roll the longer side towards the other edge (photo 3).

STEP 7/9: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the rolled strudel on it with the seam side down and let it rise in a warm place for another half an hour (the so-called second rise).

TIP: To secure the parchment paper onto the baking sheet, lightly grease the sheet in a few spots with butter or another fat. This helps the paper adhere to the sheet and stay in place.

STEP 8/9: Brush the raised roll with the reserved egg white from when you prepared the dough. I lightly beat the egg white with a fork to make it easier to brush. Egg wash gives your pastry that desired shiny crust after baking.

Use a fork to prick the surface of the roll to prevent it from cracking.

STEP 9/9: Preheat the oven to 350°F (170°C). Bake the roll for 30 minutes until the surface turns golden brown.

My favorite trick is to brush the freshly baked strudel with melted butter for a fragrant and beautifully soft result.

➜ How to serve

Let the pastry cool on the baking sheet, or carefully transfer it along with the parchment paper and let it cool on a metal rack. Once cooled, slice the roll 1 and ½ inches (4 cm) thick and serve. For those who enjoy a sweeter taste, dust it with powdered sugar—that's how the Czechs usually do it.

The poppy seed roll pairs wonderfully with a cup of coffee or tea, whether enjoyed during family gatherings or savored as a delightful breakfast treat.

Poppy seed rolls taste best when they are still slightly warm and fresh. I assure you, one piece won't be enough!

➜ How to store poppy seed roll

Cover the cooled roll with a clean kitchen towel and leave it on the countertop. This way, it will stay fresh for about three days. To extend its shelf life, store the roll in a lidded container in the refrigerator.

If you have any leftover rolls, freeze them. I recommend slicing the loaf into pieces (without dusting them with sugar on top), placing them in an airtight container or freezer bag, and storing them in the freezer. They will last for at least three months there.

To thaw, remove it from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. If the bread roll is sliced into pieces, thawing typically takes one to two hours.

➜ Useful tips

• Start making the poppy seed filling ahead of time. For the leavened dough, use filling that's brought to room temperature. Never too hot or too cold—avoid using filling straight out of the fridge, for instance.
• In the Czech Republic, you can already buy pre-ground poppy seeds. If you only have whole poppy seeds, put them in smaller batches into a food processor or a clean coffee grinder and pulse them quickly to grind. The texture of the ground poppy seeds should resemble fine wet sand. If you grind them for too long, they will turn into a dense, greasy mass—something you don't want.
• Raisins in the poppy seed filling are optional; if you don't like them, feel free to leave them out.
• Every Czech home baker prepares their poppy seed filling a little differently. A popular way to enhance its flavor and juiciness is by adding a spoonful of spicy jam or plum jam (Czech povidla, Slovak lekvár).

More poppy seed recipes:

• Škubánky s mákem – a Czech sweet treat
• Noodles with poppyseeds – nudle s mákem
• Puff pastry with poppyseed filling – kohoutí hřebeny
• Poppy seed bundt cake – Czech maková bábovka
• Bobalki – Slovak Christmas bread balls