Polish National Dishes

Makowiec: Polish Poppy Seed Roll with Honey and Raisins

Makowiec is a Polish yeast cake rolled around a rich, finely ground poppy seed filling. This version folds honey, raisins, walnuts and candied orange peel into the filling, then finishes the cooled loaf with a thin lemon glaze. The dough needs time to rise, but the steps are straightforward and the finished roll slices neatly once fully cool.

Polish National Dishes
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A long glazed makowiec with two cut slices on a white platter, revealing its dark poppy filling spiral.
Yield 1 large roll, cut into 16 slices of about 105 g each
Active preparation 45 minutes
Baking 40 minutes
Proofing, resting and cooling 120 minutes
Ingredients ↓
About makowiec

Makowiec: Polish Poppy Seed Roll with Honey and Raisins

Makowiec is a familiar Polish poppy seed cake, often shaped as a yeast-raised roll with a generous dark filling. Polish culinary accounts describe the yeast roll as one common form while also recording regional differences in shape and filling. This recipe uses that practical roll style rather than claiming a single universal formula.

The filling combines food-grade poppy seeds with milk, honey, butter, raisins, walnuts and candied orange peel. Grinding the cooked seeds twice, or processing them to a thick paste, helps the filling hold together when sliced. The result should be rich and moist without being runny. Lemon glaze adds a light citrus finish, while the orange peel echoes the filling.

Makowiec is often associated with festive tables, including Christmas and Easter, but it is not limited to one holiday. Makowiec lubartowski is a distinct regional variation from Lubelskie; this home-baking recipe is a general roll rather than that specific style. Serve it with coffee or tea, or cut thinner slices for a dessert platter.

Tips for success

Tips for success

  • Keep the milk lukewarm, not hot, so the dough rises reliably and the yeast stays active.
  • Cool the poppy mixture fully before adding the egg white; a hot filling can loosen it and start cooking the egg.
  • Grind the seeds after cooking. A thick paste binds the filling and gives clean spirals in the slices.
  • Leave the 2 cm border and place the sealed seam underneath so the filling is less likely to escape.
  • Cool the loaf completely before glazing or slicing; warm filling can smear and the roll may crumble.
Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 500 g strong white wheat flour
  • 7 g instant yeast
  • 60 g granulated sugar
  • 5 g fine salt
  • 200 ml milk, lukewarm
  • 1 l arge egg, about 50 g without shell
  • 1 egg yolk, about 18 g
  • 80 g unsalted butter, softened
  • 5 g finely grated orange zest
  • 300 g food-grade blue poppy seeds
  • 150 ml whole milk
  • 80 g honey
  • 60 g unsalted butter
  • 80 g raisins
  • 60 g walnuts, finely chopped
  • 30 g candied orange peel, finely chopped
  • 1 egg white, about 30 g
  • 5 ml vanilla extract
  • 0.5 g ground cinnamon
  • 1 egg yolk, about 18 g
  • 15 ml milk
  • 100 g icing sugar
  • 15 ml lemon juice
  • Up to 10 ml water, as needed
Method

Method

Directions

  1. Mix the dough.Warm 200 ml milk until lukewarm, about 32–38 °C. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, instant yeast, sugar, salt and orange zest. Add the milk, whole egg, one yolk and softened butter. Knead by hand or with a dough hook for 8–10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.

  2. Let it rise.Cover the bowl and leave the dough in a warm, draft-free place until visibly doubled, about 50–60 minutes. It should spring back slowly when pressed with a floured fingertip.

  3. Cook and grind the poppy seeds.While the dough rises, put the poppy seeds and 150 ml milk in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring often, and cook for 10–12 minutes, until tender and most of the milk is absorbed. Cool completely, drain any excess liquid and grind twice, or process to a thick paste with a little texture.

  4. Finish the filling.Stir the honey, 60 g butter, raisins, walnuts, candied orange peel, vanilla and cinnamon into the ground poppy seeds. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, then fold in the egg white. The filling should hold a soft ridge when stirred; if it looks loose, chill it briefly before shaping.

  5. Fill and shape.Line a large tray with parchment. Roll the risen dough into a rectangle about 35 × 45 cm. Spread the filling evenly, leaving a 2 cm border. Roll it up from a long edge, seal the seam and ends, and place seam-side down on the tray. Cover loosely and rest for 20 minutes.

  6. Brush and bake.Heat the oven to 180 °C conventional or 170 °C fan. Beat the remaining egg yolk with 15 ml milk and brush it over the roll. Bake for 35–40 minutes, until deeply golden and the center reaches at least 71.1 °C. If the crust browns too quickly, cover it loosely with foil for the final part of baking.

  7. Cool and glaze.Cool the roll on the tray for 10 minutes, then move it to a wire rack for at least 40 minutes. Stir the icing sugar with the lemon juice; add up to 10 ml water a little at a time until the glaze falls in a thick ribbon. Drizzle over the fully cooled roll and let it set before cutting into 16 slices.

Tips for success

Practical

Tips for success

Keep the milk lukewarm, not hot, so the dough rises reliably and the yeast stays active.

Tips for success

Cool the poppy mixture fully before adding the egg white; a hot filling can loosen it and start cooking the egg.

Tips for success

Grind the seeds after cooking. A thick paste binds the filling and gives clean spirals in the slices.

Tips for success

Leave the 2 cm border and place the sealed seam underneath so the filling is less likely to escape.

Tips for success

Cool the loaf completely before glazing or slicing; warm filling can smear and the roll may crumble.

Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting

  • The filling leaksit may have been too warm or loose. Cool it fully and drain excess milk before grinding; seal the roll carefully.
  • The dough tears while rollingcover it and rest for 10 minutes so it relaxes, then continue gently.
  • The center looks underbakedreturn the roll to the oven and check again with a thermometer; the center should reach at least 71.1 °C.
  • The roll crumbles when slicedit may still be warm. Let it cool completely and use a serrated knife with a gentle sawing motion.
Nutrition per slice

Nutrition per slice

  • Approximate values for one-sixteenth of the complete roll, including the lemon glaze: 410 kcal, 48 g carbohydrates, 9 g protein, 19 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 5 g fibre and 200 mg sodium. Values are rounded estimates based on generic ingredient data; flour, poppy seeds, dairy brands, glaze use and slice size change the result. This is not a laboratory analysis.
Allergens and food safety

Allergens and food safety

Serving, storage and make-ahead: Serve at room temperature in slices with coffee or tea. For a festive dessert platter, cut thinner pieces and offer fruit alongside. The loaf is easiest to slice with a serrated knife after the glaze has set.

Serving, storage and make-ahead: Make the poppy filling up to one day ahead and refrigerate it covered; bring it back to room temperature before spreading. The shaped, unbaked roll can be refrigerated overnight, covered, then left at room temperature until slightly puffy before baking. Refrigerate leftover cake in a covered container at or below 4 °C within two hours and use within 3–4 days. Freeze unglazed slices, well wrapped, for up to two months for best quality; thaw before glazing. This is a cake, not a dish to reheat.

Serving, storage and make-ahead: For a nut-free variation, omit the walnuts and add the same weight of extra raisins; the texture will be softer and the recipe still contains wheat, milk and egg. Candied orange peel can be left out for a simpler filling. Do not add extra liquid to compensate.

Contains wheat/gluten, milk, egg and walnuts (tree nuts). Use food-grade poppy seeds from a reputable food supplier. Wash hands and equipment after handling raw flour and eggs, and do not taste uncooked dough or filling. Bake until the center reaches at least 71.1 °C. Cool on a clean rack; refrigerate covered leftovers at or below 4 °C within two hours and use within 3–4 days.

Let the baked roll cool completely before wrapping it so condensation does not soften the crust.

Keep refrigerated leftovers covered and separate from raw foods.

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