Poppy Seed Roll "Makivnyk"
The spiral poppy-seed roll of Christmas and Easter — soft enriched dough wound around a thick honeyed poppy-seed filling. Cut into pinwheels, it is the pride of the holiday table.
Why you'll love this recipe
- An old world recipe, made the way it always was
- Not one spoon of refined sugar
- Sweetened with real honey
- Makes enough for 12
- Advanced, with clear steps and nothing fussy
What you'll need
Everything here is a real ingredient you can find in a normal shop. Nothing artificial, no powders pretending to be sugar. Here is the full list, with the quantities I actually use.
- 3 cups (360 g) bread flour
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) warm milk
- 2 1/4 tsp yeast
- 3 tbsp honey, 3 tbsp butter, 1 egg, 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups (225 g) poppy seeds
- 1 cup boiling water (to soak)
- 1/3 cup (110 g) honey
- 1/3 cup raisins, zest of 1 lemon, 1 egg white
What goes into Poppy Seed Roll "Makivnyk"
This one comes together in two parts, each doing its own job:
- Dough. Built from 3 cups (360 g) bread flour and a few others.
- Poppy filling. Built from 1 1/2 cups (225 g) poppy seeds and a few others.
How to make it
Foam yeast with 1 tsp honey in warm milk. Mix in honey, butter, egg, salt and flour; knead to a soft dough. Rise 1 hour.
Soak poppy seeds in boiling water 30 min; drain well and grind. Mix with honey, raisins, lemon zest and egg white.
Roll the dough into a large rectangle; spread the filling to the edges.
Roll up tightly from the long side; place seam-down on a lined tray. Rise 30 minutes.
Brush with egg; bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30–40 minutes until deep golden. Cool before slicing into spirals.
Save this one for later — hover the image to pin it.
Storage
Keep it covered in the fridge and it will hold for three to four days. If you are making it ahead, hold back any fresh topping until just before you serve so nothing goes soft. Most of these freeze well too, wrapped tight, for up to three months.
Questions about this recipe
Is Poppy Seed Roll "Makivnyk" really made without refined sugar?
Yes. All the sweetness comes from honey - there is not one spoon of white sugar in it. That is the whole point of how I cook.
How long does Poppy Seed Roll "Makivnyk" keep?
Kept covered in the fridge it holds for three to four days. Most of these freeze well too, wrapped tight, for up to three months - hold back any fresh topping until just before serving.
How many does Poppy Seed Roll "Makivnyk" make?
This makes enough for 12. It scales cleanly, so use the 1x / 2x / 3x buttons on the recipe card if you need more or less.
Poppy Seed Roll "Makivnyk"
The spiral poppy-seed roll of Christmas and Easter — soft enriched dough wound around a thick honeyed poppy-seed filling. Cut into pinwheels, it is the pride of the holiday table.
Ingredients
- 3 cups (360 g) bread flour
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) warm milk
- 2 1/4 tsp yeast
- 3 tbsp honey, 3 tbsp butter, 1 egg, 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups (225 g) poppy seeds
- 1 cup boiling water (to soak)
- 1/3 cup (110 g) honey
- 1/3 cup raisins, zest of 1 lemon, 1 egg white
Instructions
- Foam yeast with 1 tsp honey in warm milk. Mix in honey, butter, egg, salt and flour; knead to a soft dough. Rise 1 hour.
- Soak poppy seeds in boiling water 30 min; drain well and grind. Mix with honey, raisins, lemon zest and egg white.
- Roll the dough into a large rectangle; spread the filling to the edges.
- Roll up tightly from the long side; place seam-down on a lined tray. Rise 30 minutes.
- Brush with egg; bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30–40 minutes until deep golden. Cool before slicing into spirals.
