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How to Make Poppy Seed Filling

How to make the best poppy seed filling. Store-bought versions can't touch this! from @natashaskitchen

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Poppyseed cake and pastry filling is a staple in Russian and Ukrainian kitchens. The good news: it’s not difficult or time consuming to master and you can pre-make it even a week in advance. I just can’t guarantee someone won’t break into your fridge and sneak bites of it during the week. I love that there are just 2 ingredients.

You can find good poppy seeds at Whole Foods and Fred Meyer in the bin/bulk food sections. Most stores carry them but it’s worthwhile to pay a little more for a higher grade poppy seed that tastes sweeter. The cheaper poppy seeds have a slight bitterness to them. Store-bought pre-made poppyseed fillings can’t touch this. It’s wonderful in the poppyseed roulade that I posted awhile back and the recipe that I’ll be posting next (stay tuned!).

Ingredients for Poppyseed filling:

1 cup dry poppy seeds
8 to 10 oz sweetened condensed milk (about 2/3 of a 14 oz can)

Poppy Seeds

Optional Add-ins:

Raisins (white or brown)
Finely chopped walnuts

Tools you’ll need:

A meat/food grinder (preferred method)
– OR – a clean coffee grinder (can be milled in small batches).

Prepping the Poppy Seeds while dough is rising:

1. Rinse poppy seeds thoroughly in a fine mesh colander, then drain them and transfer to a medium sauce pan.

Poppy Seeds-2

2. Add 3 cups water to the pot. Over medium heat, bring to a simmer. (Don’t boil). Turn off. Cover with lid and let it sit for 30 minutes. Return to a simmer (don’t boil). Turn off. Cover and let it sit for another 30 minutes.

Poppy Seeds-6

3. Drain poppy seeds well through a colander or by keeping lid on and placing several layers of cheese cloth over lid to catch stray poppy seeds. Life is just easier when you use a fine mesh sieve like this OXO Strainer.

Poppy Seeds-3

4. Push the poppy seeds through a food grinder, using the fine grinding plate. I use my KitchenAid food grinder attachment for my stand mixer. You can also use a coffee grinder and do it in smaller batches. Note: If using a meat grinder, you need to push firmly. The seeds won’t grind well unless they are under pressure. P.S. I’ve tried putting them through a food processor and it did not work. Drain off excess liquid if any has accumulated in the bowl.

Russian Cake Truffles-11

Poppy Seeds-8

5. Mix 8-10 ounces of sweetened condensed milk into ground poppy seeds. I like to add 10 oz because I’m wild like that ;). Add raisins if desired (depending on the recipe you’re making). Store in tupperware and refrigerate until ready to use.

Poppy Seeds-7

How to make the best poppy seed filling. Store-bought versions can't touch this! from @natashaskitchen

How to Make PoppySeed Filling (2 ways)

4.94 from 30 votes
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
Poppyseed cake and pastry filling in a staple in Russian and Ukrainian kitchens. The good news: it's not difficult or time consuming to master and you can pre-make it even a week in advance. I love that there are just 2 ingredients. You can find good poppy seeds at Whole Foods and Fred Meyer in the bin/bulk food sections. Most stores carry them but it's worthwhile to pay a little more for a higher grade poppyseed that tastes sweeter. The cheaper poppy seeds have a slight bitterness to them. Store-bought pre-made poppyseed fillings can't touch this. It's wonderful in roulades and sweet buns (pirohi).
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 2 cups

For the PoppySeed Filling:

Optional Add-ins:

  • Raisins, white or brown
  • Finely chopped walnuts

Tools you'll need:

  • A meat/food grinder, preferred method
  • - OR - a clean coffee grinder, can be milled in small batches.

Instructions

  • Rinse poppy seeds thoroughly in a fine mesh colander, then drain them and transfer to a medium sauce pan.
  • Add 3 cups water to the pot. Over medium heat, bring to a simmer. (Don’t boil). Turn off. Cover with lid and let it sit for 30 minutes. Return to a simmer (don’t boil). Turn off. Cover and let it sit for another 30 minutes.
  • Drain poppy seeds well through a colander or by keeping lid on and placing several layers of cheese cloth on lid to catch stray poppy seeds. Life is just easier when you use a fine mesh sieve.
  • Push the poppy seeds through a food grinder, using the fine grinding plate. I use my KitchenAid food grinder attachment for my stand mixer. You can also use a coffee grinder and do it in smaller batches. Note: If using a meat grinder, you need to push firmly. The seeds won’t grind well unless they are under pressure. P.S. I’ve tried putting them through a food processor and it did not work. Drain off excess liquid if any has accumulated in the bowl.
  • Mix 8-10 ounces of sweetened condensed milk into ground poppy seeds. I like to add 10 oz. Add raisins if desired (depending on the recipe you're making). Store in tupperware and refrigerate until ready to use.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Russian, Ukrainian
Keyword: PoppySeed Filling
Skill Level: $6-$7
Cost to Make: Easy/Medium

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Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

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Read comments/reviewsAdd comment/review

  • Gladys Sullivan
    June 23, 2023

    I’ve been making poppyseed roll for years. When I saw this recipe my heart ❤️ said YES. I cannot wait to try it. Thank you

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      June 24, 2023

      I hope you love this recipe, Gladys!

      Reply

  • Ella
    April 8, 2023

    I saw your recipe and was so happy Granny used to make these when we visited but never gave us the recipe. I tried your recipe and it was like stepping back in time. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      April 8, 2023

      That’s amazing, Ella! I’m so glad you liked the recipe.

      Reply

  • Jeri
    January 30, 2023

    I am making Kutia for our supper club. I followed the direction for the poppyseeds but after the second 30 minutes, I had a gelatinous mess similar to fishers. My water may have been too hot. I did grind the mess in my Vitamixer and that grinds it but I wound up flushing down the toilet. Will try something else now. Maybe just grind them as is.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 31, 2023

      Hi Jeri, I haven’t had that experience, and it’s hard to say what went wrong without being there. I recommend reading through the post again and ensuring the steps or ingredients were substituted.

      Reply

  • Gladys G.
    October 12, 2022

    I bought a can of the poppy seed filling (Masa Makowa z bakaliami by Helcom) from a Ukranian store in Saskatchewan — can we use this pre-made mix instead of your filling recipe above? Would any other changes be needed?
    Thanks

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      October 12, 2022

      Hi Gladys! I have not tested that to advise but if you experiment, let us know how it turns out.

      Reply

  • Loretta
    July 13, 2022

    when making Poppy seed cake do you use poppy seeds whole, or do you have to cook, grind
    and cool them. Your recipes are great.

    Reply

  • Maddy Day
    June 6, 2022

    Turned out great, but I had to improvise as I don’t have a meat grinder, and the coffee grinder method was a disaster. So, I opted for the food processor. I followed the recipe and plopped it into the processor. It was too thick to move, so I added a little more sweetened milk, then a little more until the mix started running round and round. I let it run for maybe 8 minutes, and tried it. It was a litle runny, but the seeds mashed up fine. Once I cooked it in pastry, the runniness was gone. It was perfect.
    So there is a workable third option!! I’d send a photo if I could.

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      June 6, 2022

      That’s great! Thank you for sharing your experiment. So glad you enjoyed this recipe. You can tag us on Facebook or Instagram in the future. @natashaskitchen 🙂

      Reply

  • Kit
    November 21, 2021

    Just made this and poppyseed roll is now baking. I have a lot of mix left over. How long can I save it? Can it be frozen?
    I would like to save it and use it to make more rolls for Christmas

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      November 21, 2021

      Hi Kit, you could easily store this filling for up to a week in the refrigerator.

      Reply

  • Sure
    June 30, 2021

    Made Mohn cake b4 need a seed grinder hand or electric like family grain mill and grind into a paste as fine as possible like peanut butter need to put through grinder 2 or 3 times by hand then ADD NOTHING But Sultanas or Raisins do not cook that will happen inside the cake do not add milk do not add sugar and they will taste superb the sultanas are enuff sugar fill the cake dough roll it up and cook it.

    Reply

  • Irena
    June 28, 2021

    Hi Natasha,

    Thank you so much for the great idea of grinding the poppy seeds in meat grinder!
    I was looking for manual poppy seed grinder for few months. I ran to the store and purchased the Kitchenaid attachment.
    It works! You are genius!
    Now, I cam bake my grand mother’s Czech kolace!
    Irena

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 28, 2021

      I’m so glad that tip was helpful, Irena!

      Reply

  • Titi
    April 19, 2021

    Step 6 tea time

    Reply

  • Larissa
    March 31, 2021

    Found your recipe after my local store didn’t have my poppy seed paste for Easter. Didn’t realize that the canned stuff was just corn syrup and poppy seeds. This is so easy to make and tastes a lot better. Thanks for the recipe. For anyone reading this don’t make my mistake – buy poppy seeds from your local Eastern European store – the poppy seeds are 75% less than the normal grocery stores.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 1, 2021

      I’m so glad you discovered our blog and this recipe!! Thank you so much for sharing that with me!

      Reply

  • Maria Karpinski
    March 10, 2021

    I really believe that washing off the white scum is the answer to getting rid of bitterness in poppyseed. Been grinding poppyseed for 30 years and never could get rid of the bitter. Even with the Vitamixer. So, I liked Mark’s comment and will try to get the white scum off.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      March 10, 2021

      Thanks for your tips, Maria! We appreciate it.

      Reply

  • Tracy Coppola
    January 31, 2021

    Hi Natasha I tried this recipe and the filling was really watery, despite draining the poppyseeds and crushing in a blender. The condensed milk seemed to separate from the seeds. Could it be the brand of condensed milk? What am I doing wrong? I rolled the loaf, let it rise, but “milk” seeped out the ends of it. My dad (Russian taste tester) said the filling was dry:(

    Reply

    • Natasha
      February 1, 2021

      Hi Tracy, it is due to crushing in a blender. You really need to do this in either a meat grinder or a very clean coffee grinder can work in smaller batches. This doesn’t work in a food processor or blender. The blades aren’t able to really crush the tiny poppyseeds adequately and the result will be a watery filling.

      Reply

  • Florentin daragiu
    December 24, 2020

    How much means a cup of poppy seeds in grams guys?

    Reply

  • Margit
    October 24, 2020

    Wonderful recipe! I am from Austria and we had a grinder that crushes the little poppy seed. I cannot imagine this working so well in my meat grinder on the Kitchen Aid. However, I will try your suggestion. Thank you!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      October 25, 2020

      Sounds like a great plan. Please let us know how it goes!

      Reply

  • Chris
    October 22, 2020

    Is it safe to eat that much poppy seed in a cake or would you overdose from the morphine that’s there?

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      October 23, 2020

      Hello Chris, I haven’t heard of any side effects of eating too much poppy seed but then again, I don’t overdo it so I’m so sure too.

      Reply

    • BRT
      July 18, 2022

      Most of the opioids are found in the stem sap of the poppy plant. There is a trace amount in the seeds but the level is so low that there is no danger of toxicity or opioid effects from consumption. Obviously, if there was any appreciable amount of opioid present, the seed would not be legal to sell.

      Reply

  • Mindy
    September 21, 2020

    I have been looking for a recipe for a poppyseed cake for years. Our Russian market makes the cake but have not found anything similar to what they bake. It is a cake with thick poppyseed layers and what I would call a pastry crust layer on the bottom in the middle and on top. I would love to send a picture and maybe you could tell me if you recognize what they call poppyseed pie.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      September 21, 2020

      Hi Mindy, is it possibly a poppy seed roll like this?

      Reply

      • Mindy
        September 23, 2020

        Hi Natasha,
        Nothing like a roll. Looks like it is baked in a flat sheet pan 3 inches deep. two layers of poppy seed filling between three layers of pastry type crust.

        Reply

        • Natashas Kitchen
          September 23, 2020

          Hi Mindy, I don’t believe I have tried a recipe like that.

          Reply

          • Lisa
            September 25, 2020

            Is it Baklava she’s asking about?

    • Susan
      December 15, 2020

      Gunn’s Bakery in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It’s a Jewish bakery making many Eastern European pastries. I’ve eaten the poppyseed cake for years.

      Reply

    • Silvia
      March 19, 2023

      Could it be similar to a Vinarterta (Icelandic Christmas cookies)?

      Reply

  • Linda Homes
    August 11, 2020

    Hi Natasha.
    travelling on a cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam, I had the privilege to purchase and taste Poppy Seed “Cake” .
    Though it is not actually a cake, but in a biscuit form. I am unable to source any recipe for this cake/biscuit. This cake/biscuit is shaped like a small disc.
    Can you help me.
    Regards from Australia

    Reply

  • Rose Cheran
    March 23, 2020

    Does the bullet work to grind them?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      March 23, 2020

      Hi Rose, I know for sure it doesn’t work in a cheaper blender, but I think it would be worth a shot. If it doesn’t work; you could always scrape it out and use another method. The seeds need to be split or crushed. If you try your Magic Bullet, please report back and let me know how it went.

      Reply

      • elizabeth Simurdiak
        March 30, 2021

        Hi – wanted you to know that I have used the Magic Bullet and it works well. My Bullet came with 2 different blades. One for regular blending and a smaller one. The smaller one is the one I used.

        Reply

        • Natasha's Kitchen
          March 30, 2021

          Thanks for sharing that with us, Elizabeth. Glad that worked well!

          Reply

  • Angela
    March 23, 2020

    Hi Natasha, what store ready made dough would be suitable for poppy seed roulade?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      March 23, 2020

      Hi Angela, I haven’t tested with a store-bought dough so I can’t speak to that.

      Reply

  • Susan
    March 9, 2020

    Can you freeze the poppyseed filling and if so for how long?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      March 9, 2020

      Hi Susan, I haven’t tried freezing it but I imagine it would freeze well in a freezer-safe container for at least a month.

      Reply

  • Charlie
    March 7, 2020

    Hi Natasha. Thanks for the recipe – it is exactly what I’ve been looking for and brings back great memories.

    I have both a question and a request, please:

    Question: As someone who lives outside the US (the US is the only country who still uses the old measurements) and the child of chefs (who often weigh ingredients that home cooks would measure in cups), I am always unsure about recipes that call for ‘ounces’ of an ingredient that is obviously a liquid. Do you mean fluid ounces or weight ounces? The same goes for a 14oz can. We don’t have those. Do you mean 14 oz or 14 fl oz? How do you tell which one a recipe calls for? Fillings, for example, could be measured as either. Please advise which you mean and if there is a general rule as to how to tell which is meant.

    Request: Also as a reader from outside the US, is it possible for you to also offer metric ingredients or indicate which kind of ounce you mean on any new recipes you post? Thanks

    Thanks!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      March 7, 2020

      Hi Charlie, thank you so much for that suggestion. We are currently working on adding metric measurements to all of our recipes but it is taking some time as we have to add them one at a time. Thank you so much for being patient! In the meantime, check out our post on measuring which should help.

      Reply

    • Suzanna
      June 17, 2020

      In addition to the US, Canada uses imperial measurements for cooking. Some things (e.g., meat and vegetables) are charged by the kg while store signage shows the price per pound so as not to scare people. Canned goods aren’t pure metric. They translate the imperial value so we have lots of 396ml cans. Butter is sold by the pound. We do go full metric on the roads, with weather, and in health care. Nothing is straightforward, lol.

      Reply

      • Valerie Marie
        February 4, 2021

        The volume measurements may look like imperial measurements but they are not. I cup is 250 ml and it’s marked on the measuring cup which is only slightly more than 8 oz. the ½ cup or ¼ cup are clearly marked also. So I can use any American recipes using my metric measuring cups. Including the tablespoons etc
        And the only conversion I may need is for meat.

        Reply

    • Valerie Marie
      December 26, 2020

      As a Canadian cook who uses both metric and British measurements this is the way I decide volume ounces vs weight ounces. Meats and solid item like fruit etc are sold by weight kgs or ounces but anything that could be measured in volume will be ml-s or fluid ounces. The conversions are easy: 1 cup is 250 ml. ½ cup is 125 ml etc. ( close enough for most recipes. You may have bought 1 kg of peaches but if you make a jam then you crush it and it’s recipe going to be specified in volumes. In fact for most cooking other than meat assume the measurements are in volume. I rarely have to weigh anything other than meat. Baking instructions are almost always in volume. So baking only needs volume measurements. Measuring cups show ½ cup is 125 ml etc. I tablespoon is 15 ml. 1 tsp is 5 ml. Again with your measuring spoons you don’t need to try to convert anything.
      I find American cook books easy to follow . Even old ones as I can use the cups, and spoons as usual. The only exception is meat as it’s a bit more tricky.

      Reply

  • Donna Marie Austin
    March 6, 2020

    Thank you for the tips. I have to use a mortar and pestle for my poppy, but otherwise the seeds are great! Your tips certainly helped 🙂

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      March 6, 2020

      Great to hear that, Donna. Thank you for the update!

      Reply

  • Iris Acheson
    February 22, 2020

    Hi Natasha. I just made a poppy seed bars with the struecel on top..I’m just crushed, cuz I didn’t wash the Poppyseed as your receipe says to do & ur right there is a bitter after taste..Even though, I used my food processor. the texture is grainy..Dble darn!. I appreciate anything u can suggest..My great great grandma was in Russia..Wahoo, small world!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      February 24, 2020

      Hi Iris, the food processor doesn’t cut the seeds properly or I should say crush them. I have tested that through and it did not work well in my food processor although it was a high powered one. A meat grinder works best here. Rinsing helps with the taste as well as grinding them.

      Reply

  • Tristan
    January 6, 2020

    Thanks for the recipe Natasha! I just made a batch last night and it turned out to be super tasty in the family kolache recipe my wife and I used. If you are in Austin today I can give you a sample…

    One modification I made was to add about 1 cup of minced pecans and it turned out very well.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 6, 2020

      Thank you so much for sharing that with us Tristan! I hope Austin is warmer than Idaho today!

      Reply

  • cindy sherban
    December 19, 2019

    Natasha, have you (or any readers) tried using your Vitamix (dry blades?) for grinding poppyseeds or a Nutribullet. Does it work well?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 19, 2019

      Hi Cindy, I haven’t tried that but a couple of readers reported great results using their Vitamix.

      Reply

    • Tristan
      January 6, 2020

      Hi Cindy – I used my Blendtec with Twister jar. Just google it… It requires a set of ear protectors though since you need both hands to operate “twist” the jar. It would be a lot less drama using a grinder but it worked well enough for a cup or two.

      Reply

      • cindy sherban
        January 6, 2020

        Thnx kindly. I have found a couple of folk who think the vitamix will work fine. I do anticipate it being noisy. I can see why shops like BoosterJuice (in Canada) and Starbucks put these inside a device to decrease noise.

        Reply

    • Mark Selleck
      November 9, 2020

      I just used my Vitamix to grind 5# of poppy seed. I have usually done it using the wet blade, after cooking the poppy seed that is well-drained, but still wet. That worked well, but it was slow, and the wet poppy seed diminished the cohesiveness of the filling and made it less sweet. Today I used the dry blades, with poppy seed I dried out using my dehydrator. It broke the seeds down very quickly (2 cups at a time), and I’m really looking forward to the result after I make hamantaschen.

      Reply

  • Rob
    August 22, 2019

    Hi, love your recipes. I am wondering if it has to be condensed milk or can you use regular milk with sweetener?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      August 23, 2019

      Hi Rob, the filling would be too thin with regular milk and sweetener.

      Reply

      • Cathy
        December 24, 2020

        we always used milk when making the poppyseed filling — ratio of 1/2 c milk to 2 cups/1/2 lb poppyseed. We added 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon butter and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Brought ingredients to a boil on medium heat. Not sure length of time it cooked. This makes a perfect consistency for spreading.

        Reply

        • Joan
          February 15, 2021

          I’m confused about your measure of poppy seed to milk..it’s it 2.5 of poopy seed or 1/2 a lb?

          Reply

          • Joan
            February 15, 2021

            Sorry..poppy seed

          • Natashas Kitchen
            February 15, 2021

            Hi Joan, please see this on the ingredient list “1 cup dry poppy seeds”.

  • ChrisN
    June 19, 2019

    Hi, Natasha! Wanted to know, will mortar and pestle work better than anything else for crushing the poppy seeds or will it make it too crushed? I am trying to get a feel of what consistency should I be looking for.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      June 19, 2019

      Hi Chris, a mortar and pestle would work fine. As long as most of them are getting crushed like in a meat grinder, it will work. A meat grinder works because they crush under pressure and you could achieve the same thing with a mortar and pestle. They don’t have to be so crushed that they turn into a paste though 🙂

      Reply

  • Bill
    June 8, 2019

    I have the KA grinder but I’m wondering if a Bullet grinder would work since it is more compact than a food processor.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 8, 2019

      Hi Bill, I know for sure it doesn’t work in a cheaper blender, but I think it would be worth a shot. If it doesn’t work; you could always scrape it out and use another method. The seeds need to be split or crushed. If you try your Magic Bullet, please report back and let me know how it went.

      Reply

  • Becky
    March 10, 2019

    How long will the poppy seeds from the store last prior to using them? Could they be purchased in a larger batched and stored some how for use at a later time? I don’t live near either one of those stores. Also was wondering if the poppy seeds in the grocery spice area would work.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      March 11, 2019

      Hi Becky, properly stored, poppy seed will generally stay at best quality for about 3 to 4 years. Keeping them in an airtight container will do the trick!

      Reply

      • Kal
        March 11, 2019

        Freezing them will probbably help preserve them as well.

        Reply

  • Mary
    December 31, 2018

    I grind the poppy seeds using a coffee grinder after soaking them in boiled water for 30 min. Then I mix in honey (instead of condensed mix) to get the sweetness I want.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 31, 2018

      Thank you for sharing that with me, Mary! Happy New Year!

      Reply

  • Donna
    November 20, 2018

    FYI, it’s also a staple in Polish households! My mom was 100% Polish and we had stuff with poppyseeds in it all the time. I admit I’ve never made my own, I just buy the canned. I’ll have to try this. Kolackys were my mom’s specialty every Christmas and my favorites were always the Poppyseed ones. I still make them and I can founder on them. Nothing better than himeade poppyseed bread! Yum!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      November 20, 2018

      I love that so many holiday traditions and memories center around food. Thanks for sharing that iwht us!

      Reply

  • Andrea
    November 17, 2018

    Is the rinsing and bringing the poppy seeds to simmer multiple times to remove the opiates(morphine and codeine)? And if so, does it remove all of them to make the poppy seeds safe to consume in unlimited quantities?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      November 19, 2018

      Hi Andrea, I am honestly not sure. I figure if grocery stores sell poppyseeds, they are safe for consumption 😉

      Reply

      • Andrea
        November 19, 2018

        Is there a specific reason why poppy seeds need to simmer multiple times and then strained?

        Reply

        • Natasha
          November 19, 2018

          Hi Andrea, it helps to soften the poppyseeds so they mill more readily. It is very difficult to grind uncooked poppyseeds (I have tried!) 🙂

          Reply

          • TomS
            November 22, 2022

            So it’s not reduce bitterness? First thought that came to mind was making malt (starch to sugar conversion) to use in beer making

    • Katie
      November 19, 2018

      I don’t think it removes it, but it’s still safe. I make makowiec (Polish poppyseed roll) and my friends in Poland have told me that if you have a drug test done after eating it, you’ll test positive (even though it’s not functioning as a drug in your body). One year at Christmas when I’d made a few makowiec, my husband and I were traveling and had to go through border control. A drug sniffing dog indicated our car was a problem. I told the officers what it was and they looked at it and were fine with it. But apparently the dog could pick up on it.

      Reply

      • Gail
        October 8, 2019

        lol..cute story and yes i also have heard it will test in your system as a drug..so don’t eat before applying for jobs that require a drug test..or your prole officer..lol

        Reply

    • Kat
      February 27, 2021

      Though poppy seeds go through a thorough cleaning before being processed for consumer use for baking and cooking, they may still contain trace amounts of opiate residue.

      The concentration isn’t enough to give you any of the effects of opioids, but it can be enough to produce false positive drug tests.

      Reply

    • Michele
      March 10, 2022

      The opium is in the pollen. Very little in seeds. There is some though. That said, eat too many and is does aid in stool softening.

      Reply

  • Sue Levytsky
    December 14, 2017

    Hi, Natasha: Have you tried a Vitamix to grind the poppyseed? Just received one and would like to try if it’s a viable option but don’t want to waste poppyseed if it is not!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      December 14, 2017

      Hi Sue, I haven’t tried that but a couple of readers reported great results using their Vitamix.

      Reply

  • Alina
    December 14, 2017

    How long can this filling stay in the fridge if I want to make it ahead of time?
    And also do u think I can freeze baked rogaliki with poppy seed filling?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      December 14, 2017

      Hi Alina, you could easily store this filling up to a week in the refrigerator. Yes, you can store the rolls with poppyseed filling. We do this all the time. If you freeze them once they reach room temperature, when you thaw them they will taste pretty close to the way they did when they were right out of the oven. The fresher they are when they go into the freezer, the fresher they will come out. I hope you love the recipes!

      Reply

      • Alina
        December 14, 2017

        Ok great. Thank u so much. Yea I love this recipe. I thought I would never do filling myself but it’s actually easy and yummy. Thanks again- just make rolls- so so good- using ur recipe
        And planning on making rogaliki and freezing some 🙂

        Reply

        • Natasha's Kitchen
          December 14, 2017

          My pleasure Alina!

          Reply

  • Sue
    December 13, 2017

    Hi Natasha! I so want to try making my own poppyseed filling, but I only have a blender and a Magic Bullet. Do you think either of these will do the trick? Thanks so much!!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      December 13, 2017

      Sue, to be honest, I haven’t tried it in my blender. I know for sure it doesn’t work in a a cheaper blender, but I think it would be worth a shot. If it doesn’t work; you could always scrape it out and use another method. The seeds need to be split or crushed. If you try your Magic Bullet, please report back and let me know how it went.

      Reply

  • Katie
    November 27, 2017

    Hi Natasha!

    I just have to send you a huge thanks! Every year around Christmas, I make makowiec (my husband is Polish) and I can’t tell you how many coffee grinders I’ve gone through. I was looking for something better than a coffee grinder, but less expensive than a real poppy seed grinder…and I found this post where you used a KA food grinder. My search is over! Thanks a million. Also, I really enjoy the recipes you have here.

    Have a wonderful Christmas!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      November 28, 2017

      My pleasure Katie! I’m glad you found the post so helpful. Merry Christmas to you!

      Reply

  • Kal Biro
    November 16, 2017

    Natasha,

    You were asking about poppy seed grinders earlier in this thread. You can get them from California. These are specifically for poppy seeds.
    http://www.hungariandeli.com/Cookware.htm

    Cheers,

    Kal

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      November 16, 2017

      Thanks for sharing Kal!

      Reply

    • Cathy
      December 24, 2020

      basically you need a burr grinder – it crushes the seeds in an even manner.

      Reply

  • Grace
    June 19, 2017

    Hi there! I didn’t have a grinder, so I added my cooked poppy seeds and the condensed milk to my Vitamix and blended them together for a few minutes. It came together pretty well in a pinch!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      June 19, 2017

      Great suggestion Grace! Thanks for sharing your tip with other readers!

      Reply

  • Natalie
    May 1, 2017

    Just made this- used a coffee/spice grinder from Amazon, it’s on sale now and worked great. Made with 2 cups of seeds and 14 oz of condensed milk. I am like you, I love it and would like to add those extra 6 oz of milk, but I am afraid the mixture will become too runny.. Love the taste of this poppy seed filling! Making piroshki tomorrow!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      May 1, 2017

      I just love it too. I could sit and eat it with a spoon! 🙂

      Reply

  • surati Ivey
    April 24, 2017

    My Czech Grandmother made Kolachy frequently, and I especially loved the beautiful golden oval buns filled with poppy seeds. They were never too sweet and had a great sponge plus the slight taste of the yeast was great _ BUT, the best part were the filling. I have a Czech poppy seed grinder, just had to brag.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      April 25, 2017

      Oh how neat! What does a Czech poppy seed grinder look like and are they only available out of the country?

      Reply

  • Alina
    March 20, 2017

    Would the texture be okay if the poppy seeds aren’t ground?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      March 20, 2017

      Hi Alina, it won’t work if they aren’t ground. The mixture won’t stay together and it will just be wet poppy seeds rather than the mixture coming together if they are ground.

      Reply

      • Mike
        December 3, 2017

        I have been too lazy to grind and it works. But I do add finely ground walnuts, so that helps keep the goo together. I will try to work this method into my Kolach experiments.

        Reply

        • Natasha
          natashaskitchen
          December 3, 2017

          Thank you for sharing! I’ll have to try that with ground walnuts 🙂

          Reply

    • John J Danovich
      December 3, 2017

      Crushing poppy seeds releases their oil and therefore wonderful flavor. At my church (https://saindy.com/bake-goods/) we make hundreds of poppy seed rolls throughout the year. Since 2008 we’ve been using this grinder : https://pleasanthillgrain.com/grain-mill-kitchenaid-mixer
      I highly recommend it. Consider adding some lemon juice and/or zest to your recipe.

      Reply

      • Zorka
        December 7, 2019

        Can I please have your recipe

        Reply

  • Stephanie D
    March 4, 2017

    I come from a Slovak family which uses poppyseeds for a lot of recipes. One of which is Kolachky. My great-grandmother always made her own poppyseed filling. In addition to your ingredients, she would add just a pinch of ground cinnamon, honey to sweeten & ground raisins. I’ve used Bakers poppyseed filling in a jar (not the canned stuff) & it isn’t bad, but, nothing beats homemade. My Slovak cookbook calls for reg milk rather than sweetened condensed, but I like the sound of the your recipe.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      March 4, 2017

      Thank you for sharing your Grandmother’s add-ins! I love to hear how different people make theirs and those sound really nice! 🙂

      Reply

  • Greg
    December 12, 2016

    Have you ever heard of anyone using a Vitamix whole grains grinder for the grinding step with the poppy seeds?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      December 12, 2016

      I haven’t heard of anyone trying that and I have no experience with that attachment so I can’t say for sure. If you try it out, let me know how it works. I have used a coffee grinder and a meat grinder and they both work well.

      Reply

      • Joanna Anderson
        March 12, 2017

        I just used the dry Vitamix container and it looks like it worked really well in just a few seconds.

        Reply

        • Natasha
          natashaskitchen
          March 13, 2017

          That’s awesome!! Thanks so much for sharing! 🙂

          Reply

  • Alina
    October 31, 2016

    How long can u keep this filing in the fridge before using it?
    Thank you

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      November 1, 2016

      I usually use it pretty soon after it is made but I think it would be fine for about a week or so covered and refrigerated.

      Reply

  • Lisa
    April 5, 2016

    If you have a grinder that’s strong enough to grind the seeds, do you still need to cook them first?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      April 5, 2016

      Hi Lisa, yes you do need to cook them since they need to soften to become sweeter and tastier. What exactly do you use that is strong enough to grind the seeds? I’ve never been successful with anything just grinding them raw. I’m curious!

      Reply

      • DENNIS GARBACZ
        May 31, 2016

        i have a grain grinder for my stand mixer which i bought just to grind poppy seeds and it does work. grinder is costly but will last 10 lifetimes, maybe moreL

        Reply

        • Natasha
          natashaskitchen
          May 31, 2016

          That is good to know, I should look in to that 😀.

          Reply

      • Lynn
        August 17, 2016

        I use a small Krups coffee grinder to grind them when they’re raw for German poppyseed cake.

        Reply

        • Natasha
          natashaskitchen
          August 17, 2016

          We’ve been using our coffee grinder for smaller batches as well but after 3 rounds, my coffee grinder starts to get hot. It is really fast and convenient to use the coffee grinder. I love it! 🙂

          Reply

      • Michael
        September 17, 2017

        I use a Capresso Coffee/Spice grinder and it works well for grinding raw/uncooked poppy seeds.

        Reply

        • Natasha's Kitchen
          September 17, 2017

          Great tip Michael! Thanks for sharing 🙂

          Reply

  • Mila furman
    March 31, 2016

    Natasha! I love that you added the sgushyunka 🙂 So much better than plain sugar!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      March 31, 2016

      I agree! Thanks Mila 🙂

      Reply

  • Irene
    January 25, 2016

    Hi
    With Vitimix its so much easier
    but you have to be careful because this machine is very strong
    first time I made it and I have over beaten my poppy seeds and people who tried it didn’t really like it
    so next time I did it again
    I just went for shorter time and it was really nice

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      January 25, 2016

      That’s great to know! thank you so much for sharing that!

      Reply

    • Suzy
      October 27, 2017

      Hi , how many minutes did you grind with the vitamix. Thanks

      Reply

  • Gloria Katnick
    January 21, 2016

    Natasha I have purchased pre-ground poppy seeds from my deli. Should I still cook them or what do you suggest for making the filling?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      January 21, 2016

      Hi Gloria, I’ve never purchased pre-ground poppy seeds. Do you mean they are already turned into a filling i.e. ground and sweetened? If they are already ground, I don’t think you should cook them or you’ll never be able to strain them properly. Are they pre-cooked?

      Reply

  • kalena
    December 16, 2015

    I dont have any kind of grinder….is there an economical one i can buy ??

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      December 16, 2015

      I use the meat grinder attachment on my kitchenaid. Without doing alot of price comparison shopping, I can’t really say for certain. I would recommend going by the Amazon reviews. I do alot of my shopping that way :). Do you have a good coffee grinder? You can put small batches in a coffee grinder just be careful that it doesn’t get overheated.

      Reply

  • Pat Robo
    September 14, 2015

    How long can I store poppyseed that’s been prepared in the refrigerator?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      September 15, 2015

      Pat, I never tested max amount of time, but imagine it would be good for up to a week, maybe longer :).

      Reply

  • Oksana
    July 29, 2015

    Hi Natasha,
    I love the recipes you post!! Only problem for me is that recently I started a vegan diet and really wanted to make this recipe, is there anything you can recommend for substituting the condensed milk?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      July 29, 2015

      To be honest I haven’t tried any substitutes for the condensed milk… I guess you could omit it and use a little almond milk or coconut milk and honey for sweetness?? I haven’t tested those combinations yet, but if you do, let me know how it goes and don’t add too much liquid so it doesn’t become watery.

      Reply

  • Clandestine
    January 27, 2015

    Very nice recipe. Where do you get you’re dried poppy pods? Thank you in advance.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      January 27, 2015

      My mom had them growing in her yard several years ago and she just saved these and dried them she keeps them in an artificial flower arrangement that looks pretty cool. I borrowed them from her. 🙂 if you could if you plant a few poppies in your yard, you can dry them and do the same thing

      Reply

  • Poppy Prince
    January 27, 2015

    lol you drained the goodies 😀

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      January 28, 2015

      What are you referring to? 🙂

      Reply

  • Adriana
    October 1, 2014

    Hello Natasha, thanks so much for the recipe! I have a question regarding the grinding: if I decide to use a coffee grinder, wouldn’t be easier to grind the dry poppy seeds first and then cook them in milk or even watter until I get a paste? I’m afraid the wet, boilded composition will not go well in coffee grinder.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 1, 2014

      As long as you drain the poppyseeds well, it should be fine in the coffee grinder. The seeds should no longer be hot when they go into the grinder and you will have to do it in batches. Not all coffee grinders are created equal, so if your coffee grinder starts feeling too warm, take a break and finish up after the coffee grinder cools down a bit. I hope that helps. I haven’t tried doing it the other way. I think you really need to cook the seeds in order to be able to grind them. The cooking process softens them up.

      Reply

      • Adriana
        October 1, 2014

        Thank you Natasha! There is a Hungarian similar recipe called : “Beigli” where the poppy seeds are first grinded and then boiled in milk to make a paste, cool and fill the roll.Same idea with with walnut. I’ll try cooking the poppy seeds powder in condensed milk.

        Reply

        • Natasha
          natashaskitchen
          October 1, 2014

          Oh now I’m intrigued! How do you grind the poppy seeds initially? Do you use a meat grinder?

          Reply

          • Adriana
            October 2, 2014

            I ussualy grind it using a coffee grinder, like I’m doing with caster sugar or spices. You get a fine powder and cook it in a little bit of milk, sugar and vanilla until it’s loke a paste. Cool it and fill the beigli roll.

          • Natasha
            natashaskitchen
            October 2, 2014

            That sounds very interesting. Thank you so much for sharing your method!

  • Marina | Let the Baking Begin!
    September 27, 2014

    So how come you don’t boil the poppy seeds? Is there something behind keeping below the boiling point?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      September 27, 2014

      I’m not sure of the science behind it, but the goal is not to “cook” the poppyseed, but to soften it. I think you possibly might lose the natural oils from the poppyseeds when boiling them too long.

      Reply

  • Irina
    September 24, 2014

    This is totally off the subject of poppyseeds. you should do a recipe on how to smoke fish.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      September 24, 2014

      I don’t have a recipe. My parents always do the fish smoking in our family and they built their own smoker. It would be a good tutorial to do one day, but unfortunately I don’t have one posted. Sorry 🙁

      Reply

  • DeNise
    September 23, 2014

    What do you think about using a VitaMix instead of food grinder? I have both, but the VitaMix is much easier to get to.
    Thank You

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      September 24, 2014

      You know, to be honest, I haven’t tried it in my Blendtec. I know for sure it doesn’t work in a a cheaper blender, but I think it would be worth a shot. If it doesn’t work; you could always scrape it out and use another method. The seeds need to be split or crushed and I know a food processor doesn’t cut it (even a really good one!). If you try your VitaMix, please report back and let me know how it went. Thanks DeNise 🙂

      Reply

      • Mark Selleck
        November 9, 2020

        I just made an earlier post about using the Vitamix above. I noticed mention of poppy seed being bitter, and I have never had that problem, BUT: I bring the poppy seed to a simmer (boiling temp, but not rolling, just steam rising from the surface), then hold it at that temperature for 15 minutes. The recipe I’m making uses 5# of poppy seed, and it fills a 6 quart pressure cooker pot along with water. During the 15 minutes I add water, slowly, as a lot evaporates, but do it slowly enough that the temperature doesn’t drop, but keeps the poppy seed covered.
        After the 15 minutes, wash the poppy seed: put it in a bowl that is large enough that you can put at least 1″ of water above the top of the seed, and stir the seed. A white material will float to the top of the water. Drain it off, and repeat, usually three or four times, until the white “scum” is rinsed away. I believe that white material is the reason for the bitter taste some experience. I’ve never had a problem with bitterness.

        Reply

  • alana
    September 23, 2014

    where do u buy poppy seeds?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      September 23, 2014

      I detailed it in the first paragraph 🙂

      Reply

      • Alana
        September 23, 2014

        Sorry sweetie didn’t catch that. I rushed down to get the recipe:)thanks can’t wait to make roulettik!!!!!!

        Reply

        • Natasha
          natashaskitchen
          September 23, 2014

          No problem. Hope it’s helpful 🙂

          Reply

  • Alyona
    September 23, 2014

    Hey Nstasha, I have a question I am too lazy to make yeast dough. Have you ever tried to make mini roulades with russian store bought puff pastry and this yummy filling?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      September 23, 2014

      I haven’t tried it with poppyseed filling. It might be a good experiment, but I just haven’t see it done or tried it myself. You’d end up with something completely different from the traditional roulade.

      Reply

  • Inna
    September 23, 2014

    Natasha, for how long can it be stored in the refrigerator? Also do you think I could freeze it and just defrost when I need to use it?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      September 23, 2014

      I think it would work to freeze it. I’ve kept it in the fridge up to a week. I haven’t tested it longer than that so I can’t say with certainty.

      Reply

  • Natasha
    September 22, 2014

    My favorite filling, going to try!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      September 23, 2014

      Enjoy! My husbands favorite too. He inhaled the pirohi I made with this filling 🙂

      Reply

  • Mom's Dish
    September 22, 2014

    Just two ingredients? That’s perfect!!! Your mom grows poppy seeds? I like the poppy seed heads.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      September 23, 2014

      Don’t you love that?! She grew them a few years back and kept some of the poppyseed heads for decoration. She is going to plant them again next year. I am so excited about that!

      Reply

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