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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)
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.
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.
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
4. Push the poppy seeds through a food grinder, using the fine grinding plate. I use my KitchenAid food grinder attachment
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.
How to Make PoppySeed Filling (2 ways)
Ingredients
For the PoppySeed Filling:
- 1 cup dry poppy seeds
- 8 to 10 oz sweetened condensed milk, about 2/3 of a 14 oz can
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.
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
Hi Gladys! I have not tested that to advise but if you experiment, let us know how it turns out.
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.
Hi Loretta. You can see my process for the Poppy Seed Cake recipe HERE. I use dry poppy seeds.
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.
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 🙂
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
Hi Kit, you could easily store this filling for up to a week in the refrigerator.
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.
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
I’m so glad that tip was helpful, Irena!
Step 6 tea time
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.
I’m so glad you discovered our blog and this recipe!! Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
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.
Thanks for your tips, Maria! We appreciate it.
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:(
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.
How much means a cup of poppy seeds in grams guys?
I believe it’s about 145 grams.
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!
Sounds like a great plan. Please let us know how it goes!
Is it safe to eat that much poppy seed in a cake or would you overdose from the morphine that’s there?
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.
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.
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.
Hi Mindy, is it possibly a poppy seed roll like this?
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.
Hi Mindy, I don’t believe I have tried a recipe like that.
Is it Baklava she’s asking about?
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.
Could it be similar to a Vinarterta (Icelandic Christmas cookies)?
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
Hi Linda, is it similar to this poppy seed roll that we have HERE? You can also find all of our poppy seed recipes HERE. I hope this is helpful
Does the bullet work to grind them?
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.
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.
Thanks for sharing that with us, Elizabeth. Glad that worked well!
Hi Natasha, what store ready made dough would be suitable for poppy seed roulade?
Hi Angela, I haven’t tested with a store-bought dough so I can’t speak to that.
Can you freeze the poppyseed filling and if so for how long?
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 🙂
Great to hear that, Donna. Thank you for the update!