Sweet Poppy Seed Buns; super soft and my family approved @natashaskitchen

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My husband remembers having poppy seed buns just like these growing up in Ukraine. He requested that I re-create his childhood memory and then just inhaled these as soon as they came out of the oven.

I loved seeing that satisfied and very smug grin on his face as he was chomping into these. My son really loved them too so I guess this means we’re passing on the tradition! 🙂

You might recognize the dough from my baked apple and braised cabbage piroshki that I posted last year. I also used this same dough for the super soft, melt in your mouth cinnamon rolls with salted maple glaze. Now I wish I hadn’t looked at those cinnamon rolls; they’ve induced some fierce pregnancy cravings!

What I love about this dough:

(1) It’s versatile – you can use it for sweet (cherries, apples) or savory treats

(2) You don’t need any special flour (all-purpose is just fine)

(3) It’s soooo soft

Poppy Seed Buns-9

Ingredients for Sweet Poppy Seed Buns Dough:

2 cups warm milk (I used 2%)
1 Tbsp active dry yeast (I used Red Star Brand)
1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
6 cups all-purpose flour, (divided into 1 cup and 5 cups) *measured correctly
3 large eggs
1 and 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp salt

1 egg, beaten for egg wash
1 Tbsp dry poppy seeds to sprinkle over the top

1 Recipe for Poppy Seed Filling (click here for tutorial)
3/4 cup raisins (white or brown raisins work)

Poppy Seed Buns

Tip for Success with Yeast Doughs:

A yeast dough will rise much faster in a warm oven and can cut your prep work in half. When letting a yeast dough rise in the oven, it should never be hotter than 100˚F. If you have a proofing option on your oven, use it. My old oven didn’t have such a luxury and the low setting was at 150˚F which will start cooking your bread, deactivate the yeast and ruin your buns.

I used to get creative by preheating to low, turning the oven off, propping the door with a wooden spoon and placing my dough over a towel in the oven. I’ve ruined yeast dough before by letting it get to hot and I’d love to spare you the same disappointment

How to Make Sweet Poppy Seed Buns (pirohi):

Preheat your oven to 360°F at step 13.
1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, add 2 cups warm milk and sprinkle with 1 Tbsp yeast. Let sit 5-7 min.

Poppy Seed Buns-2

2. Add 1 cup flour and 1/4 cup sugar. Whisk together until blended and let it rise at room temp 30-45 min or 20 minutes in a 100˚ oven.

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3. Whisk in the 3 eggs, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, 1.5 Tbsp melted butter and 1 tsp salt. Now using the dough hook, add the next 5 cups of flour 1 cup at a time letting it blend into the dough before adding more.

You know you’ve added enough flour when the dough is no longer sticking to the walls of the bowl – flour measurements could vary depending on the flour you use. Mix/knead on low speed with the dough hook for 15 minutes

Poppy Seed Buns-12 copy

Poppy Seed Buns-3

Baked Piroshki with Braised Cabbage-15

4. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm 100˚F oven for 1 hour (2 hours at room temp). The dough will triple in volume. Be patient. It’s all worth it in the end.

Poppy Seed Buns-4

5. Transfer your dough to a good very lightly floured non-stick surface and cut into 2 equal pieces. Working with one piece at a time, roll dough into a large circle a little less than 1/4″ thick. Cut out circles 2 1/2 to 3″ in diameter using a wide drinking glass or small bowl.

Poppy Seed Buns-12

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6. Mix raisins into poppyseed filling. Place 1 heaping tsp (or a flat mini-ice cream scoop) of popyseed filling into the center of each round. Pinch two ends together over the filing and pinch down the sides to seal in the filling. Fold the two corners up and place the filled bun onto the 9×13 rimmed baking sheet, sealed-side-down.

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7. Let the piroshki rise in a warm 100˚F oven for 20 minutes until they look puffy (or 30-45 minutes in a warm room. Beat 1 egg and brush the tops of the puffy piroshki with the egg wash then sprinkle on the poppy seeds. Bake at 360˚F for 18-20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.

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Sweet Poppy Seed Buns; super soft and my family approved @natashaskitchen

Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

Sweet Poppy Seed Buns (Pirohi)

4.94 from 30 votes
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
Sweet Poppy Seed Buns; super soft and my family approved @natashaskitchen
What I love about this dough: (1) It's versatile - you can use it for sweet (cherries, apples) or savory treats (2) You don't need any special flour (all-purpose is just fine) (3) It's heavenly soft P.S. Prep time is based on using a warm 100˚F oven for dough rising. If you leave the dough to rise at room temp, you can expect to add about 2 hours to your prep time.
Prep Time: 3 hours
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 18 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 36 buns
  • 2 cups warm milk, I used 2%
  • 1 Tbsp active dry yeast, I used Red Star Brand
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
  • 6 cups all-purpose flour, (divided into 1 cup and 5 cups)
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 and 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 egg, beaten for egg wash
  • 1 Tbsp dry poppy seeds to sprinkle over the top
  • 1 Recipe for Poppy Seed Filling, click here for tutorial
  • 3/4 cup raisins, white or brown raisins work

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 360°F at step 13.

  • In the bowl of an electric mixer, add 2 cups warm milk and sprinkle with 1 Tbsp yeast. Let sit 5-7 min.
  • Add 1 cup flour and 1/4 cup sugar. Whisk together until blended and let it rise at room temp 30-45 min or 20 minutes in a 100˚ oven.
  • Whisk in the 3 eggs, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, 1.5 Tbsp melted butter and 1 tsp salt. Now using the dough hook, add the next 5 cups of flour 1 cup at a time letting it blend into the dough before adding more. You know you’ve added enough flour when the dough is no longer sticking to the walls of the bowl - flour measurements could vary depending on the flour you use. Mix/knead on low speed with the dough hook for 15 minutes.
  • Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm 100˚ oven for 1 hour (2 hours at room temp). The dough will triple in volume. Be patient. It’s all worth it in the end.
  • Transfer your dough to a good very lightly floured non-stick surface and cut into 2 equal pieces. Working with one piece at a time, roll dough into a large circle a little less than 1/4" thick. Cut out circles 2 1/2 to 3" in diameter using a wide drinking glass or small bowl.
  • Mix raisins into poppyseed filling. Place 1 heaping tsp (or a flat mini-ice cream scoop) of popy seed filling into the center of each round. Pinch two ends together over the filing and pinch down the sides to seal in the filling. Fold the two corners up and place the filled bun onto the 9x13 rimmed baking sheet, sealed-side-down.
  • Let the piroshki rise in a warm 100˚F oven for 20 minutes until they look puffy (or 30-45 minutes in a warm room. Beat 1 egg and brush the tops of the puffy piroshki with the egg wash then sprinkle on the poppy seeds. Bake at 360˚F for 18-20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
  • Pour yourself a tall glass of cold milk and enjoy!

Notes

Tip for Success with Yeast Doughs:
A yeast dough will rise much faster in a warm oven and can cut your prep work in half. When letting a yeast dough rise in the oven, it should never be hotter than 100˚F. If you have a proofing option on your oven, use it. My old oven didn’t have such a luxury and the low setting was at 150˚F which will start cooking your bread, deactivate the yeast and ruin your buns. I used to get creative by preheating to low, turning the oven off, propping the door with a wooden spoon and placing my dough over a towel in the oven. I’ve ruined yeast dough before by letting it get to hot and I’d love to spare you the same disappointment
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Russian, Ukrainian
Keyword: Pirohi, Poppy Seed Buns
Skill Level: Medium
Cost to Make: $$

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Pour yourself a tall glass of cold milk and enjoy!

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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Comments

  • Inna
    April 6, 2023

    Hello,
    Do you grease the pan? Or line it with greased/ungreased parchment paper?
    Thanks!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      April 6, 2023

      Hi Inna! The parchment paper is not greased. 🙂

      Reply

  • Ania
    November 25, 2022

    Hi Natasha! These buns turned out super soft and very delicious! I used 34 grams of fresh yeast Instead of dry active yeast and replaced 2 tablespoons of flour with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch for increased tenderness and softness of the end product. Thank you for sharing the recipe with us, you are appreciated!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      November 26, 2022

      Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Ania! I’m so glad you’re enjoying my recipes!

      Reply

  • Sofiya
    September 30, 2022

    Please tell me I can make this dough in the bread maker! I read your response that the dough might spill out of the bread maker due to the size of the dough. To avoid this, could I just half the dough recipe then make 2 batches of dough? Pls help!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      October 1, 2022

      Hi Sofiya, it may be safer that way. If you do the full batch I’d suggest putting the ingredients into the bread maker at step 3 and setting it on the dough setting.

      Reply

  • Arianna
    April 19, 2022

    Hello Natasha, im excited to try this recipe. Have you ever replaced the yeast with sourdough starter? I’m curious to try this with myself starter and am wondering if one cup of starter would be enough for this recipe.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      April 19, 2022

      Hi Arianna, I have not tested that to advise. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes!

      Reply

  • Tom Caska
    March 13, 2022

    My grandmother was Czech from the Bohemian region. Our last name is Caska. She would make these for the holidays but called them Bouktie all I can remember is the sound not the spelling. She would made both poppyseed and cherry and served it as a dessert.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      March 13, 2022

      Sounds good, thanks for sharing. Is it exactly the same recipe?

      Reply

  • Irene
    January 13, 2022

    Thank you for this fail proof piroshki recipe. Literally so excited they came out right the first time around!!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      January 14, 2022

      Great job, Irene! That’s awesome news, thank you for sharing that with us.

      Reply

  • Norma
    December 25, 2021

    Hi Natasha,

    I don’t have a question but I just wanted to say that it’s so cool that you have replied to all the questions posted here. It’s nice to see you’re really “there” which is not the experience I have gotten when sending questions to some other bloggers/video creators. So thank you for being “there” 🥰🥰. I love all your videos and recipients , you’re THE BEST! 🥰🥰

    Norma

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      December 26, 2021

      I do my best to reply and address all the questions here, Norma. Thanks for appreciating what we do and thank you for your support!

      Reply

  • Ck
    November 30, 2021

    Recipe says ‘click here for filling link’ but doesn’t show link to poppyseed filling or did I miss it?

    Thanks.
    Ck

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      November 30, 2021

      Hi Ck, I’m showing the link okay on my end, 1 Recipe for Poppy Seed Filling (click here for tutorial). I hope that helps.

      Reply

  • Kelly Peltier
    February 18, 2021

    Hi Natasha,

    I love the Poppyseed Bun recipe! Made some today.

    Do you have a recipe for meat-filled buns? I have one that is called Nebraska Buns but was looking for a recipe for the dough that is light a fluffy.

    Thank you! Stay safe!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      February 18, 2021

      Hello Kelly, great to hear that you loved this recipe. I don’t have a recipe for a meat-filled bun yet but thanks for your suggestion. I think it’s a good idea for a future video.

      Reply

  • Feruza
    December 25, 2020

    Hi Natasha. I love your recipes. I was wondering if you have any recipes with farmers cheese (Russian tvorog)? I think it’s called farmers cheese in English.
    Thank you!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 26, 2020

      Hi Feruza, we sure do, you can find those recipes HERE.

      Reply

  • Luba
    December 24, 2020

    Hi Natasha :),

    I was wondering if you have a shredded apple cinnamon type of filling recepie?

    Thank you!

    Reply

  • Julia
    December 20, 2020

    Hi Natasha, I was wondering if you have a sweet cheese filling recipe? Like a farmers cheese sort of thing, I’m guessing this dough would work for that too.. looking forward to trying it 🙂

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      December 21, 2020

      Hello Julia, that’s a nice one however I don’t have a recipe for that yet. Thanks for your suggestion!

      Reply

  • Savannah
    July 2, 2020

    Omg .. so yummmmmy

    Please please please can you make a prune filling recipe. I can’t find prune buns anywhere ..
    My mom used to make them but sadly passed away before i learned how .

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 3, 2020

      Hi Savannah! Thank you so much for that suggestion!

      Reply

  • Anna
    June 6, 2020

    Thank you for this recipe! I have made this dough recipe three times and it has not failed me!!!love it, super fluffy and great with the poppy seed filling or jam filling or just on its own!!!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 6, 2020

      That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing that with me, Anna!

      Reply

  • Sonya
    April 28, 2020

    I remember eating bulochki with raisins fresh from bakeries in Moscow. How can I use this recipe to recreate that?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 29, 2020

      That sounds delicious! You can definitely add raisins to this recipe, we have done it in the past. Add your desired amount to the filling.

      Reply

  • Mariya
    April 30, 2019

    I made them with cherries inside. These are the best bulochki I ever made. The dough is so soft and delicious. I just ate 4 and I want more. Thank you.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      May 1, 2019

      That’s so great, Mariya! Thank you for sharing your review with me!

      Reply

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