In the eighties, the loupáčky or loupáky were very commonplace in former Czechoslovakia. You could buy these sweet rolls sprinkled with poppyseed in any store or bakery, together with Czech "koblihy" filled with jam.
Today, stores are filled with various other sweet pastry types, often originating from a different country. A traditional loupáček became quite an old-school food, but it hasn’t lost its appeal and is still a classical Czech baked treat.
Other Czech recipes with poppy seeds include "makovec" or "škubánky s mákem".
Pronunciation
I recorded a short audio clip on pronouncing the Czech word loupáčky. The first word in the audio is "loupáčky", the last is "loupáky", which has the same meaning.
What Is Loupáček?
Loupáček (plural loupáčky) is a fluffy sweet bread rolled into a crescent shape (similar to Czech rohlík). Loupáček is made from yeast dough. Before baking, loupáčky are brushed with a beaten egg and sprinkled with crunchy poppy seeds.
Loupáček is also sometimes called makovka.
Ingredients
Loupáčky are baked from sweet yeasted dough, which has to be leaven twice. Leavening twice will ensure that the shape and puffiness are perfect when finished.
- All-purpose flour
- Milk
- Granulated sugar
- Lard
- Salt
- Yeast; fresh or instant dry
- Eggs; for dough plus an egg wash
- Poppy seeds; to sprinkle the surface before baking.
Pork lard is used instead of butter in loupáček, which gives it its signature taste. If you don’t have lard, use unsalted butter instead.
Instructions with Photos
Leavening of the dough takes the most time. It’s leavened twice, once for 45 minutes just the dough, then you form the loupáčky, and they are leavened for additional 45 minutes.
STEP 1: Put flour in a bowl, add lukewarm milk, sugar, lard, eggs, salt, and yeast.
STEP 2: Mix and knead everything with your hands until you have a smooth, non-sticky dough.
STEP 3: Split into 4 equally sized pieces, dust lightly with flour and cover them with a towel. Let it leaven for 45 minutes in a warm place.
STEP 4: Flatten the pieces with a rolling pin until you have a layer about ⅕ inch (4 mm) in thickness. Cut the piece into 6 triangles.
STEP 5: Roll the triangle from the wide side to the tip. Press down the tips lightly together, and place them on a baking paper-lined baking tray. Bend the loupáčky into a horseshoe shape.
STEP 6: Let it leaven for additional 45 minutes. Do not skip this step!
STEP 7: Brush the leavened loupáčky with beaten eggs and sprinkle their surface with poppy seeds.
STEP 8: Bake in a 350 °F (180 °C) preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, until the surface turns golden.
Extra Bonus
This is a quick recipe from my grandpa. He used to make a fabulous dessert out of left loupáčky!
He sliced some older loupáčky and put them in a strain. He poured hot milk over them, then he arranged them on a plate and sprinkled them with poppy seed and sugar. As the final step, he poured the butter over them. Totally amazing!
FAQs
Czechs love loupáčky both alone or with butter, honey, or jam. Old fashioned people like loupáčky as a breakfast, soaked in white coffee. The taste of a loupáček slightly resembles a brioche or a croissant. Loupáček doesn’t contain any filling, raisins, or other dried fruit types.
If you have more loupáčky than you can eat, it’s best to freeze them while they’re still fresh. You can then take one or two from the freezer and let them thaw whenever you want some. Loupáčky taste as if they were fresh.
Recipe card
Loupáčky – Czech Sweet Crescent Rolls with Poppyseed
Ingredients
Yeasted dough for loupáčky:
- 1 and ¾ cups (420 ml) milk lukewarm
- 2 lb (900 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 3 oz (84 g) pork lard or ¾ stick unsalted butter
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 oz (60 g) fresh yeast or 2 tsp dry yeast
- 1 whole egg
For finishing:
- 1 egg for brushing
- whole poppy seed to sprinkle loupáčky before baking
Instructions
- Put the flour into a bowl, add lukewarm milk. Add granulated sugar, lard, salt, eggs. Break the yeast down into the mix.
- Mix and knead everything with your hands until you have a smooth, non-sticky dough. Add some milk/or flour if necessary.
- Split into 4 equally sized pieces, dust lightly with flour, and cover them with a towel. Let it leaven for 45 minutes in a warm place.
- Flatten the pieces with a rolling pin until you have a layer about ⅕ inch (4 mm) in thickness. Cut the piece into 6 triangles.
- Roll the triangle from the wide side to the tip. Press down the tips lightly together, and place them on a baking paper-lined baking tray.
- Bend the loupáčky into a horseshoe shape.
- Let it leaven for additional 45 minutes. Do not skip this step!
- Brush the leavened loupáčky with beaten eggs and sprinkle them with poppy seeds.
- Bake in a 350 °F (180 °C) preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, until the surface turns gold.
Notes
DISCLAIMER: Because I come from Central Europe, my recipes are based on metric units such as grams or milliliters. Check out how I convert metric units to the U.S. system:
Conversion chartMore typical Czech desserts:
- Lívance, Czech yeasted pancakes with cinamon
- Frgály, Wallachian sweet cake with blueberries
- Kefírka, easy Czech buttermilk sheet cake with chocolate icing
Jan
Hi Petra,
I live in Cincinnati Ohio and was brought up eating poppyseed horns with coffee. There are no longer bakeries making them. I would like to make them for my siblings.
Do these horns have a firm outer crust? If not, would baking with steam toughen them?
Petra Kupská
Ahoj Jan,
Thank you for your comment. These poppyseed loupacky horns have a regular crust, I would say. However, the poppy seeds sprinkled on the surface make it crunchier. Steaming in the oven always helps to crisp up the baked goods; you can give it a try; it is a good idea!
Jan
Thank you for your speedy response. I’ll let you know how they turn out!
Petra Kupská
I'll be looking forward to it! 🙂
Pam Anderson
Hi! I appreciate seeing this recipe; thank you (and your son) for posting it. I currently am completing a book of poems based in Czechoslovakia from 1938-1945 and plan to use this recipe as an anchor to one of my poems. Of course, I will acknowledge that this recipe is from your kitchen, but I also want to ask your permission to use it. You can read more about me on my website: https://www.pamelaranderson.org/
I will be trying this recipe this week! With warmest regards...Pam
Petra Kupská
Hi Pam! Thank you for reaching out. Your idea is great, the years 1938-1945 cover the period of WWII in former Czechoslovakia. Of course, feel free to use the recipe in your book of poems, I don't have a bit of a problem with that. I wish your poetic muse never leaves you! Petra