Yeast-dough rolls called Loupáčky or Makovky are a traditional sweet treat in the Czech Republic. Crescent in shape, these pastries are sprinkled with poppy seeds. The finest way to enjoy a freshly baked batch of Loupáčky is with some butter and a steaming mug of cocoa.
➜ What are Loupáčky rolls
In the Czech Republic, Loupáčky crescent rolls are a well-known type of sweet pastry that is produced with yeast dough. The top is finished with an egg wash, and then whole poppy seeds are sprinkled on top.
These are a common component of a traditional Czech breakfast, and Czech youngsters frequently have them as snacks at school.
In some Czech regions, Loupáček is sometimes called makovka.
MY TIP: Learn more about Czech pastries!
➜ Pronunciation
I made a short audio clip about how to pronounce the Czech word loupáčky. The first word in the audio is "loupáčky," and the last is "loupáky," which has the same meaning.
➜ Ingredients for crescent rolls
To make Loupáčky poppy seed crescent rolls, you need the following:
- All-purpose flour
- Warm milk; To make yeast dough, the milk should be lukewarm (about 105-115°F), which is about the temperature of a nice warm bath.
- Granulated sugar
- Unsalted butter; softened at room temperature
- Pinch of salt
- Egg yolk
- Active dry yeast
- Whole poppy seeds; to sprinkle the Loupáčky surface
Next, prepare an egg for egg wash.
✅ See the recipe below with step-by-step photos and many helpful tips. Scroll down for the full printable recipe in both US cups and metric measurements.
➜ How to make Loupáčky crescent rolls
Preparing perfect yeast dough:
STEP 1: First, prepare the yeast starter. Stir half a cup of lukewarm milk with sugar and pour into a warmed saucepan or mug. Mix one tablespoon of flour with the active dry yeast and add to the sweetened milk. Stir well.
Let it sit in a warm place for about 10-15 minutes until bubbles form on the milk's surface.
STEP 2: Pour the flour into the bowl, add the rest of the lukewarm milk, including the blooming starter, sugar, and egg yolk. Mix briefly. Add the softened butter and salt and knead into a soft, smooth dough.
NOTE: I make the yeast dough in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Of course, you can knead the dough by hand, but this requires some skill and experience.
Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size. Depending on environmental conditions, it takes between an hour and an hour and a half.
⇢ Learn how to make dough rise in the oven.
Shaping crescent rolls:
STEP 3: Briefly knead the dough and divide in half. Form each half into a ball. On a lightly floured work surface, roll one dough ball into a round, flat shape about ⅙ inch (4 mm) thick. Cut into six triangles; I used a plastic dough cutter.
STEP 4: Roll out each triangle even more with a rolling pin. To make the crescents, begin at the wide end of a triangle and roll your way to the point. Once the point is tucked under the roll, just bend the roll into a curved crescent form.
STEP 5: Grease a cookie sheet with a solid fat (unsalted butter or Crisco) and place the crescent rolls on the sheet. Be sure to leave at least 1 ½ inches (4 cm) of space between the rolls as the dough will rise.
Repeat with the other half of the dough.
Cover the sheet of rolls with a clean tea towel and place it in a warm place to rise for 40 minutes.
STEP 6: Whisk an egg in a bowl with a fork and brush the egg wash over the rolls on all sides. Then sprinkle their surface with poppy seeds.
Baking poppy seed crescent rolls:
STEP 7: Bake in a 350°F (177°C) preheated oven for 15-18 minutes, until their surface turns golden.
➜ Serving
Czech Loupáčky crescent rolls make the perfect breakfast any day of the week. With a cup of hot cocoa and some unsalted butter or jam on top, these crescent rolls are the perfect treat for a lazy weekend morning in bed.
TIP: If your Loupáček roll is a day or two old and not so soft and fluffy, feel free to dip it in a mug of cocoa or milk coffee!
➜ Useful tips
- Crescent rolls made of yeast dough taste best the same day they are baked. If you have any leftovers, place them in a resealable plastic bag after they have completely cooled. They will last about three days.
- Loupáčky rolls freeze very well. Once completely cooled, place them in a resealable bag suitable for the freezer and put in the freezer. They will last for about three months.
- You can slice the stale rolls, then place the slices in a strainer and pour boiling milk over them. Transfer to a plate, sprinkle with ground poppy seeds mixed with powdered sugar, and drizzle with melted butter. My grandpa used to make & love this delicacy!
More Czech pastries:
- Trdelnik
- Kolache
- Filled Buchty buns
- Poppy seed horseshoe rolls (Martinské podkovy)
Browse the category with poppy seed recipes for more ideas!
Tried this recipe?
Leave a review down in the comments! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Other readers and I love hearing what you think. Stay in touch by following me on Facebook and Pinterest. For more Czech stuff, subscribe to my newsletter!
📖 Recipe
Poppy Seed Crescent Rolls (Czech Loupacky)
Tap or hover to scale
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 and ¼ cups milk lukewarm
- 2 and ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 stick unsalted butter softened at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg yolk
For finishing:
- 1 egg for egg wash
- 2 Tablespoons poppy seeds to sprinkle
Instructions
- Make yeast starter: In a small saucepan, warm a cup of milk until it is just lukewarm (about 115 °F). Then, add a teaspoon of sugar and 2 and ½ teaspoons active dry yeast. Let this mixture sit in a warm spot until it activates; you will notice a foamy mass with bubbles forming on the surface.
- Make yeast dough: Pour 4 cups all-purpose flour into the bowl, add the rest of the lukewarm milk, including the blooming starter, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, and 1 egg yolk. Mix briefly. Add 1 stick unsalted butter softened at room temperature and ½ teaspoon salt. Knead into a soft, smooth dough.
- Let it rise: Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size. Depending on environmental conditions, it takes between an hour and an hour and a half.
- Briefly knead the raised dough and divide in half. Form each half into a ball. On a lightly floured work surface, roll one dough ball into a round, flat shape about ⅙ inch (4 mm) thick. Cut into six triangles; I used a plastic dough cutter.
- Shape crescent rolls: Roll out each triangle even more with a rolling pin. To make the crescents, begin at the wide end of a triangle and roll to the point. Once the point is tucked under the roll, just bend the roll into a curved crescent form.
- Grease a cookie sheet with a solid fat (unsalted butter or Crisco) and place the crescent rolls on the sheet. Be sure to leave at least 1 ½ inches (4 cm) of space between the rolls. Repeat with the other half of the dough. Cover the sheet of rolls with a clean tea towel and place it in a warm place for a second rise for 40 minutes.
- Whisk 1 egg in a bowl with a fork and brush the egg wash over the rolls on all sides. Then sprinkle their surface with poppy seeds.
- Let's bake! Bake in a
350 °F preheated oven for 15-18 minutes, until their surface turns golden.
Notes
- The basic recipe makes 12 Loupáčky crescent rolls.
- SERVING: Czech Loupáčky rolls make the perfect breakfast any day of the week. With a cup of hot cocoa and some unsalted butter or jam on top, these crescent rolls are the perfect treat for a lazy weekend morning in bed.
- How long will homemade crescent rolls keep? These rolls taste best the same day they are baked. If you have any leftovers, place them in a resealable plastic bag after they have completely cooled. They will last about three days.
- FREEZING: Loupáčky freeze very well. Once completely cooled, place them in a resealable bag suitable for the freezer and put in the freezer. They will last for about three months.
Jan says
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 says
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 says
Thank you for your speedy response. I’ll let you know how they turn out!
Petra Kupská says
I'll be looking forward to it! 🙂
Angela says
your recipe doesn't say how much yeast to use.
Anicka Cooklikeczechs.com says
Thank you so much for letting me know, the amount of yeast has been added in the recipe card.
Andrea says
Hello!
My Slovak Uncle used to bake these by the dozens and they were amazing!! I am excited to try my hand, but can you please tell me how long to knead the dough? Is there a trick to knowing when it's been kneaded enough?
Thanks!!
Pam Anderson says
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 says
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
Jane Simek says
I love baking with yeast dough. This recipe takes me down the memory lane, when I was lined up inside the bakery waiting to be served. Loupacky and pletynky were my favorite pastries in the bakery back home. Your recipe sounds very authentic and is well written and should be easy to follow. I like how it gives the metric option for the weight or volume of the ingredients. I tend measure and weigh the ingredients using metric units. I know that in North America, there is cake flour, all purpose flour and even bread flour. I see many Czech recipes which are written in English for Americans or Canadians. And most of those recipes recommend to use all purpose flour. But, if you were baking loupacky back home, which flour would you use? Hladka, hruba or polohruba?
Anicka Cooklikeczechs.com says
Hello Jane, thank you for your comment and feedback! As for your question, I would use hladka mouka. 🙂
Greetings from the Czech Republic.
Szilvi says
I just made this recipe, and it turned out perfect. We often travel to Brno and usually buy a lot of Loupacky, we freeze it. Yesterday my husband ate the last one. So I decided to make this recipe while he was working. We usually make sandwiches from these crescent rolls. It might sound strange, but it is very good with salami 🙂
Petra Kupská says
That makes me so happy to hear! What a perfect surprise for your husband. Loupačky are so special, and I love that you make sandwiches with them it sounds tasty, even though it is not typical. 😊