Yeast-dough rolls called Loupacky 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 Loupacky is with some butter and a steaming mug of cocoa.
➜ What are Loupacky rolls
In the Czech Republic, loupacky 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, loupacek 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 loupacky. The first word in the audio is "loupáčky," and the last is "loupáky," which has the same meaning.
➜ Ingredients for crescent rolls
To make loupacky 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 loupacky surface
Next, prepare an egg for egg wash.
✅ You’ll find the exact amount of ingredients below in the recipe card, which you can also print out.
➜ How to make Loupacky 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 Loupacky 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 Loupacek 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.
- Loupacky 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:
Browse the category with poppy seed recipes for more ideas!
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Poppy Seed Crescent Rolls (Czech Loupacky)
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk lukewarm about 105-115°F
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ½ stick unsalted butter (55 g) softened at room temperature
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 egg yolk
For finishing:
- 1 egg for egg wash
- 1 Tablespoon poppy seeds to sprinkle
Instructions
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 to rise for 40 minutes.
- 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.
- Bake in a 350°F (177°C) preheated oven for 15–18 minutes, until their surface turns golden.
Notes
- Makes 12 Loupacky crescent rolls.
- SERVING: Czech Loupacky 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.
- 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: Loupacky 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.
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 chart
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! 🙂
Angela
your recipe doesn't say how much yeast to use.
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