Cook Like Czechs

  • Recipes
  • Czech Republic
  • About
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Subscribe
    • About
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Poppy Seed Filling Recipe

    Published: Mar 13, 2020 · Modified: May 14, 2024 by Petra Kupská | Cook Like Czechs · 26 Comments

    Jump to Recipe
    • 992shares

    Learn how to make homemade poppy seed filling for kolache, kolacky cookies, buchty buns, or yeast breads! These are all traditional Czech pastries that traditionally call for poppy seeds. Let's dive into the recipe!

    poppyseed filling recipe Czech

    Czechs are the world's largest producers of poppies, so it is not surprising that poppyseeds have become a staple of Czech cuisine. The Czech name for the filling made with poppyseed is "makova napln".

    The poppy seed filling is based on ground poppy seeds cooked in milk. It is sweetened with sugar and flavored with various ingredients. Here are some of them: spicy jam, freshly grated lemon zest, spiced rum, or perhaps crushed cloves.

    MY TIP: Try this poppy seed roll (it tastes fantastic!)

    ➜ How to grind poppy seeds

    In the Czech Republic, we buy blue poppies either whole or already ground.

    If you are based in the US, you can get poppies in European deli stores (Polish, German). The downside is that you can only get whole poppy seeds, which you need to grind before making the filling.

    The first way to grind poppy seeds is with a special manual poppy seed grinder. It’s available on Amazon in the US if you want one (I saw a few when I did some quick research).

    The other method uses a clean coffee grinder and grinds the poppyseed in small batches.

    I recently debated whether poppy seeds could be crushed in a food processor. Unfortunately, the results of those who tried it indicate that a food processor is not an appropriate tool for grinding poppy seeds.

    ➜ Ingredients

    Ingredients for homemade poppyseed filling.

    To make poppy seed filling from scratch, you’ll need:

    • Poppyseed, ground in a mill or coffee grinder
    • Whole milk, avoid using low-fat milk because there is no further fat added in this filling, and this is not a low-calorie recipe 🙂
    • Granulated sugar
    • Jam, the best variant is prune jam (Czech favorite); however, grab any solid jam you’ll find in your pantry
    • Lemon zest, freshly ground

    ✅ You’ll find the exact amount of ingredients below in the recipe card, which you can also print out.

    ➜ Instructions with photos

    STEP 1: Combine ground poppyseed and milk in a medium saucepan.

    STEP 2: Bring the milk mixture to a boil over medium heat. Stir occasionally to prevent the hot milk and poppy seeds from burning. Add sugar, jam, and lemon zest.

    poppyseed filling preparation

    STEP 3: Set the stove on medium-low heat. Cook until the sugar dissolves and the poppy seeds soften; it takes about 10 minutes. Don’t forget to stir.

    Czech maková náplň prep

    STEP 4: When finished, transfer the poppy seed filling to a bowl, set it aside, and allow it to cool down completely:

    poppyseed filling Czech maková náplň

    Important: This poppy seed filling thickens while cooling down. Make sure it’s cold before using it.

    ➜ Useful Tips

    • Add a few biscuit crumbs and stir if the filling is too thin.
    • If the filling is too thick, add a spoon or two of milk.
    • Let the filling cool down before using it!

    More poppy seed recipes:

    • Kolache – authentic recipe for Czech kolace
    • Škubánky s mákem – sweet treat with poppy seed topping
    • Makovec – poppy seed coffee cake
    • Poppy seed bundt cake – Czech makova babovka
    • Poppy seed kolache – makové koláče

    Get more ideas in this category with poppy seed recipes.

    poppyseed puff pastry hřebeny
    Puff pastry with poppy seed filling (Czech kohoutí hřebeny)

    FAQs

    How to grind poppy seeds?

    A simple way to grind poppy seeds is by using a particular mill. It’s a mainstay in Czech kitchens; try to find one from Tescoma (a Czech brand). Another method is to grind poppy seeds in a clean coffee grinder.

    How to spice up poppy seed filling?

    Add some vanilla, crushed cloves (spice), rum-soaked raisins, or a tablespoon of spiced rum to the cooled filling for more flavor.

    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!

    maková nádivka poppy seed filling recipe

    Maková náplň - Czech Poppyseed Filling

    Author: Petra Kupská | Cook Like Czechs
    Traditional Czech poppy filling for „buchty“ and „koláče“ and other sweet pastry.
    5 from 6 votes
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print recipe
    Prep Time: 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time: 15 minutes mins
    Total Time: 20 minutes mins

    Tap or hover to scale

    Ingredients 

    • 2 cups poppy seeds whole
    • 1 cup milk
    • ½ cup granulated sugar
    • ⅓ cup jam any solid jam: eg, plum, strawberry, apricot
    • ½ Tablespoon lemon zest freshly ground

    Instructions 

    • Grind 2 cups poppy seeds.
    • In a thick bottomed sauce pan, combine ground poppy seeds and 1 cup milk.
    • Bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir occasionally to prevent milk from burning. Add ½ cup granulated sugar, ⅓ cup jam, and ½ Tablespoon lemon zest.
    • Lower the heat and cook until the poppyseeds soften; it takes about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
    • When finished, transfer the poppyseed filling to a bowl, set it aside, and allow it to cool down completely.

    Notes

    • Makes about 1 ¾ cup of filling.
    • If you are filling smaller spaces (for instance Czech kolache or kolacky), put the filling in a decorating bag first and spray it over the pastry.
    • Make sure the filling cools down completely before using it.

    Nutritional estimate pro serving

    Calories: 1640kcal | Carbohydrates: 232g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 70g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 43g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 181mg | Potassium: 1495mg | Fiber: 31g | Sugar: 172g | Vitamin A: 397IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 2460mg | Iron: 15mg
    Calories pro serving: 1640
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Czech
    Keyword: Czech mák, maková náplň, poppy seed filling
    Pin Recipe Share by Email Share on Facebook
    Do you like the recipe?I would be happy for your feedback! Please, rate the recipe and share your opinion or questions in comments bellow. Thank you very much.

    • 992shares

    More from Czech Dessert Recipes

    • Two pieces of Czech Tvarožník cake served on a green plate.
      Tvarožník – Czech-Style Cheesecake
    • Czech buchta with canned peaches, sliced, served on a dessert plate.
      Czech Peach Buchta Sheet Cake
    • Fried and sugared rosettes.
      Fried Rosettes (Czech Rozetky)
    • Czech pudding rolls (pudinkové šneky) served on a plate.
      Pudding Custard Rolls (Czech Pudinkové šneky)

    Comments

    1. David says

      August 10, 2021 at 11:22 am

      5 stars
      Poppies are really hard to get here (Michigan), so I got to make this only once when my cousin sent a packet full of poppy seeds from the Czech Republic. Even then, this tasted fantastic! I think that poppies are really underrated in the US.

      Reply
      • Petra Kupská says

        August 10, 2021 at 4:59 pm

        Ahoj David, poppy seeds are one of the most commonly used ingredients in the Czech Republic when it comes to making filling for kolache and buchty buns. Always a great choice!

        Reply
      • Marlyss says

        January 28, 2022 at 6:52 pm

        FYI, canned poppyseed filling is available in grocery stores. Is on the baking isle with pie filling.

        Reply
        • jesk says

          December 25, 2022 at 3:49 am

          5 stars
          Be forewarned, store-bought canned filling is hardly worth it; it's overly sweet and lacks a depth of flavor. Once, my grandma switched to canned in a pinch and that batch lost a certain specialness of homemade. It's worth it to go homemade, since you're already fussing with kolacy or buchty anyway.

          Reply
          • Petra Kupská says

            December 29, 2022 at 8:13 am

            I couldn't agree with you more! However, I also take into account that poppy seeds are not as widely available around the world as they are in the Czech Republic. Furthermore, there is the issue of how to grind it.

            Reply
            • Michelle says

              October 04, 2023 at 9:52 pm

              What about added chocolate to the poppy? What would you say would be the amount to add to give it the perfect mixture of poppy and chocolate? Would you still add the jam and sugar?

              Thank you

        • Cm says

          December 19, 2024 at 12:00 am

          Not on Oahu right now!!

          Reply
        • Ruth Kraus says

          April 13, 2025 at 10:53 am

          lucky you! Unavailable in UK

          Reply
      • Jean Luby says

        September 28, 2023 at 8:31 pm

        You are absolutely right about being underrated. Here in Canada I buy it at the Bulk Barn in large quantity. The cashier at the time asked me what I was going to do with all the poppy seed. Unfortunately my problem is the grinding. I do use a spice grinder that works on maximum 4 TBS at a time. We use to have a proper Czech grinder used or grinding nuts and poppy see which made it much faster.

        Reply
    2. Diana Chandler says

      May 09, 2022 at 12:08 pm

      If I were to make a big batch of this.. what is your recommendation for storing leftovers? Fridge? Freezer? Canning?
      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Petra Kupská says

        May 16, 2022 at 6:57 am

        Ahoj Diana,
        I usually only make the amount I use. Maybe it's because poppy seeds are widely available in the Czech Republic, both whole and ground. If you make a big batch of poppy seed filling, probably the easiest way to preserve it is to divide the chilled filling into smaller portions and freeze it. Hope it helps at least a bit!
        Best wishes, Petra

        Reply
    3. Bonbon says

      September 22, 2022 at 11:16 am

      Why do you add jam? I've never heard of doing this. Wouldn't it take away the taste from the poppy seed?

      Reply
      • Petra Kupská says

        September 25, 2022 at 9:39 am

        I add jam to the poppy seed filling to make it juicier, if I may say so. In the Czech Republic, we usually add plum jam (povidla), but I know that's not as easily available in the US.

        Reply
        • jesk says

          December 24, 2022 at 11:18 pm

          5 stars
          My Czech grandma occasionally used to put some cut-up prune plums for flavor, too. Or, also, often raisins.

          Reply
          • Petra Kupská says

            December 29, 2022 at 9:07 am

            Yes, the Czechs often add raisins to poppy seed filling! Sometimes I add a little jam to make the filling juicier.

            Reply
    4. Sheila Keim says

      December 03, 2022 at 9:45 am

      5 stars
      Love these recipes!

      Reply
      • Petra Kupská says

        December 03, 2022 at 11:19 am

        Thank you very much for your nice words, Sheila!

        Reply
    5. StillLostThanks says

      December 13, 2023 at 11:27 pm

      I seen a bunch on amazon too but which ones are good, you sounded like you had some insight, what a waste of time.

      Reply
      • Ulrike says

        January 19, 2025 at 8:03 am

        I order mine online from Nuts.com comes in a pound bag when I order seeds for rye breads and other grain breads . Usually get 2 and toss one in the freezer. Fresh products no matter what I order

        Reply
    6. Jody Gallup says

      December 23, 2023 at 8:56 pm

      This sounds like a recipe like my Grandma used to make delicious kolaché. I will try this recipe.

      Reply
      • Anicka Cooklikeczechs.com says

        January 03, 2024 at 3:20 pm

        Thank you for your comment, Jody. Please, let me know how the recipe turned out afterwards!
        Best of luck!

        Reply
    7. Anne P Strong says

      March 20, 2024 at 8:30 am

      5 stars
      My Czech Grandma always made the tied Kolache...little packages, she called them!! She also made an apricot filling and a prune filling both she cooked fresh fruit to make. Never got those recipes from her before she passed . Thank you for this recipe. I enjoy your site very much.

      Reply
      • Petra Kupská says

        April 02, 2024 at 8:42 am

        Thank you, Anne, for your kind comment! You can try this recipe of mine for tied Kolache, hopefully they will taste close to the ones your grandmother used to make!

        Reply
    8. Sarah says

      November 21, 2024 at 8:33 pm

      I ground 2 cups of poppy seeds and added 1 cup of milk, and the poppy seeds completely absorbed the milk. The recipe says to bring this to a boil, but when I stir it, there is no liquid in the bottom of the pot--it seems like it will just burn. What am I doing wrong here?

      Reply
      • Petra | Cook Like Czechs says

        January 27, 2025 at 6:48 pm

        Hi Sarah,
        It sounds like the poppy seeds absorbed all the milk too quickly, which can happen if the seeds are finely ground and/or if the milk gets too hot. If the mixture is too thick and dry, you can add more milk, a little at a time, to loosen it up.

        Reply
    9. Suzanne RN says

      June 12, 2025 at 7:19 pm

      5 stars
      This is an excellent recipe for fleshly made poppyseed filling! I made it sugar free and it tasted wonderful in my poppyseed strudel and solace!

      Reply

    Leave a star rating and review or ask a question! Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating




    Hi, I am Petra, a born-and-raised Czech and self-taught cook with 25+ years of experience. I am here to show you that you can cook Czech food—even if you live abroad or never learned it growing up. With clear steps and trusted guidance, Czech cooking becomes simple, joyful, and meaningful, right in your own kitchen.

    Learn more

    Popular

    • Sliced Carlsbad dumplings (karlovarské knedlíky) on a plate.
      Carlsbad Dumpling Recipe (Czech Karlovarský knedlík)
    • Czech cucumber salad with sour cream and dill.
      Cucumber Salad With Sour Cream and Dill
    • Sliced plecovník Czech Easter bread.
      Plecovník Czech Sausage Bread
    • Two sausage bunny rolls.
      Sausage Bunny Rolls (Klobásoví zajíčci)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    All Things Czech

    • Czech Recipes
    • Czech Republic
    • Conversions U.S. to metric

    Useful Links

    • Privacy Policy
    • Nutrition Disclosure

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 CookLikeCzechs.com