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This creamy poppy seed filling is full of texture and sweet, nutty flavor. Use it as a spread or incorporate it into a variety of European baked goods!
Europeans have been tapping into the powers of poppy seed filling for centuries and good reason – this stuff is seriously tasty. It’s sweet, nutty, with a light crunch. Growing up, my grandmother used to stuff it and spread it into so many different baked goods. My mouth would literally salivate when she prepared it. Trust me, if you’re a fan of poppy seeds you’re going to fall head over heels for this recipe!
Where can you find poppy seeds? You’ll find the finest quality European poppy seeds at an speciality European store. There’s also great varieties in the baking aisle of most standard supermarkets. If you can’t get your hands on them in-store, find an awesome option from Amazon.
What is Poppy Seed Filling?
Poppy seed filling is made with a simple ingredients list of poppy seeds, milk, butter, salt, sugar, and eggs. Throughout Europe, it’s a beloved ingredient that’s used in so many fun and interesting ways. Below, find an overview of the flavor, texture, and cooking time for this rendition of the famous spread.
- Flavor: The flavor of poppy seed filling is a perfect balance between sweet cream and earthy poppyseeds.
- Texture: The texture of poppy seed filling is between a custard and a paste, with the addition of slightly crunchy ground poppy seeds.
- Time: From start to finish, this recipe takes just 30 minutes to make.
Preparing Poppy Seed Filling
Preparing poppy seed filling only requires 6 wholesome ingredients and a really simple cooking process. Below, find a simplified overview of the recipe before you get to work.
- Grind the Poppy Seeds: Grind the poppy seeds down until fine in texture.
- Make the Custard: In a saucepan, add the milk, butter, salt, and sugar and cook on low until the sugar dissolves. Slowly, whisk in the eggs and continue stirring until the mixture thickens.
- Add in the Poppy Seeds: Pour the poppy seeds into the saucepan and stir to combine. Next, remove the filling from heat and allow it to cool at room temperature. Finally, transfer the filling to an airtight container and store it in the fridge. Enjoy as a spread or added to a variety of desserts?
Different Ways to Grind Poppy Seeds
A food processor isn’t the only choice you have for grinding down poppy seeds. Below, find a handful of different methods that work just as great.
- Mortar and Pestle – In small batches, grind the poppy seeds down with the pestle in a circular motion
- Coffee Grinder – Pulse the poppy. seeds in a coffee grinder on the espresso setting
- High-Speed Blender – Blend the poppy seeds on high, scraping the sides of the blender with a spatula as you go
- Plastic Bag & Meat Tenderizer – Pop the poppy seeds in the bag and gently pound the seeds with the tenderizer
Pro Tips for the Best Poppy Seed Filling
Here, you’ll find a handful of tips to help you make the absolute best poppy seed filling.
- Use whole, full-fat milk. Vitamin D milk is the way to go. It yields the creamiest filling possible and makes all the difference.
- Stir the custard constantly to prevent the eggs from scrambling. Once you add the eggs in, it’s crucial that you continuously stir the mixture until it thickens (the consistency should be similar to that of sweetened condensed milk). If you let it sit still, the eggs will cook and turn clumpy.
- Immediately remove the filling from heat. Once you stir in the poppy seeds, immediately remove the filling from heat or else it will overcook and lose its creamy texture.
How to Use Poppy Seed Filling
While it’s perfectly fine to use your poppy seed filling as a simple spread for toast or sweet bread, there are a million and one different easy desserts and pastries you can incorporate it into. Below, find a couple of options to choose from.
- Rugelach (Rogaliki) – Rolled cookies filled with poppy seed paste
- Fluffy Poppy Seed Buns (Piroshki) – Fluffy buns filling with poppy seed paste
- Russian Sweet Piroshky (with Poppy Seeds) – Deep-fried dumplings filled with poppy seed paste
- Honey Walnut Poppy Seed Cake – The cake is baked with poppy seeds, but spread a layer of poppy seed paste on each layer for extra texture and sweetness
Storing Your Poppy Seed Filling
Whether you have a bit of filling you’d like to store in the fridge or you tripled the recipe and want to stow some away in the freezer, find our top tips for storage below.
- Refrigerator: To keep poppy seed filling on hand for up to 5 days, store it in a sealable canning jar or airtight container in the fridge. This will keep it from absorbing any lingering smells in the fridge and will also keep it from drying out.
- Freezer: To keep poppy seed filling on hand for up to 1 year, store it in portioned freezer-safe containers in the freezer. To thaw, simply place a jar in the fridge overnight.
FAQ
Do you have to grind poppy seeds for filling?
Yes, you should grind poppy seeds before incorporating them into your filling. This will not only yield a better texture, it will also reduce the chances of seeds getting stuck in your teeth!
Do you have to soak poppy seeds?
There is no need to soak the poppy seeds before making the filling.
How do you know if poppy seeds are spoiled?
You’ll know your poppy seeds have spoiled if they are showing any discoloration from their typical dark gray shade or if they have a rancid taste. Before making your filling, taste them to ensure they haven’t gone bad.
Why did my poppy seed filling turn out bitter?
A bitter filling is almost always a result of poppy seeds that have gone bad.
Do you need to rinse the poppy seeds before using them?
There’s no need to rinse the poppy seeds before using them, unless you think they need it. If so, run them under cold water in a super fine-mesh sieve.
Other Sweet Spreads
- Instant Pot Dulce de Leche – Creamy, caramely spread for baking and topping
- Easy Raspberry Jam + Video (3-Ingredients) – Raspberry chia seed jam
- Apricot Jam (Only 2 Ingredients) – Simple, mildly sweet apricot spread
Recipe
Poppy Seeds Filling Recipe
Print Pin
Servings
20 servings
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 30 minutes mins
Recipe contributed by: Natalya Drozhzhin
This luscious poppy seed filling is made with ground poppy seeds and a rich, creamy custard. A European staple!
Ingredients
US Units – Metric
Instructions
Grind the poppy seeds in a mill or coffee grinder.
Combine the milk, butter, salt, and sugar in a saucepan. Turn the heat to low and stir the mixture often until the sugar dissolves.
Slowly, whisk in the eggs and continue to stir the mixture until it begins to thicken, about 15-20 minutes (it should resemble the consistency of sweetened condensed milk). Note: If you let the mixture sit too long, the eggs will cook and begin to scramble.
Add the poppy seeds into the sauce pan and stir to combine. Remove the poppy seed filling from heat and allow it to cool at room temperature.
Once it's completely cooled, transfer the filling to an airtight container and store it for up to a week. Enjoy it spread on toast or added to your favorite baked goods!
Nutrition Facts
Poppy Seeds Filling Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 139 Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Fat 9g14%
Saturated Fat 4g20%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 30mg10%
Sodium 112mg5%
Potassium 87mg2%
Carbohydrates 13g4%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 11g12%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 185IU4%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 144mg14%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Posted February 19, 2022
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RuthJan 27, 2024 Hi my mom never put an egg in the poppy seed filling...just sugar, cream and poppyseeds...she did not grind them either..she used them to make poppy seed bread...makes her own dough with nutmeg in it..she would spread dough, cover with the filling and roll like for a cinnamon role and let rise and bake..she would make for easter...I want to try this recipe with the egg...I would temper the egg in warm milk before adding...warm the milk in microwave...mix the egg...and the add little of warm milk to the egg and stir right away..continue to add warm milk little by little...and stir immediately...
Natalya DrozhzhinJan 29, 2024 Thanks for sharing Ruth! I would love to hear your feedback once you try this recipe.
Okhee ChoiDec 1, 2023 Hi, I am trying to make your Quick Poppy Seed Rolls.
Your recipe calls for 16 oz (453.59 g) poppyseed filling.
Could you tell me how much poppyseed filling this recipe is for?Natalya DrozhzhinDec 2, 2023 It makes about 2.5 cups, so enough for quick poppy seed rolls! Enjoy!
The MeerNov 13, 2023 I feel like reading this article is going to get me in legal trouble
Natalya DrozhzhinNov 14, 2023 LOL! No trouble here, just pure goodness! 🙂
CarolJul 10, 2023 Question please. I made this for first time today to try your version as filling in my poppyseed rolls. It tastes great, super happy with that but I have little white specs in mine which I am assuming is egg white (I turned the heat up to medium to get it to thicken, must of been to high). My question because I have little white specs, if I stored this on counter in airtight container for up to three days would the filling go bad from the egg specs? Thx.
Natalya DrozhzhinJul 11, 2023 Hi Carol, The filling should be stored in the fridge not on the counter. So in the fridge, the filling will last up to three days.
CAJun 24, 2023 Not a fan of standing over a stove, managed to successfully adapt the cooking to shirt stints in the microwave (30 sec at a time until the first sign of thickening, then 1 min at LOW/50-60 power in between stirring). Turned out fine 👍
Natalya DrozhzhinJun 26, 2023 Hi CA, Glad to hear it worked out for you!
DinaJun 10, 2023 Standing here for an hour already and the cream still didn't thicken to the right consistency. I would have given up already if not for that whole stick of butter I used on this...
Natalya DrozhzhinJun 10, 2023 Hi Dina, it will slightly thickens at first but as it cools down it will thicken a lot more. Let me know how it goes.
Sylvia ZornJun 5, 2023 First time I made this, it turned out great. Today it will not firm up, poppyseeds on top, liquid underneath. Can I drain off the liquid and reheat it again to see if it will thicken. Then add back to the poppyseeds.
Natalya DrozhzhinJun 5, 2023 Hi Sylvia, it does thicken as it cools down a bit. Have you tried letting it sit for a bit?
StephanieMar 23, 2024 It happened to me as well. It didn’t thicken when it sat. More like a vanilla sauce with poppy seeds on top!
Natalya DrozhzhinMar 25, 2024 Hey Stephanie, What was the consistency like before you added the poppyseeds? Perhaps that needs more time to thicken on the stovetop before adding the poppyseeds and cooling?
MarriApr 16, 2023 Wouldn't it be better and easier to temper the eggs with the hot milk mixture and then add it to the pan? Much less chance of scrambling the eggs. Its a technique I always use when making custard, lemon curd, etc.
Anyway, got my poppyseed on order and can't wait to make this! Thank you for the recipe.Natalya DrozhzhinApr 17, 2023 Hi Marri, you can do it that way as well. Thank you for sharing your tips. I hope you love this recipe, enjoy!
H. Sammi LevinsonMar 10, 2023 I bought seeds for Giant Rattle and Hungarian Blue for my gardens this year. Love the stuff and look forward to trying this recipe out
Natalya DrozhzhinMar 11, 2023 Hi there! Wow I would love to see them when they bloom!! Thanks for sharing that!
Jennifer LandryFeb 7, 2023 Dumb question here, but do I measure the poppy seeds before or after grinding them?
Natalya DrozhzhinFeb 8, 2023 Hi Jennifer! Thats not a dumb question at all! That measurement is before you grind the seeds. Thank you for reaching out!
BB07Dec 24, 2022 This is my very 1st time making anything like this but, eventually, it did turn out.
For those that are having the same problem i did of it not thickening, slowly turn your stove top up in temperature and do not stop stirring.
After an hour of stirring and slowly increasing my stove, eventually to Medium heat, it finally thickened and had no eggs scramble. Also, because I had to use such a high heat I immediately removed the pan from the hit stove and placed it on a cold metal surface to help stop the cooking and I continued to stir for a few minutes.I haven't baked with it as of yet but mine is gorgeously thick and smells delicious. It took persistence but I am adamant my husband have his poppy seed roll for Christmas morning like he did as a kid.
Natalya DrozhzhinDec 24, 2022 Hey dear, thank you so much for this feedback. So many great tips! It will be so helpful to others. Thank you and Happy Holidays!
MargaretDec 20, 2022 I think it would be helpful to know how long we are stirring to thicken. Making this right now and I too am not wanting the eggs to cook but it's not thickening. But then I'm wondering if I've let it mix enough. Do we mix appropriately 5 minutes? 20? Also is it supposed to be on low heat the entire time? There is no direction to change this when stirring.
Looking forward to a good outcome regardless!Natalya DrozhzhinDec 21, 2022 Hey Margaret, it will thicken as the eggs cook, kinda like custard cream. Also, it thickens a bit more when the filling cools down. You want to continue stirring so it doesn't burn on the bottom, as often as possible.
ValyaAug 12, 2023 So approx how long do you stir for???
Natalya DrozhzhinAug 14, 2023 Hi Valya, Approximately 20 minutes on low. I hope this helps!
Marinela BlinduNov 8, 2022 This is the best poppy seed filling, and i tried a few. I’m so happy i found it.Honestly i can eat it by spoon 🙂 My kids love this so much in the sweet bread.
Thank youNatalya DrozhzhinNov 8, 2022 Hi Marinela, So glad to hear it! I absolutely love this recipe as well! I will never use store bought again!
LenaNov 5, 2022 Natalya! I just make this recipe and it's perfect. I am waiting for it to cool and will use it for my sweet bread tomorrow.
You recipes never dissappoint.Thank you!
Your
Natalya DrozhzhinNov 5, 2022 Hi Lena, You're so sweet to say that. I am glad the recipes are a hit! Thank you for your feedback, Enjoy!
ClaudetteJun 15, 2022 I followed the recipe carefully, cooking the mixture over a low heat and stiring constantly, but the mixture would not come to the cosistancy of condensed milk. It did thichen somewhat as soon as I stirred in the beaten eggs, but didn't thicken any furture, so eventually, I stired in the ground poppy seeds and remove it from the heat to cool at room temperature. Even after refridgerating overnight, it was not really thick enough. I used it in your poppy seed rolls recipe and the filling ran out of the rolls as I tried to slice the rolled up cylinder of dough.
Natalya DrozhzhinJun 16, 2022 Hi Claudette- I'm sorry the filling didn't thicken as expected. It sounds like you really did follow everything to a T, so I'm not sure why it wouldn't thicken. I'm thinking maybe the filling needed to be cooked a little longer on a *slightly* higher temp to get it to thicken some more before adding the ground poppyseeds. Perhaps stove temperature may be a factor in how well it thickens, and another factor may be how finely ground the poppyseeds are. Thanks for providing feedback, if you attempt it again I hope next time it comes out perfectly!
Susan LoraineApr 23, 2022 Your nutrition label for the poppy seed filling says 139 calories per serving but it does not indicate what size a serving is. Can you tell how much is xonsidered a serving size.
Thanks,
SusanNatalya DrozhzhinApr 24, 2022 Hi Susan - It's about two tablespoons! Hope this helps.
AlinaApr 14, 2022 Can I use margarine instead of butter?
Natalya DrozhzhinApr 15, 2022 Hey Alina, I have not used margarine in this recipe. If you try it, let me know how it comes out. Enjoy
rosemary merrillFeb 27, 2022 Way too greasy.....
I am thinking that 4 oz. butter is not correct.
Perhaps, it should be 4 Tbsp.
Thank you.Natalya DrozhzhinFeb 28, 2022 Hello Rosemary- it is a rich filling, and the recipe does indeed call for a full stick of butter (4oz).
DavidFeb 8, 2022 Hi Natalya,
Okay, so I followed recipe and I had the same problem as Heather had with the poppy seed and milk/butter separating. Best guess is I didn't let the milk, butter and egg thicken enough. I was afraid the eggs were going to get too hot and cook.
Second time around I got the mixture to thicken and poppy seed blended fine.
Now for the rolls. 😊Natalya DrozhzhinFeb 8, 2022 Hello, David. Ah yes, making sure it thickens before adding the poppyseeds is important. I'm glad it worked out the second time. Thank you for sharing!
DavidFeb 2, 2022 I noticed this recipe calls for 4 oz of butter (8 tbsp). Is this correct or should it be 4 tbsp?
Natalya DrozhzhinFeb 2, 2022 Hello, David. This is correct. 4oz of butter is equal to 8 tbsp. Enjoy!
dina LDec 3, 2023 I used 5 tablespoons and it thicken.By having trouble with the egg white. Would 3 or 4 egg yolks work to thicken it instead of whole eggs?
Natalya DrozhzhinDec 4, 2023 Hey Dina, I recommend using two whole eggs instead of egg whites. What exactly are you having trouble with in regards to the eggs?
HeatherOct 21, 2021 I did everything correctly and used the exact ingredients and my poppyseeds keep separating from milk and butter once cooled? There’s like a layer of poppyseed with the butter milk mix under it?
Natalya DrozhzhinOct 22, 2021 Hi Heather, I have never had that happen. Have you blended the poppy seeds?
AnnaApr 3, 2021 Hi! Why the poppy filling that I made is bitter?
Natalya DrozhzhinApr 3, 2021 Hey Anna, it's the quality of poppy seeds.
Elizabeth WaksmunskiDec 9, 2020 Do you think that a sugar free version of the poppyseed filing could be made using Monkfruit sweetener?
Natalya DrozhzhinDec 9, 2020 Hi Elizabeth, yes, thats a great idea. I don't know if the texture changes of Monkfruit sweetener as it bakes. When you try it, can you report back with feedback?
TaniaJul 3, 2020 Do you not wash the poppy seeds??
Natalya DrozhzhinJul 3, 2020 Hey Tania, I don't wash them but you can always wash them too.
TigrasMay 8, 2020 Will this mixture freeze? This amount is too much for us (two people) to use at one time, and to try to make smaller quantity (like 100g of seeds) is too much trouble!
Natalya DrozhzhinMay 8, 2020 Hey Tigras, yes you can definitely freeze it for later. If you cut the recipe in half it should be good enough. It would also depend on how you are planning to use it.
AnnaMay 2, 2020 I don’t have a grinder :-/ must I grind the poppy seeds?
Natalya DrozhzhinMay 2, 2020 Yes, they will have a better texture. You can use a blender and blend them in small portions.
SaltApr 25, 2020 The filling recipe calls for 1/2 tsp of salt but the instructions doesn't say when to add this in. I'm guessing into the milk mixture?
Natalya DrozhzhinApr 25, 2020 Thank you for pointing this out. I added a note to the recipe.
YelenaApr 25, 2020 At what point do add the salt? Also, in step two you say add margarine but ingredients say butter, which is it?
Natalya DrozhzhinApr 25, 2020 Hey Yelena, add butter to the mix. I have updated the recipe, thanks for catching that. Add salt with sugar.
LidiyaApr 10, 2020 I think I scrambled my eggs while adding them into the milk mix.. do you think it still will work?
Natalya DrozhzhinApr 10, 2020 You mean the milk was too warm? If the milk was at 110f they shouldn’t effect the eggs.
LidiyaApr 11, 2020 Yes I think what happened was I cooked it on too high of a temperature.. I had pieces of egg that kept getting caught in the whisk.. I managed to get some out but once I mixed the poppyseeds into it, it turned out fine.. the filling came out delicious and did the rolls 🙂 thank you!
Natalya DrozhzhinApr 11, 2020 I am so glad Lidiya! Thanks for coming back to share your feedback!
RosemarieDec 22, 2019 Thank you for this easy recipe, it's so hard to find this filling and yes it tastes yucky!!! I will be using this one often.
Natalya DrozhzhinDec 23, 2019 Rosemarie, I am so glad you found this recipe! Hope you get to try our piroshki with the filling, to die for combo! 🙂
