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Easy and perfect German poppy seed roll aka poppy seed coffeee cake. Made with homemade yeast dough that’s filled with homemade poppy seed marzipan filling and finished off with crumbles to create a delicious dessert worthy of any celebration.
My husband, Jo is a huge fan of marzipan and poppy seeds baked goodies. A few days ago was his birthday and he requested for poppy seed roll with marzipan from me and a poppy seed marzipan cake from his mother.
Well that’s Jo for you, always requesting the same cake and roll for his birthday. So, I made this easy to follow, delicious and perfect poppy seed roll with marzipan a night before.
The poppy seed roll is made with homemade sweet yeast dough that rises twice (after making the dough and after rolling it), filled with homemade poppy seed marzipan filling and topped with crumbles. After baking it’s brushed with warm jam and sprinkled with lemon icing.
I made this poppy seed roll a couple of times and every time I make it, it always turns out perfectly well. Definitely a keeper!
My husband’s family were blown away the first time I made it. They were like from which bakery did you buy this amazing roll. Duh, I made it. If you’re not a fan of marzipan, just cut the amount in half or omit it.
How to make German poppy seed roll
Making German poppy seed roll also known as poppy seed coffee cake is way easier to make than you think. All you have to do is roll out the dough after the first rise and spread with poppy seed marzipan filling that’s flavored with lemon and vanilla.
Then roll it up and top with crumbles before the second rise. Immediately after baking you brush it with jam and sprinkle with lemon icing. Done.
The poppy seed roll makes a perfect make-ahead breakfast or afternoon tea/ coffee.
What you’ll need to make German poppy seed roll from scratch (Mohnstriezel)
Ingredients for yeast dough:
- 500 g (17.6 oz/ 4 cups) plain flour (all purpose flour), plus extra for dusting
- 2 ½ teaspoons dry yeast (1 package of dry yeast (7 g/ ¼ oz))
- 1 medium egg
- 50 g (1.8 oz/ ¼ cup) sugar
- 80 g (2.8 oz/1/3 cup) butter
- 250 ml (8.5 fl oz/ 1 cup) whole milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
Ingredients for poppy seed filling with marzipan
- 200 g (7.1 oz) ground poppy seeds
- 50 g (1.8 oz/ ¼ cup) sugar
- 350 ml (12 fl.oz/ 1 ½ cups) milk
- paste for 1 vanilla bean
- 1 medium egg
- 200 g (7.1 oz) marzipan
- 30 g (1.1 oz/ ¼ cup) corn flour/ corn starch
- 1 lemon, organic
Ingredients for the streusel/ crumble topping
- 100 g (3.5 oz/ about ¾ cup + 2 tbsp) plain flour (all purpose flour)
- 100 g (3.5 oz/ 2/3 cup) almonds flakes/ cut into small pieces
- 50 g (1.8 oz/ ¼ cup) sugar
- 100 g (3.5 oz/ about 1/3 cup + 2tbsp) butter
You’ll also need:
- 3 tablespoons apricot jam or any (I’ve used homemade apple -pear jam)
- 55 g (2 oz/ about ½ cup icing (powdered) sugar
- about 2 ½ tablespoons freshly pressed lemon juice
How to make German poppy seed coffee cake
How to make the yeast dough
Warm milk in the microwave. Pour half of the milk in a jar. Put the butter in the remaining milk in the jar and melt in the microwave.
Stir occasionally until butter has melted. You could also use a pot and warm the milk on the stove.
In the meantime add 2 tablespoons flour, 1 tablespoon sugar and yeast to the jar with lukewarm milk. Stir well and let the mixture stand for 10 minutes.
Remove the jar with milk – butter mixture from the microwave and let cool. Put the flour, the remaining sugar, egg and salt in a bowl. Then pour in the yeast – sugar mixture.
Start mixing, while adding the lukewarm milk – butter mixture slowly. It’s very important that milk and butter mixture is lukewarm and not hot before using it.
Knead the yeast dough and let rise
Knead the dough very well. I normally knead my dough like this:
- If I’m kneading it with the hand mixer, I knead the dough for about 8 minutes at low speed and then for 5 minutes at medium high speed.
- With the kitchen machine, I knead the dough for 7 minutes at low speed and for 3 more minutes at medium high speed.
- With the hands, I knead the dough for 10 minutes. If the dough is sticky, just rub your hands with a few drops of sunflower oil or similar.
- If you’re using a heavy duty kitchen machine, please knead your dough for maximum 7 minutes.
Cover the bowl with cling film and then with kitchen towel. Let the dough rise for about 2 hours at room temperature.
- Note: After kneading the dough it becomes less sticky. Thus why you don’t necessarily have to dust the bowl with flour before the first rise.
How to make poppy seed filling
In the meantime make the poppy seed filling: In the meantime make the poppy seed filling: Using the tip of the knife split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the vanilla seeds. Pour 3/4 of the milk in a pot and add sugar and vanilla seeds from the vanilla bean and let cook.
In the meantime zest the lemon. All you have to do is cut a parchment paper of the same length as the box grater, place it on the side that isn’t finger friendly and grate.
Using a parchment paper makes it easier to remove the zest from the parchment paper. On top of that you won’t be having any lemon zest lying around. Next add cornstarch to the remaining milk and stir well.
Using a hand grater, grate the marzipan.
Once the milk starts cooking immediately add poppy seed to the pot and mix well. Then stir in milk – cornflour mixture followed by the lemon zest. Let the poppy seed mixture cook for about 2 minutes.
Next remove from heat and crack in the egg and mix well. Add grated marzipan, combine well and let the filling infuse in the fridge while the dough is rising.
How to make almond crumbles for the topping
Shortly before the end of the first rise make the crumbles. Simply add sugar, almonds, butter and flour to an empty bowl.
Using your hands mix all the ingredients together until small crumbles start to form and set aside as well.
How to roll poppy seed roll
After you let the dough rise for about 2 hours , remove it from the bowl and put it on a lightly floured silicone pastry mat or cutting board.
Slightly flour the dough and roll it with a lightly floured rolling pin into a rectangle about 40 x 50 cm (approximately 15 x 20 inches)). Spread the poppy seed filling over the rolled out dough, leaving 1 cm (0.4 inch) free and then roll.
First roll up about 3 cm (1.18 inch) (this is just an estimation I made when writing the recipe. So there is no need to be exact.) of the rolled out dough spread with poppy seed filling on both short sides.
Then carefully roll up the dough lengthwise so that in the end you have one long roll.
Gently lift up the roll and put it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly brush the roll with water and sprinkle the top with crumbles. Using your hands gently press the crumbles on top of the roll, so that they won’t slide off.
Cover the roll with kitchen towel and let rise for another 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180 ° C (356 °F), with both top and bottom heat. After the second rise bake for 50 minutes.
Immediately after baking brush with warm jam and let cool for few minutes while making the icing sugar.
In the meantime combine powdered sugar and lemon in a bowl and mix well and then drizzle the roll with icing. Enjoy!!
Mostriezel Recipe FAQ
How long will this poppy seed roll keep?
The poppy seed roll stays fluffy, moist and light even after 3 days at room temperature. Just keep baking sheet with poppy seed roll covered with a kitchen towel. To prevent it from drying out.
What can I use instead of vanilla bean?
This recipe calls for vanilla bean, but feel free to use seeds from one vanilla bean, about ¼teaspoon vanilla extract or about 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar. Just reduce the amount of sugar if you’re using vanilla sugar.
Can I omit marzipan?
Of course, if you’re not a fan of marzipan, just cut the amount in half or omit it.
More baked sweet yeast bread recipes you’ll love
German Poppy Seed Roll (Mohnstriezel)
Equipment
- baking sheet and parchment paper
- Hand grater
- Stand mixer (OPTIONAL)
- Rolling pin
- Whisk
Ingredients
Ingredients for the sweet yeast dough
- 500 g (17.6 oz/ 4 cups) plain flour (all purpose flour) plus extra for dusting
- 2½ teaspoons dry yeast (1 package of dry yeast (7 g/ ¼ oz))
- 1 medium egg
- 50 g (1.8 oz/ ¼ cup) sugar
- 80 g (2.8 oz/1/3 cup) butter
- 250 ml (8.5 fl oz/ 1 cup) milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
Ingredients for poppy seed filling with marzipan
- 200 g (7.1 oz) poppy seeds ground
- 50 g (1.8 oz/ ¼ cup) sugar
- 350 ml (12 fl.oz/ 1 ½ cups) milk
- paste for 1 vanilla bean
- 1 medium egg
- 200 g (7.1 oz) marzipan
- 30 g (1.1 oz/ ¼ cup) corn flour/ cornstarch
- 1 lemon organic
Ingredients for the streusel/ crumble topping
- 100 g (3.5 oz/ about ¾ cup + 2 tbsp) plain flour (all purpose flour)
- 100 g (3.5 oz/ 2/3 cup) chopped almonds/ almonds flakes
- 50 g (1.8 oz/ ¼ cup) sugar
- 100 g (3.5 oz/ about 1/3 cup + 2tbsp) butter
Ingredients for jam topping and lemon icing
- 3 tablespoons apricot jam or any (I've used homemade apple -pear jam)
- 55 g (2 oz/ about ½ cup icing sugar powdered sugar
- 21/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
How to make the yeast dough
- Warm milk in the microwave. Pour half of the milk in a jar. Put the butter in the remaining milk in the jar and melt in the microwave. Stir occasionally until butter has melted. You could also use a pot and warm the milk on the stove. In the meantime add 2 tablespoons flour, 1 tablespoon sugar and yeast to the jar with lukewarm milk. Stir well and let the mixture stand for 10 minutes.
- Remove the jar with milk – butter mixture from the microwave and let cool. Put the flour, the remaining sugar, egg and salt in a bowl. Then pour in the yeast – sugar mixture. Start mixing, while adding the lukewarm milk – butter mixture slowly. It's very important that milk and butter mixture is lukewarm and not hot before using it.
- Knead the dough very well. I normally knead my dough like this : If I’m kneading it with the hand mixer, I knead the dough for about 8 minutes at low speed and then for 5 minutes at medium high speed. With the kitchen machine, I knead the dough for 7 minutes at low speed and for 3 more minutes at medium high speed. With the hands, I knead the dough for 10 minutes. If you’re using a heavy duty kitchen machine, please knead your dough for maximum 7 minutes.
- Cover the bowl with cling film and then with kitchen towel. Let the dough rise for about 2 hours at room temperature. (I just put the bowl in the cold oven with a closed oven door.) After kneading the dough it becomes less sticky. Thus why you don't necessarily have to dust the bowl with flour before letting it rise.
How to make poppy seed filling with marzipan
- In the meantime make the poppy seed filling: Using the tip of the knife split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the vanilla seeds. Mix the scraped out seeds with sugar very well. Pour 3/4 of the milk in a pot and add sugar and vanilla seeds from the vanilla bean and let cook. In the meantime zest the lemon. All you have to do is cut a parchment paper of the same length as the box grater, place it on the side that isn’t finger friendly and grate. Using a parchment paper makes it easier to remove the zest from the parchment paper. On top of that you won’t be having any lemon zest lying around. Next add cornstarch to the remaining milk and stir well. Then grate marzipan with a hand grater.
- Once the milk starts cooking immediately add poppy seed to the pot and mix well. Then stir in milk – cornflour mixture followed by the lemon zest. Let the poppy seed mixture cook for about 2 minutes. Next remove from heat and crack in the egg and mix well. Add grated marzipan, combine well and let the filling infuse in the fridge while the dough is rising.
How to make almond crumbles for the topping
- Shortly before the end of the first rise make the crumbles. Simply add sugar, almonds, butter and flour to an empty bowl. Using your hands mix all the ingredients together until small crumbles start to form and set aside as well.
How to roll poppy seed roll
- After you let the dough rise for about 2 hours , remove it from the bowl and put it on a lightly floured silicone pastry mat or cutting board. Slightly flour the dough and roll it with a lightly floured rolling pin into a rectangle about 40 x 50 cm (approximately 15 x 20 inches)). Spread the poppy seed filling over the rolled out dough, leaving 1 cm (0.4 inch) free and then roll. First roll up about 3 cm (1.18 inch) (this is just an estimation I made when writing the recipe. so there is no need to be exact.) of the rolled out dough spread with poppy seed filling on both short sides. Then carefully roll up the dough lengthwise so that in the end you have one long roll. Gently lift up the roll and put it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly brush the roll with water and sprinkle the top with crumbles. Using your hands gently press the crumbles on top of the roll, so that they won't slide off. Cover the roll with kitchen towel and let rise for another 20 minutes.
Bake and drizzle with icing
- Preheat the oven to 180 ° C (356 °F), with both top and bottom heat. After the second rise bake for 50 minutes. Immediately after baking brush with warm jam and let cool for few minutes while making the icing sugar. In the meantime combine powdered sugar and lemon in a bowl and mix well and then drizzle the roll with icing. Enjoy!!
Notes
- The roll stays fluffy, moist and light even after 3 days. Just keep baking sheet with poppy seed roll covered with a kitchen towel.
- If you don’t have vanilla bean simply use ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar.
Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear from you! Simply write a review and add rating to it. Or snap a photo and share it on Ester kocht Facebook Page or tag @ester.kocht on Instagram.
Phil Bailey
Monday 26th of August 2024
Hey I’ve been meaning to leave a comment because I love this recipe so much! I went to live in Berlin when I was 22 and became obsessed with mohnstriezel.
My only problem is that every time I make this recipe, the mohn filling always ends up quite runny. I have to put it in the freezer for a long time to get the consistency you appear to have. Am I not cooking it long enough or what could be the problem?
Ester
Monday 16th of September 2024
Hi Phil! Thanks so much for your comment—I'm really happy to hear that you love the recipe and that it brings back memories of Berlin! 😊
It sounds like the poppy seed filling might not be thickening enough. You're probably right that it's not cooking long enough. The cornstarch mixture should bubble, like when you're making pudding, before you remove it from the heat. This should help it reach the right consistency. Try cooking it a bit longer and let me know how it goes next time you make it!
Ulrike
Friday 12th of April 2024
Hallo Ester baked this today on my day off and it is still warm . I used my own recipe for Mohnmasse :-) but otherwise followed your recipe down to the 1/3 cup Of butter ( without Marzipan ) . It’s a huge cake - gives me a reason to visit my daughter this weekend . Mama kommt mit Mohn Strudel . Love the almonds in streusel that was a first and the apricot jam with the lemon sugar just gave it the right kick . Danke - thanks for posting . With this Germinglish ( as my girls call it ) I wish you a wonderful weekend . Add on : I rolled the dough roll from silicone mat right into parchment paper - super easy .
Ester
Friday 24th of May 2024
Danke schön for trying out the recipe and sharing your experience, Ulrike! Bringing a freshly baked poppy seed roll to share with your daughter sounds like a lovely way to spend the weekend together. I'm thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the almonds in the streusel and the apricot jam with lemon sugar. :-)
Rita
Tuesday 25th of April 2023
Hello. This looks delicious. However, are you sure it is 4c of flour to 1/3 c of butter?
Ester
Tuesday 2nd of May 2023
Thank you for your comment and for raising this concern, Rita. Yes, the ratio of 4 cups of flour to 1/3 cup of butter may seem unusual, but it is actually a common ratio in many yeast dough recipes. The flour provides the structure needed for rising, while the butter adds flavor and tenderness to the dough. I understand that it may seem like a small amount of butter, but it should still yield a delicious and tender poppy seed roll.
If you have any further questions or concerns, please feel free to ask. I hope that you will try this recipe and enjoy making and eating this poppy seed roll.
Kind regards, Ester
Hana
Thursday 6th of April 2023
I was looking for a good poppyseed roll recipe and found yours, about 6 months ago. Our family is from Eastern Europe but even so I haven’t really cared for the poppyseed rolls that I have had before. There is usually too much filling and the pastry is dry. Yours looked a bit different (in a good way) so I made it - under baked it a bit, oops - even so this is THE BEST poppyseed roll I have ever had. I sent half with my parents because my dad is obsessed with these. He said this was the best one he has ever had as well! I just wanted to pass a comment along because I don’t think you have enough of them. Honestly. AMAZING!!!
Ester
Tuesday 2nd of May 2023
Hello Hana,
I'm so glad to hear that you tried the poppy seed roll recipe and that you and your family enjoyed it so much! I'm thrilled to hear that it was the best poppyseed roll you have ever had and that even your dad loved it. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a wonderful comment and share your experience with the recipe.
Kind regards, Ester
Erica
Thursday 3rd of February 2022
This recipe is absolutely fantastic. I have used it multiple times now without fail. I have also used similar recipes to this one on Ester kocht and have loved them all. Thank you very much for sharing your wonderful recipes!!
Ester
Thursday 3rd of February 2022
Hello Erica,
Thank you so much for the lovely review and for sharing your positive experiences with this recipe and others on Ester kocht! I'm thrilled to hear that you have used this recipe multiple times without fail and that you have enjoyed similar recipes as well.
It's always great to hear when someone is able to successfully recreate a recipe and that it has become a favorite. Thank you for taking the time to leave such a kind comment and for supporting my recipes.
Kind regards, Ester