Mohnstrudel | Poppyseed Roll

Classic mohnstrudel made with a rich and moist yeasted dough and a, not too sweet, poppyseed filling. This poppyseed roll is perfect for an afternoon coffee or as a show stopping dessert!

Not your apple strudel!

Growing up, I never ordered anything poppy seed. It just seemed weird to me and I was much happier having something with fruit or chocolate! But after I made this mohnstrudel (poppyseed roll) based on my Oma’s recipe, I knew I had been making a big mistake all these years 🙄

After coming back to Colorado this summer, I called my Oma and asked her for a few of her favorite desserts. Being that she is not a huge dessert person, none of her desserts are very sweet; and this one is no exception. This is a perfect snack for when you aren’t in the mood for a rich overly sweet dessert. But, if you want to bring it to a whole other level, I highly recommend pairing it with this vanille soße (vanilla sauce).

Does a poppyseed roll need to be refrigerated?

Short answer is no, eventually things including this strudel will go bad but it will go stale much faster if you place it in the fridge so it is best to store it in an airtight container at room temperature.

Do poppyseeds need to be ground up?

It is very common to grind up poppyseeds before using them in a filling to bring out their filling. However, cooking them first with other ingredients has a similar effect!

Tips for making German poppy seed strudel

1. When making yeasted dough, ensure that you allow your mixer to fully knead the dough, until it has a smooth, and not dimpled, appearance.
2. You can use any jam filling with your poppy seeds, or nothing at all! You can even add a grated apple or raisins if that’s your jam!
3. Do not roll the dough out too thin! If you do, it will tear as you roll it up, and while it will taste good it may not look so pretty.

Ingredients for Mohnstrudel

• Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt: Sour Cream adds moisture and richness to this dough which keeps it from drying out.
• Vanilla Extract: As in most recipes, vanilla extract adds flavor to the dough.
• Eggs: I use standard large eggs from the store.
• Milk: There is milk in both the filling and the dough of the mohnstrudel but non-dairy milk, such as almond, soy, oat, light coconut milk will work as well.
• All Purpose Flour: Any all purpose flour will work for these! I have not yet tried any other flours with this recipe.
• Instant yeast: In this recipe, instant yeast is used. However, if you are using active dry, simply bloom the yeast in the milk alone first and then proceed with the recipe.
• Baking Powder: Baking powder helps give a little extra rise to the dough because the filling can make it quite heavy and make it difficult for the roll to grow.
• Sugar: This recipe uses white granulated sugar but not very much – meaning that it is not too sweet; but don’t worry the powdered sugar on top adds a little extra sweetness.
• Butter: Butter is used in both the dough and the assembly of this poppy seed roll. See instructions for information about whether the dough should be softened or melted.
• Lemon Zest: Lemon zest is very common in a lot of German baking and adds a little extra flavor and brightness to this recipe.
• Mohn (poppy seeds): I recommend looking for poppy seeds in bulk rather than in the spice jars at the grocery store because the jars don’t have very much in them and are quite pricey. I find mine at a local bulk store and at a Mediterranean specialty grocery store. You can also order them through amazon!
• Rum (optional): Rum adds flavor to the filling (don’t worry it does not taste like rum) and the alcohol will bake out. However, if you don’t want any alcohol, feel free to omit it from the recipe!
• Plum Jam: Also known as plum butter, is the perfect pairing with the poppy seeds in the filling. It is thicker than normal jam which helps the filling hold together. I have not tried apple butter but I think it would work well here too!
• Powdered Sugar: Powdered sugar is used to create a thick dusting on top of the mohnstrudel right when it comes out of the oven.

How to make Mohnstrudel at home:

Poppyseed filling

• Combine all filling ingredients except rum and plum jam in a medium pot. Cook over medium heat until all of the milk has been absorbed.
• Remove from heat and stir in the plum jam and rum. Set aside to cool.

Dough | Hefeteig

• Stir together the eggs, sour cream, milk and vanilla extract in a small bowl.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and yeast. Then add in the softened butter and the egg mixture.
• Use a dough hook to knead the dough until it comes together in a ball. This can take up to 30 minutes.
• Remove the dough from the mixing bowl, lightly grease the bowl, and place the dough back in. Cover with a towel and place somewhere warm for 45 min.
• Pre-heat the oven to 350 F.

Assembling

• Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
• Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to 11″ x 18″.
• Brush the melted butter onto the dough. Then spread the poppy seed filling over the butter. Make sure to leave 1/2″ border on two long sides and on one short side. Leave 1 1/2″ border on the remaining short side.
• Start rolling the dough up from the short end that only has a half inch border. After you have started the roll, fold in the long sides to encase the filling; then continue rolling until you get to the end, being careful not to push the filling out.
• Place the poppyseed roll, seam side down on the baking sheet.

Bake & Final steps

• Bake the strudel in the lower third of the oven for 30 minutes. Then tent with a piece of foil and bake for another 20 min to prevent it from getting too brown.
• Right after removing the strudel from the oven, brush the top and sides with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Then dust with powdered sugar until the powdered sugar stops disappearing – you may need to add another layer of powdered sugar after 10 minutes.
• Let it cool fully before slicing.
• Drizzle with optional Vanille Soße.

This page may contain affiliate links. This means that if you click on one of the product links above and complete a purchase, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I will never place a link nor make a recommendation on a product or service that I don’t love or use personally. Read our privacy policy here. Thank you for supporting Red Currant Bakery.