Mohnstriezel (German Poppy Seed Braid)

Nov 7, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Quick breads Vanilla: Extract Medium

A sweet yeast loaf wrapped around a thick, cooked filling of ground poppy seeds, milk, semolina and raisins, then split and twisted to show dark ribbons of poppy seed. A light lemon glaze offsets the nutty, slightly bitter filling. Makes 14 servings in about 4 hr 15 min.

Prep 40 min

Cook 50 min

Cooling 1 hr 15 min

Total 4 hr 15 min

Servings 14

Ingredients

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servings

3 ¼ cups (400 g)all-purpose flour
¼ oz (6 g)instant yeast
¼ cup (50 g)granulated sugar, for the dough
¾ tsp (4 g)fine salt
1 tsp (2 g)lemon zest, finely grated
¾ cup (200 ml)whole milk, lukewarm, for the dough
1 (50 g)egg, room temperature, for the dough
¼ cup (60 g)unsalted butter, softened, for the dough
1 cup (250 ml)whole milk, for the filling
3 tbsp (40 g)unsalted butter, for the filling
½ cup (100 g)granulated sugar, for the filling
1 ⅓ cups (200 g)ground poppy seeds, freshly ground
1 ½ oz (40 g)fine semolina
7 tbsp (60 g)raisins
1 tsp (5 ml)vanilla extract
1 pinchground cinnamon
1 (50 g)egg, beaten, for the filling
⅔ cup (80 g)powdered sugar
1 tbsp (15 ml)lemon juice

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Instructions

For the dough, whisk the all-purpose flour, instant yeast, 50 g granulated sugar, fine salt and lemon zest. Add the lukewarm 200 ml whole milk and the egg and knead 3 minutes, then knead in the softened 60 g unsalted butter until smooth and elastic, 6 to 8 minutes more. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 60 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the filling: bring the 250 ml whole milk, 40 g unsalted butter and 100 g granulated sugar to a simmer in a saucepan. Stir in the ground poppy seeds and fine semolina and cook over low heat, stirring, until thick like porridge, 4 to 5 minutes.
Off the heat, stir in the raisins, vanilla extract and ground cinnamon. Cool 15 minutes, then stir in the beaten egg and let the filling cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12 x 16-inch (30 x 40 cm) rectangle. Spread the poppy-seed filling evenly, leaving a 3/4-inch (2 cm) border along one long side.
Roll up tightly from the other long side and pinch the seam closed. Cut the roll in half lengthwise, leaving 1 inch (2.5 cm) joined at one end, then twist the halves over each other with the cut sides facing up. Pinch the ends and lay the loaf on the lined baking sheet.
Cover and let rise until puffy, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Bake until golden brown and the bread reads about 190°F (88°C) in the center, 35 to 40 minutes. Tent with foil after 20 minutes if the exposed filling darkens.
Cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes. Stir the powdered sugar with the lemon juice to a thick glaze and brush it over the loaf.

Tips

Poppy seeds must be ground for this filling; whole seeds stay gritty. Buy them pre-ground for baking or grind them in a dedicated spice grinder.
Cool the filling fully before spreading so it does not melt the butter in the dough.
Taste the poppy seeds before you start: rancid seeds taste sharp and bitter and will spoil the loaf.
Good with black tea or coffee.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make mohnstriezel (german poppy seed braid)?

Plan on 40 minutes of prep and 50 minutes of cooking, plus 2 hours 45 minutes to rise and rest. The recipe makes 14 servings.

How should I store mohnstriezel (german poppy seed braid)?

Keep wrapped at room temperature up to 2 days or refrigerate up to 4 days; freeze unglazed up to 1 month.

Can I make mohnstriezel (german poppy seed braid) ahead?

It is at its best the day it is made; prepare it a few hours before serving.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Yes. This recipe uses 1 tsp vanilla extract (5 ml). Each teaspoon of pure vanilla extract can be swapped for 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, the seeds of half a vanilla bean, or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder. Paste and seeds add the classic dark specks.

A German bakery classic rooted in Silesian and eastern German poppy-seed baking: sweet yeast dough is spread with a cooked poppy-seed filling, rolled, split and twisted into a long loaf. Serve it with black tea or coffee.

Variations

Streusel top: rub 1/3 cup (50 g) flour, 3 tbsp (35 g) sugar and 2 1/2 tbsp (35 g) cold butter into crumbs, scatter over the loaf before baking and skip the glaze; bake time unchanged.
Bite-size pieces (Mohnschnecken): cut the filled roll into 16 slices, lay them flat on two lined sheets and bake 18 to 22 minutes.
Poppy-seed wreath (Mohnkranz): join the twisted loaf into a ring and bake 35 to 40 minutes.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 14 servings this recipe makes.

350 Calories / serving

13.9g Fat

49.6g Carbs

8.1g Protein

21.2g Sugar

Whole recipe (14 servings): ~4900 cal · 195g fat · 694g carbs · 113g protein · 297g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.