Opekance Slovak Christmas Eve Bread Pieces

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Quick breads Easy

Opekance Slovak Christmas Eve Bread Pieces

Small crisp-edged rounds of sweet yeast bread tossed with a warm poppy seed and sugar topping. A meatless Christmas Eve tradition. Makes 8 servings in about 1 hr 55 min.

Prep 100 min

Cook 15 min

Total 1 hr 55 min

Servings 8

Ingredients

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servings

4 cups (500 g)all-purpose flour
1 cup (250 ml)whole milk, lukewarm, for the dough
¼ oz (7 g)instant yeast
3 tbsp (40 g)sugar
3 ½ tbsp (50 g)unsalted butter, melted, for the dough
1 (50 g)egg
¾ tsp (5 g)salt
¾ cup (120 g)ground poppy seeds
½ cup (60 g)powdered sugar
2 tbsp (30 g)unsalted butter, for the topping
½ cup (120 ml)whole milk, for the topping

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Instructions

Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Add the milk, butter and egg and knead 8 minutes into a smooth, soft dough. Cover and let rise 1 hour.
Heat the oven to 400 F (200 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment.
Roll pieces of dough into ropes about 3/4 inch (2 cm) thick. Cut them into 1/4 inch (6 mm) slices and place them cut side down on the sheet.
Rest 10 minutes while the oven finishes heating.
Bake about 15 minutes, until golden, crisp outside and soft inside.
For the topping, combine the poppy seeds, powdered sugar, butter and milk in a pot. Bring to a boil, stirring, then simmer 2 minutes.
Place the warm bread pieces in a bowl, add the topping and stir to coat. Serve warm.

Tips

The baked pieces keep for a few days, so bake ahead and add the topping just before serving.
Grind poppy seeds fresh for the best flavor.
Stir in a spoonful of honey for a sweeter dish.
Good with hot milk.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make opekance slovak christmas eve bread pieces?

Plan on 100 minutes of prep and 15 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes 8 servings.

How should I store opekance slovak christmas eve bread pieces?

Keep baked pieces airtight at room temperature up to 3 days. Refrigerate coated opekance up to 2 days and rewarm.

Can I make opekance slovak christmas eve bread pieces ahead?

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

Opekance are small baked pieces of yeast dough served on Christmas Eve in Slovakia, traditionally with poppy seed. Serve it with hot milk.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 8 servings this recipe makes.

467 Calories / serving

17.3g Fat

66.9g Carbs

11.7g Protein

15.5g Sugar

Whole recipe (8 servings): ~3736 cal · 138g fat · 535g carbs · 94g protein · 124g sugar

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