Powidl

A thick, dark plum butter from Central Europe, made by cooking ripe plums for many hours until they turn into a dense, spreadable paste.

Powidl: A jar of thick dark plum butter with a spoon standing in it, fresh plums beside it
  • Fillings, creams, frostings and sauces
  • Czech Republic, Poland

Powidl is traditionally made from late-season Damson-type plums, which are rich and sweet. The pitted fruit is cooked slowly, sometimes for a whole day, and stirred often until most of the water evaporates. Traditional versions use little or no added sugar, relying on the fruit's own sweetness.

It is a classic filling in Austrian, Czech and Polish baking, used in buchteln, kolaches, filled dumplings and yeast-raised Germknödel. Thick powidl does not run when baked, which makes it ideal for pastries.

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Sources

Written by VanillaGoods in our own words from these sources. Last reviewed October 15, 2026.

  1. Powidltascherl (Plum jam turnovers), Vienna Tourist Board (wien.info)