Easy poppyseeds squares

March 6, 2025 by Dagny @ break thy bread 159 Comments

poppyseed square on a white plate with gold rim and gold fork at the front of the plate. in the background more poppy seed squares with serving spoon.

To be honest, I HATE poppyseeds, and believe me I tried and still trying to love it, but it is just not happening for me.

So why poppyseeds? Well, because my very dear friend LOVES it, and she can’t find her childhood pastries anywhere around town (Rochester, NY). It brings me so much joy to be able to bake it for her. over the years I found out that more friends are loving it, giving me more reasons to make it.

It was so hard to find fresh poppyseeds locally.

I tried so many stores and even asked in bakeries. Eventually a friend brought it for me all the way from Toronto. I ordered a big amount so I can keep it in the freezer for future pastries. Poppyseeds are rich in fat so it can go bad easily. You need to buy it fresh and keep it frozen till it’s time to use it. Also, do not ground it, till you are going to use it, because once grounded, it will go bad faster. Old poppyseeds will taste bitter and you won’t be able to use it.

Grounding the seeds should be done in a spice grinder, in pulses, and only till you break the seeds so you won’t end up with a poppyseed paste. Food processor is not right for the job, since the seeds are super tiny.

Ok, the rest of the ingredients and prep is very straightforward , so let get started.

ingredients:

For the dough:

3 cup flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 sticks of cold butter – diced (225 gr)

1/2 cup sugar

Zest from one lemon or orange

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon brandy

Only if needed:

1 tablespoon (or more) milk/water

For the filling:

1 cup poppyseeds – grounded

3/4 cup jam/chestnut spread/chocolate spread

2 tablespoon candied oranges (optional)

2 Tablespoon brandy

Only if needed:

1 tablespoon (or more) milk/water/orange juice

Instructions:

Some powdered sugar for dusting

Starting with the dough

In a medium bowl mix flour, baking powder and salt.

In a small bowl rub sugar and lemon/orange zest till fragrant.

In a food processor place cold butter, the flour mixture and the sugar and pulse till the butter mixed well with the dry ingredients. Add vanilla extract, egg and brandy and keep pulsing till dough start to form. If it is not happening add milk/water/orange juice, 1 tablespoon at a time, till a dough is forming. Take 1/3 of the dough and flatten it to pita shape and place in the freezer for 10 minutes. Press the rest of the dough into 9×13 inch pan lined with parchment paper and place the pan in the fridge till your filling is ready.

Prep the filling

Mix grounded poppyseeds with a spread of your choice (chocolate, chesnut, jam), candied oranges and brandy and mix together. It needs to be spreadable. If your mixture is too thick to spread (depend on the spread you used) add milk/orange juice/water, one tablespoon at a time till you reach the right texture.

Spread the filling on the dough in the pan. Grate the rest of the dough (the 1/3 we kept in the freezer) in a big hole grater and spread it on the filling evenly.

Bake at 350°F or 180°C, for 30-35 minutes till the crumbled dough turn golden brown. Cool and dust with powdered sugar. Remove from the pan and cut into squares. Can be kept in a sealed box at room temperature for 3-4 days.

Enjoy