Dessert Recipes

Bobalky with Poppyseeds and Honey

4 servings (about 15 - 20 mini bobalky per serving)

Bobalky with poppyseeds and honey, also called as “pupaky” are a popular meal in Slovakia. They are delicious mini buns coated in a poppyseed topping, melted butter, and honey. I promise, that you have never eaten anything similar to this! This traditional Slovak Christmas recipe is a festive staple featuring yeast dough balls, ground poppyseeds, and sweet honey for a unique holiday dessert. Read More

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Tom the ChefPublished: 4.13.2026
Dessert Recipes
Vegetarian
30 min.
2 h.
2/5
784 calories Per Serving (of 4) Read More

Before You Start

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Discover the Tradition of Bobalky with Poppyseeds and Honey

Welcome to my kitchen! Today I am sharing a deeply personal and traditional Christmas recipe: Bobalky with poppyseeds and honey. In Slovakia, we often call these delightful morsels “pupaky.” These are essentially mini yeast buns that undergo a special process of baking, then soaking in hot milk, and finally being smothered in a rich, sweet poppyseed topping. It is a dish that represents the heart of holiday comfort. Whether you are looking for a unique festive dessert or a traditional Slovak Christmas recipe to share with your family, Bobalky with poppyseeds and honey offer a texture and flavor profile—sweet, nutty, and buttery—that is truly incomparable. Let me guide you through the process of creating these soft, golden pillows of dough from scratch.

Creating a Healthy Leaven for Bobalky with Poppyseeds and Honey

To start my Bobalky with poppyseeds and honey, I focus on the leaven. I use a medium mixing bowl and combine lukewarm milk, which I’ve preheated to between 90 and 100°F, with bread flour, confectioners’ sugar, and active dry yeasts. This step is vital because it activates the yeast. I thoroughly stir this with a whisk for about one to two minutes until it is fully combined. Then, I cover it with plastic wrap and poke a small hole with a knife to let it breathe. I leave it until it doubles in volume, which usually takes between 15 to 30 minutes. A strong leaven is the secret to fluffy yeast dough balls.

Kneading the Perfect Yeast Dough

When the leaven is ready, I move to the kitchen mixer with a hook attachment to prepare the main dough for the Bobalky with poppyseeds and honey. I combine bread flour, granulated sugar, and salt, giving it a quick hand stir. Then, I add the egg, half a stick of very soft butter, more lukewarm milk, and my prepared leaven. I start the mixer on a slow speed. Once partially combined, I increase the speed to medium-high for another minute or two. I always keep a bowl scraper handy because the dough can be slightly sticky, but that’s exactly how I want it for soft festive dessert buns.

The Rising and Forming Process

Patience is key for Bobalky with poppyseeds and honey. I let the dough rise in a warm place for about an hour until it doubles. When it’s time to form the bobalky, I work on a non-floured surface. If it’s too sticky, I might work in a little extra flour, though this is a modification. I separate the dough into large pieces and roll them into strings about 1/2 to 3/4 inches thick. Then, I cut these into segments and roll them into round balls using my palms. I make sure they have space on the baking sheet so they don’t touch while they proof for another 10 minutes to recover from the handling.

Baking to a Golden Perfection

I preheat my oven to 400°F to get that perfect golden crust on my Bobalky with poppyseeds and honey. I bake them for about 10 minutes, making sure to rotate the baking sheets halfway through to ensure an even color. These mini buns need to be firm enough to withstand the later soaking process but soft enough to be enjoyable. Once they turn golden, I know they are ready for the next stage of this traditional Slovak Christmas recipe.

Simmering the Poppyseed Topping

The topping is what gives Bobalky with poppyseeds and honey its iconic flavor. I place a medium sauce pot on medium-high heat with milk and poppyseeds. I bring this to a simmer—around 195°F—and then lower the heat. I cook it for 12 to 15 minutes until the poppy seeds soften. If the milk evaporates too fast, I add a splash more. Finally, I increase the heat to evaporate the remaining milk and stir in granulated sugar for about a minute. This creates a thick, sweet poppyseed topping that coats the buns beautifully.

The Vital Soaking and Assembly Stage

The most unique part of making Bobalky with poppyseeds and honey is the soaking. I preheat whole milk until it is hot. I soak the baked bobalky in this hot milk for about 30 seconds to a minute. I use a spatula to stir gently so they absorb the milk without becoming soggy. Then, using a slotted spoon, I transfer them to a large bowl. To finish, I add the poppyseed topping, melted butter, and honey. I gently stir everything with a silicone spatula until every single bun is evenly coated in that delicious sweet holiday treat mixture.

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Bobalky with Poppyseeds and Honey

4 servings (about 15 - 20 mini bobalky per serving)Tom the ChefPublished: 4.13.2026 ☆☆☆☆☆0x(write a review)👁320x
30 min.
2 h.
2/5
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Ingredients:

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Leaven:
¼ cup of milk - preheat in microwave to lukewarm (about 90 to 100°F)
¼ cup of bread flour (or all-purpose)
2 TSP of confectioners’ sugar
2 TSP of active dry yeasts
Dough:
2 cups of bread flour
2 TBSP of granulated sugar
½ TSP of salt
1 egg
½ stick of unsalted butter - room temperature (2 OZ)
½ cup of milk - preheat in microwave to lukewarm (about 90 to 100°F)
Poppyseed topping:
1 ½ cup of milk (adjust if needed, preferably whole milk*)
½ cup of poppy seeds (*)
¼ cup of granulated sugar (*)
For soaking:
2 cups of milk (preferably whole milk)
Final touch:
4 TBSP of honey (adjust if needed)

* Optionally double for more instance poppyseed flavor

**Cut butter into small pieces before melting. Then microwave for a short time (a few seconds each) with a few seconds break between — to prevent a little “explosion” of butter. Optionally, melt butter over medium heat with vigorous whisking.

Tools:

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1x Measuring Cups
1x Measuring Spoons
1x Small Mixing Bowl (about 1 QT)
1x French Whisk
1x Plastic Wrap
1x Silicone Spatula
1x Kitchen Mixer with Hook Attachment or Large Mixing Bowl
1x Bowl Scraper or Silicone Spatula
2x Baking Sheet with Parchment Paper or Silicone Matt
1x Medium Mixing Bowl (3 – 4 QT) (suitable for microwave - glass, plastic or ceramic)
1x Medium Sauce Pan (4QT)
1x Wooden Spoon
1x Medium Mixing Bowl (3 – 4 QT)
1x Slotted Cooking Spoon
1x Large Mixing Bowl (8 QT +)
1x Measuring Pitcher or Small Glass/Ceramic Bowl

Nutrition per 1 Serving:(recipe split into 4 servings)

Estimated
Calories 784 Protein 23.5 g Fat 32.6 g Saturated fat 13.6 g Carbohydrate 102.1 g Sugars 44.7 g Fiber 7.1 g Sodium 338 mg Cholesterol 102 mg
Vegetarian
Estimated. Worked out from the ingredients above using the United States Department of Agriculture’s FoodData Central reference data. An estimate, not a measurement — brands, sizes and how much of a marinade actually ends up on the plate all move it.
Directions:

1.Leaven:

1.1.
Place into a medium mixing bowl:
¼ cup of lukewarm milk – about 90 to 100°F (preheat in a microwave)
¼ cup of bread flour (or all-purpose)
2 TSP of confectioners’ sugar
2 TSP of active dry yeasts

Thoroughly stir with a whisk until fully combined (about 1 – 2 minutes).

1.2.

Cover with plastic wrap, and using a knife, create 1 small hole to let the leaven breathe.

1.3.

Set aside until it doubles in volume (about 15 – 30 minutes).

2.Dough:

2.1.
Place into a kitchen mixer with a hook attachment:
2 cups of bread flour
2 TBSP of granulated sugar
½ TSP of salt

Shortly hand stir with the whisk.

2.2.
Add:
1 egg
½ stick of very soft butter
½ cup of lukewarm milk
Leaven from step 1

Knead on slow speed until all ingredients are partially combined.

2.3.
Then increase the speed to medium-high and knead until nicely combined (about 1- 2 minutes).

Note:

  • Use a bowl scraper to release it from the hook and the bottom of the bowl.
  • The final dough could be slightly sticky and partially stick to the bottom of the bowl.

3.Rising the Dough:

3.1.

Remove the mixing bowl from the mixer and cover it with plastic wrap.

3.2.

Let it rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size (about 1 hour).

4.Bobalky Forming:

Note:

  • Work on a surface that is not floured.
  • If the dough is too sticky after rising, consider working in some extra flour.
4.1.

Separate the dough into a few large pieces

4.2.

Roll each piece into ½ – ¾” strings.

4.3.

Cut stings into ½ to ¾” long segments.

4.4.
Using the palms of both hands, roll shortly each segment into a round ball and place on a baking sheet.
Important:
Ensure they are not touching each other and have at least ½ “ space between each other and the edges of the baking sheet.
4.5.

Repeat the same with all remaining segments.

5.Proofing:

5.1.
Let proof in a warm place for about 10 minutes.
Note:
The focus is to let the dough recover from being formed. There are no specific requirements as to how much it should increase.

6.Set oven to preheat to 400°F.

7.Baking:

7.1.

Bake in a preheated oven until they turn golden (about 10 minutes).

7.2.
Rotate the baking sheets in the middle of baking.
Note:
When baked, you can let it rest for the next step on the baking sheet or use it immediately in step 9.

8.Poppyseed Topping:

8.1.
Place a medium sauce pot on medium-high heat and add:
1 ½ cups of milk
½ cup of poppyseeds

Briefly stir and cover with a lid. Bring to a simmer (about 195°F) with occasional stirring.

8.2.
Lower the heat to medium and cook with occasional stirring until the poppy seeds soften (about 12 – 15 minutes).

Notes:

  • If the milk evaporates too much during this step, add some extra milk.
  • If you have a too-powerful burner, you may want to lower the heat to medium-low.
8.3.

Then remove the lid, increase heat to medium-high, and cook until the milk gets absorbed and evaporated (some liquid could still be present for further steps).

8.4.
8.5.
Then add:

¼ cup of granulated sugar

Cook with constant stirring until the sugar gets fully incorporated (usually about 1 minute).

8.6.

Set aside for a later step.

8.7.

9.Dipping & Soaking Station:

9.1.
Pour into a medium glass bowl:

2 cups of whole milk

Preheat in the microwave until hot.

10.Assembly & Serving:

10.1.

Soak the bobalky in the medium mixing bowl with milk while gently stirring with a spatula (for about 30 seconds to 1 minute to ensure they absorb part of the milk but do not get too soggy).

10.2.
Then move all the bobalky into a large mixing bowl using a slotted spoon.
Note:
Try to eliminate the amount of the milk that gets into the large mixing bowl, but some milk residue is okay.
10.3.
Add to the bobalky:
Poppyseed topping
½ stick of butter – melted
¼ cup of honey – adjust if needed

Gently stir using a silicone spatula until all bobalky are evenly coated.

10.4.

Serve on a plate or in a bowl (about 15 – 20 for a serving) and drizzle with honey right before serving.

Bobalky with Poppyseeds and Honey: dough balls, some poppyseed-coated, others glazed, on a blue plate.
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Popular questions

Can I make Bobalky with poppyseeds and honey ahead of time?

Yes, you can certainly prepare the dough and bake the mini buns for Bobalky with poppyseeds and honey in advance. Once the buns are baked and cooled, you can store them in an airtight container or even freeze them. However, for the best texture, I recommend performing the milk soaking and adding the poppyseed topping and honey just before you plan to serve them. This ensures the Bobalky with poppyseeds and honey remain the perfect consistency—soft and moist but not overly mushy.