Here’s a traditional Hungarian Beigli recipe—tender, lightly sweet yeast dough rolled with walnut or poppy seed filling, just like the classic holiday loaf 🇭🇺✨
Hungarian Beigli (Walnut or Poppy Seed Roll)
Ingredients
Dough (makes 2 rolls)
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 packet (2¼ tsp) active dry yeast
- ½ cup warm milk (110°F / 43°C)
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 lemon (optional, traditional)
Walnut Filling (Diós)
- 2 cups finely ground walnuts
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Zest of 1 lemon
- ¼ cup raisins (optional)
Poppy Seed Filling (Mákos)
- 2 cups ground poppy seeds
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Zest of 1 lemon
- ¼ cup raisins (optional)
Egg Wash
- 1 egg yolk + 1 tbsp milk
Instructions
1. Make the dough
- Dissolve yeast in warm milk with 1 tbsp sugar. Let foam 5–10 minutes.
- In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, and salt.
- Cut in butter until crumbly.
- Add egg yolks, vanilla, lemon zest, and yeast mixture.
- Knead until smooth and soft (5–8 minutes).
- Divide dough into 2 equal pieces, cover, and chill 1 hour.
2. Prepare the filling
- Heat milk and sugar until sugar dissolves.
- Stir in walnuts or poppy seeds, vanilla, lemon zest, and raisins.
- Cook briefly until thick but spreadable. Cool completely.
3. Assemble
- Roll each dough piece into a 10×14-inch rectangle.
- Spread filling evenly, leaving a ½-inch border.
- Fold in sides, then roll tightly (jelly-roll style).
- Place seam-side down on parchment-lined baking sheet.
4. Egg wash & rest
- Brush rolls with egg yolk mixture.
- Chill uncovered 15–20 minutes.
- Brush again (this helps prevent cracking).
5. Bake
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
- Bake 30–35 minutes, until golden brown.
Cool completely before slicing.
Tips for Perfect Beigli
- Filling must be thick, not wet (prevents cracking)
- Chill dough before rolling for clean layers
- Slice only once fully cooled
- Traditional texture is firm, not fluffy
Serving
- Slice thinly
- Serve with coffee or tea
- Keeps well for several days; freezes beautifully
If you’d like a grandmother-style old-world version, gluten-free adaptation, or step-by-step rolling photos, just tell me 😊
