Beigli is a traditional Hungarian pastry made with a rich, buttery dough wrapped around a sweet filling. The two most popular versions are walnut beigli and poppy seed beigli, both especially popular during Christmas and family celebrations.
The rolls are sliced into beautiful spirals and are perfect with coffee or tea.
Ingredients
For the Dough
500 g all-purpose flour
200 g unsalted butter, cold
60 g powdered sugar
2 egg yolks
80 ml milk
7 g dry yeast
A pinch of salt
Walnut Filling
250 g ground walnuts
120 g granulated sugar
120 ml milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest
40 g raisins, optional
Poppy Seed Filling
250 g ground poppy seeds
120 g granulated sugar
120 ml milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest
40 g raisins, optional
For the Top
1 beaten egg
Instructions
1. Prepare the Dough
Combine the flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
Add the cold butter and rub it into the flour until the mixture becomes crumbly.
Add the egg yolks, milk, and dry yeast. Mix until a smooth dough forms.
Divide the dough into two equal portions. Wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
2. Prepare the Walnut Filling
Warm the milk and sugar in a saucepan.
Add the ground walnuts, vanilla, and lemon zest. Stir until the mixture thickens.
Remove from the heat and let it cool completely. Stir in the raisins if desired.
3. Prepare the Poppy Seed Filling
Repeat the same process with the ground poppy seeds, milk, sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest.
Allow the filling to cool completely before using.
4. Roll the Dough
Roll each piece of dough into a thin rectangle, about 3–4 mm thick.
Spread the cooled filling evenly over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges.
5. Shape the Rolls
Fold the edges inward and carefully roll each piece into a tight log.
Place the rolls seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking tray.
Prick the tops several times with a fork.
6. Brush and Bake
Brush the rolls with beaten egg.
Let them rest for about 15–20 minutes.
Bake in a preheated 180°C (350°F) oven for approximately 30–35 minutes, until golden brown.
7. Cool and Serve
Allow the Beigli to cool completely before slicing.
Cut into neat pieces to reveal the traditional spiral filling.
Serve with coffee or tea.
Helpful Tips
Let the fillings cool completely before spreading them over the dough.
Keep the filling thick so it stays inside the roll.
Roll the pastry firmly but gently.
Prick the tops with a fork to allow steam to escape.
Cool the Beigli completely before slicing for cleaner pieces.
Beigli is one of Hungary’s most beloved traditional pastries. Whether filled with sweet walnuts or fragrant poppy seeds, these golden rolls bring a classic homemade touch to Christmas tables and special family gatherings.
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
