Makos Guba — Hungarian poppyseed bread pudding
Mákos guba is a Hungarian Christmas dessert: stale crescent rolls (or kifli) soaked in sweetened milk, layered with ground poppyseeds and sugar, then baked into a soft, fragrant pudding. It is one of the canonical Hungarian Christmas Eve dishes.
i. Origin & history
Mákos guba comes from the broader Central European tradition of poppyseed sweets, particularly associated with Christmas and New Year. The dish makes use of stale bread, which is part of its peasant-kitchen origin.
ii. Ingredients
Makes 6 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust
- 12 stale kifli (crescent rolls) or 500 g brioche, sliced
- 500 ml whole milk
- 100 g sugar
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 250 g ground poppyseeds
- 150 g sugar
- 60 g raisins
- 2 tbsp honey
- 60 g melted butter for the dish
iii. Method
- Heat oven to 180 °C. Butter a baking dish.
- Warm milk with sugar, zest and vanilla; pour over sliced bread; let stand 15 min.
- Mix ground poppyseeds with sugar, raisins and honey.
- Layer soaked bread and poppyseed mixture in the dish, alternating. Top with more soaked bread.
- Drizzle with melted butter. Bake 30 min until golden on top.
- Serve warm, with vanilla sauce or whipped cream.
iv. Tips & common mistakes
- Use the freshest ingredients you can. The recipe relies on them.
- Read the method through first. Several steps must be ready in advance.
- Season patiently. Sweetness and salt are tuned at the end, not the start.
v. Variations
Mákos tészta uses pasta instead of bread. Modern mákos guba adds plum jam or chocolate. Christmas Eve mákos guba is the canonical festive version.
vi. Common questions
What is makos guba?
Makos Guba is hungarian poppyseed bread pudding, from eastern european cuisine. It is one of the canonical Hungarian Christmas Eve dishes
Where is makos guba from?
Makos Guba is from the eastern european dessert tradition; the recipe and history are detailed above.
How long does makos guba keep?
See the storage note in the Quick facts panel: 3 days refrigerated.