Ukrainian Shulicks (Honey-Soaked Poppy Seed Cookies)

These honey poppy seed cookies, known as Ukrainian shulicks, are a traditional Eastern European treat made from a simple, lightly sweet dough and finished with a fragrant honey–poppy seed soak. The cookies themselves are intentionally plain and not rich, allowing the flavour and sweetness to come almost entirely from the honey and poppy seeds.

Hey, folks – I hope you all are doing well!

If you’ve ever enjoyed desserts where simplicity is the real star, you’re in for a treat. These Ukrainian shulicks may seem humble, but their charm lies in contrast – plain, lightly sweet cookies that come alive once smothered in honey and poppy seeds. So, let’s dive into these honey-soaked poppy seed cookies.

Why You’ll Love These Shulicks (Honey Poppy Seed Cookies)

• Simple and honest: The dough is made with basic pantry ingredients you likely already have.
• Not overly sweet: The cookies themselves are subtly sweet and quite plain, allowing the honey soak to shine.
• Unique texture: Soft and chewy inside, dry and lightly crisp outside – then perfectly balanced once soaked.
• Never soggy: Despite being soaked in honey, the cookies absorb just enough to stay tender without falling apart.
• Traditional yet adaptable: A classic recipe that still feels approachable and timeless.

Flavour and Texture Profile

The honey poppy seed cookies are all about contrast. The baked cookies themselves are soft and slightly chewy inside, quite dry on the outside, and intentionally plain in flavour. The real magic happens after baking, when they’re coated in a honey and poppy seed soak. The cookies absorb the sweet, floral honey and nutty poppy seeds, creating a rich yet balanced flavour without becoming soggy. The result is a very enjoyable, layered texture – tender, lightly chewy, and fragrant.

Ingredients You’ll Need for These Shulicks

• Egg: Binds the dough and adds structure.
• Honey: Provides sweetness and forms the base of the soaking syrup.
• Poppy seeds: Add nuttiness, texture, and the signature flavour.
• Butter: Adds richness and tenderness to the dough.
• All-purpose flour: Creates a soft but sturdy cookie base.
• Milk: Keeps the dough tender and easy to work with.
• Baking soda: Gives the cookies lightness.
• Salt (optional): Enhances flavour without making the cookies savoury.
• Hot water: Softens the poppy seeds for the soak.

How to Make Ukrainian Honey Poppy Seed Cookies

Start by soaking the poppy seeds in hot water for about 30 minutes, allowing them to soften and slightly increase in volume. Once ready, drain them well and set aside. In the meantime, lightly whisk the egg until foamy, then mix in a small amount of honey followed by some of the softened poppy seeds.

Next, stir in the melted butter and milk, then add the flour and baking soda. The dough should come together soft, slightly sticky, and fairly thick. Avoid adding too much extra flour – shulicks are meant to be tender rather than dry at this stage.

Roll or press the dough into an even layer, slightly thicker than most traditional versions for a more satisfying bite. Bake until golden and cooked through, then let it cool briefly. While still warm, break or cut the baked slab into irregular pieces – neat shapes aren’t necessary and breaking them is the traditional approach.

To finish, crush the remaining poppy seeds and mix them with the remaining honey, loosening the mixture with a little hot water if needed. Pour this honey–poppy seed soak over the warm cookie pieces and gently toss to coat. Let the shulicks rest for about 30 minutes, allowing them to absorb the soak and transform into tender, fragrant honey poppy seed cookies – soft inside, lightly chewy, and never soggy.

More Ukrainian Recipes

If you enjoy these honey-soaked poppy seed cookies, you might also love exploring other traditional Ukrainian recipes:

• Hrechaniks (Ukrainian Buckwheat Croquettes) with Turkey
• Chicken Borscht (Ukrainian Beetroot Soup)

I hope you like these Honey Poppy Seed Cookies (Shulicks), and you will give then a try soon. If you try it, let me know in this post or send me an Instagram message or share you photos adding the hashtag #havocinthekitchen.

Cheers!

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Ukrainian Shulicks (Honey-Soaked Poppy Seed Cookies)

Recipe by Ben | Havocinthekitchen

5.0 from 1 vote

Course: Sweet BakesCuisine: Ukrainian

Honey poppy seed cookies, or Ukrainian shulicks, are traditional cookies made from a simple dough and finished with a honey–poppy seed soak.

Servings

12

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Baking time

18

minutes

Soaking time

30

minutes

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

• 1 egg

• 5-6 tbsp. (100-120 ml) honey, divided

• 5 tbsp. poppy seeds, divided

• 3 and 1/2 tbsp. (50 gr.) butter – melted and cooled

• ~ 2 cups (240-260 gr.) all-purpose flour

• 100 ml. milk (~ 2/3 cup)

• 1/2 tsp. baking soda

• a pinch of salt (optional)

• ~ 2/3 cup hot water, for soaking poppy seeds

Directions

• In a small bowl place the poppy seeds and add the hot water. Soak for about 30 minutes. It will soften and increase in volume a bit. Drain using a fine mesh sieve and set aside.
• In a separate bowl slightly whisk the egg with a whisk, until foamy.
• Add 1 tbsp. of honey and whisk again.
• Stir in 1 tbsp. of drained poppy seeds and mix well.
• Add the melted and cooled butter and milk, mix.
• Stir in, preferably sifted, flour and baking soda. If desired, add some salt. Mix until the dough forms – it will be relatively thick, soft, and lightly sticky to a touch. You can dust with a little of extra flour if necessary, but avoid adding more than a tablespoon.
• Roll out the dough ~3-5 millimeters thick and transfer to a baking tray or pan. Alternatively, just transfer the dough onto a pan and evenly spread it out with your hands. They don’t need to be perfect!
• Bake in the preheated to 180 degrees C (360 degrees F), for about 15 to 18 minutes, depending on the thickness, until nicely golden.
• While they are baking, using a mortar and pestle, crush the remaining poppy seeds for a minute or so (Alternatively, use a blender). Then add the remaining honey and stir to combine. If it’s too thick to your liking, you can also add a little of hot water.
• Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for a minute or so. While still hot, slice or brake the cake into pieces. Traditionally, Shulicks get broken into different pieces, they don’t need to be perfect!
• Place the hot Shulicks in a bowl or container and pour over the honey-poppy seed soak. Let them stay for about 30 minutes to absorb the soak. You can mix them once or twice, to distribute evenly the soak. Enjoy!