Sutlac (Turkish Rice Pudding Recipe)

Sutlac is a delicious Turkish dessert. It's creamy, light and has a bubbly golden brown top. This fırın sütlaç recipe is like a mix between a thick custard and a rice pudding, creating a beautifully baked Turkish rice pudding.

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I first tried baked sütlaç in Turkey, where it was recommended to me by a waiter in my hotel. He described it as “Turkey’s rice pudding”, and when it arrived it was served in a small clay cup with a bronzed top and a creamy, lightly set centre. This is my richer, cream-enriched version for making that experience at home.

What is Sutlac

Sütlaç, often searched as sutlac, is a Turkish rice pudding made with rice, milk, and sugar. It can be served plain or finished in the oven. The baked version is called fırın sütlaç and has the lightly caramelized, bubbly milk top seen in this recipe.

Pronounced "soot-lahch," sütlaç is usually served cold in individual bowls, ramekins, or clay cups. As is the case with most traditional favorites, texture and sweetness vary from one household and pastry shop to another; this version is slow-simmered and enriched with heavy cream for a particularly creamy finish.

Sutlac is a time intensive dessert recipe, but the amazing taste and creamy texture is absolutely worth it. The key to an amazing Turkish Rice Pudding is using fresh milk, constant stirring and loads of patience.

For a similarly creamy dessert without whole grains of rice, try this Middle Eastern milk pudding, also known as mahalabia.

Variation Ideas

• Dairy-free version: If looking to make a dairy free rice pudding recipe, you can use coconut milk instead of regular milk. (It’ll change the texture of the pudding, but still provide a creamy dairy-free sutlac.) If you prefer a fully dairy-free dessert, try this 5-ingredient vegan chocolate avocado mousse, which is designed to be completely dairy-free.
• Toppings: Try topping your bowl of sutlac with hazelnuts, raisins or sprinkle with cinnamon.
• Substituting clay bowls: If you don’t have clay bowls or ovenproof dessert cups available, you can substitute with disposable aluminum pudding cups.
• Vanilla sutlac: If you want to mix it up and Westernize the dish, you can add a little vanilla extract (I’d guess the best time to add it is while the white rice is cooking – ideally the hot mixture should still be simmering).
• For a coconut-forward rice-based sweet rather than a variation on this tested sütlaç recipe, try this klepon recipe (sweet Indonesian rice balls).

How to make Turkish rice pudding (Fırın Sütlaç)

This Turkish rice pudding is slow-cooked on the stovetop until the rice is tender and the milk has reduced, then finished under the broiler for fırın sütlaç's signature golden-brown top.

Riz’s Expert Tips

What kind of rice to use

For the texture shown here, use short-grain rice. Baldo and Osmancık are excellent choices; Arborio is the most practical substitute. Avoid long-grain rice such as Basmati, which produces a less creamy result.

Do not rinse the rice for this recipe; the surface starch contributes to the final texture.

Using low fat or nonfat milk for this recipe

Whole milk gives this recipe its intended richness and texture. You can use 2% milk, but expect a less creamy result; low-fat and nonfat milk will noticeably change the pudding.

If you enjoy creamy Turkish desserts but want something fruitier, try this Turkish Strawberry Magnolia dessert.

Can I use cooked rice to make rice pudding?

Yes bestie, you absolutely can use cooked rice to make this rice pudding. Using cooked rice makes this already easy recipe even easier! Making sutlac is actually a great way to use up plain cooked white short grain rice.

If you have extra cold rice to use in a savoury meal, this Indonesian fried rice made with day-old cooked rice is another excellent way to give leftovers a second life.

How long should I cook the rice?

How long you should cook the rice could vary depending on what rice you choose to use. Generally, I say to cook the rice an hour to an hour and a half. Check on the doneness of your chosen rice during this time and adjust as necessary. You may require more or less time. Also, make sure to stir the rice as it cooks so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot.

Why is broken rice preferred in rice pudding?

Broken rice is preferred for Turkish rice pudding because it cooks faster and releases its starch faster than many other forms of rice.

Using broken rice reduces the cook time and doesn't let as much milk evaporate, giving you the perfect creamy texture and taste you're looking for. If you don't have broken rice, you can grind yours down a bit or break it down using a mortar and pestle.

How To Serve

Serve fırın sütlaç after it has cooled and chilled. It is excellent with Turkish tea or another black tea. The caramelized top is the star, so toppings are optional; cinnamon, chopped hazelnuts, or raisins all work well if you enjoy them.

For a Turkish dessert spread, serve chilled sütlaç alongside warm Turkish semolina halva with ice cream or with something completely different in texture, such as crispy Turkish tulumba.

Turkish Sutlac FAQs

Storage suggestions

Refrigerate: Cover your pudding with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Sutlac doesn't normally last that long in my home because we can't stop inhaling it, so I usually try to also make this Dark Chocolate Pudding recipe when I need more sweet treats.

If using plastic wrap, don't cover the sutlacs too tightly. If you do, any condensation could form on the covering and could possibly change the texture of your Sutlac if it falls into it.

Freezing: You can freeze this baked rice pudding recipe by storing it in the individual bowls, wrapped with plastic and then aluminum foil in the freezer for up to 2 months. Let it thaw in the fridge before serving.

However, freezing it may change its texture when you go to thaw it. Keep this in mind before choosing to freeze this dessert recipe. It works, it’s just not ideal.

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