Baked Hungarian Farmer Cheese Dumplings – Sütőben Sült Túrógombóc
If you love traditional Hungarian túrógombóc but don't feel like standing over a pot cooking dumplings one by one, you need to try this version. Sütőben sült túrógombóc — baked Hungarian farmer cheese dumplings — takes the familiar flavors of the classic Hungarian dessert and turns them into an easy, comforting oven-baked dish. The dumplings are soft, light and slightly lemony, then covered with a sweet vanilla sour cream mixture and baked until beautifully golden. And perhaps the best part? No boiling, no cooking in batches, and everything goes into one baking dish. When I took mine out of the oven, those golden little tops already looked irresistible. But once I cut into one and saw how incredibly soft and creamy it was inside, I knew this recipe had to go on the website.
What Is Túrógombóc?
Túrógombóc is a classic Hungarian dish made with túró, a fresh farmer cheese used in countless Hungarian sweet and savory recipes. Traditional túrógombóc is shaped into balls, cooked in simmering water and usually rolled in toasted breadcrumbs.
This version is a little different. Instead of boiling the dumplings, they go straight into a buttered baking dish and are covered with a lightly sweetened vanilla sour cream mixture before baking. The result is wonderfully soft and creamy inside, with a beautiful golden top. It's a different way of preparing one of Hungary's much-loved classics — and a very easy one.
Ingredients
For the Farmer Cheese Dumplings
500 g farmer cheese
125 g semolina
1 teaspoon sugar
2 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon salt
Grated zest of 1 lemon
50 g breadcrumbs, optional
Butter, for greasing the baking dish
For the Sour Cream Topping
400 g sour cream
50 g powdered sugar
2 eggs
1 packet vanilla sugar
For Serving
Powdered sugar, optional
Raspberry or another slightly tart fruit jam, optional
How to Make Baked Túrógombóc
1. Prepare the Farmer Cheese Mixture
Place the farmer cheese in a large bowl and break it up until relatively smooth. Add the semolina, sugar, 2 egg yolks, grated lemon zest and salt. Mix thoroughly until everything is well combined.
2. Let It Rest
Cover the mixture and place it in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Don't skip this step. The resting time allows the semolina to absorb moisture from the farmer cheese and helps the dumplings hold together while still remaining beautifully soft.
3. Whip the Egg Whites
Beat the 2 egg whites until stiff peaks form. Set aside until the farmer cheese mixture has finished resting.
4. Prepare the Sour Cream Topping
In another bowl, combine the sour cream, powdered sugar, 2 whole eggs and vanilla sugar. Whisk until smooth and creamy.
5. Finish the Dumpling Mixture
After the farmer cheese mixture has rested for an hour, gently fold in the whipped egg whites. At this point, you can also add 50 g breadcrumbs, but they're completely optional. For an especially soft and tender texture, you can leave them out.
6. Shape the Dumplings
Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F. Butter a baking dish. Wet your hands slightly and shape the farmer cheese mixture into balls. Arrange them next to one another in the prepared baking dish. The mixture will be quite soft, so don't worry about making every dumpling perfectly round.
7. Add the Sour Cream Topping
Pour the sour cream mixture evenly over the dumplings, allowing it to run between them as well as over the tops. It may look like quite a lot of topping at this point, but it bakes around the dumplings and becomes beautifully creamy and golden.
8. Bake
Bake at 180°C / 350°F for 25–30 minutes, or until the sour cream mixture has set and the top is beautifully golden brown.
9. Rest and Serve
Let the baked túrógombóc rest for a few minutes after removing it from the oven. Serve warm, with a dusting of powdered sugar if you like. For something extra, serve it with raspberry jam or another slightly tart fruit preserve. The tartness works beautifully with the creamy farmer cheese and sweet vanilla topping.
Breadcrumbs or No Breadcrumbs?
The breadcrumbs in this recipe are optional, and the choice really depends on the texture you prefer. Adding the 50 g of breadcrumbs gives the dumplings a little more structure. Leaving them out produces an especially soft, delicate and creamy dumpling.
So if you like your túrógombóc very soft, don't be afraid to skip them.
What Kind of Farmer Cheese Should I Use?
For Hungarian túrógombóc, you want farmer cheese, ideally one with a relatively dry, crumbly texture similar to Hungarian túró. The moisture level is important. If your farmer cheese seems particularly wet, drain it before using it so the dumpling mixture doesn't become too loose. Depending on where you live, you may also find products specifically labeled Hungarian túró in Eastern European or Hungarian grocery stores.
Why I Love This Baked Version
Traditional túrógombóc isn't particularly difficult, but boiling the dumplings individually takes a little more attention. With this version, the oven does most of the work. Once the mixture has rested, you simply shape the dumplings, arrange them in your baking dish, cover them with the sour cream mixture and bake.
It's particularly convenient when you're making dessert for the whole family. And when you bring the baking dish to the table with all those golden dumplings peeking through the creamy topping, it looks pretty impressive for something so simple.
Can I Make Baked Túrógombóc Ahead?
I think this dish is at its best served warm, not long after it comes out of the oven. If you have leftovers, cover them and store them in the refrigerator. Individual portions can be gently reheated before serving. The texture may become slightly firmer once chilled, but they'll still taste delicious.
A Hungarian Classic, Made a Little Differently 🇭🇺
This is exactly the kind of recipe I love discovering and sharing — familiar Hungarian flavors prepared in a slightly different way.
Farmer cheese, lemon, vanilla and sour cream come together in one baking dish to create something incredibly soft, creamy and comforting. And those golden tops coming out of the oven are very difficult to resist. If you grew up eating túrógombóc, I'd love to know what you think:
Would you try the baked version, or are you staying loyal to traditional boiled túrógombóc? 😃🇭🇺
And if you make this recipe, come back and tell me how it turned out. I always love hearing when one of these Hungarian dishes makes its way into someone else's kitchen.
More From My Hungarian Kitchen 🇭🇺❤️
If you enjoyed this baked túrógombóc, there are plenty more Hungarian recipes waiting for you in my kitchen.
🍲 Looking for another Hungarian dish to try?Explore all of my traditional Hungarian recipes here:Browse All My Recipes →
🎄 Love Hungarian baking?My Hungarian Christmas Baking Book is filled with traditional cakes, cookies and pastries that bring the flavors of a Hungarian Christmas into your own kitchen.Discover My Hungarian Christmas Baking Book →
📖 Want to see everything I'm creating?Recipes, books, digital products and more are all waiting for you at From My Hungarian Kitchen.Visit From My Hungarian Kitchen →
💌 Come join my kitchen community!Follow along for new recipes, everyday cooking, Hungarian food memories, behind-the-scenes moments and everything I'm working on next.My Links & Newsletter →
And you can find From My Hungarian Kitchen here too:
Instagram: @artisanistshopTikTok: @marakanitaYouTube: From My Hungarian KitchenPinterest: Follow me on PinterestFacebook: Follow me on Facebook
If you make this Sütőben Sült Túrógombóc, I'd love to hear how it turned out. And tell me — baked or traditional boiled túrógombóc? Which one gets your vote? 😃🇭🇺
From My Hungarian Kitchen to yours — jó étvágyat! ❤️
Comments