Lemon Cottage Cheese Bukta (Túrós–Citromos Bukta)
18 Pieces
Soft, fluffy, and filled with creamy lemon-túró, this Hungarian bukta is the kind of homemade pastry that makes the whole kitchen smell like childhood. In Hungary, bukta was always a simple family treat—soft yeast dough rolled with sweet cottage cheese and baked until golden. This version is easy to prepare, perfect for weekends, bake sales, or cozy afternoons, and delivers that classic, comforting taste everyone loves.
18 Pieces
🥣 Ingredients — Dough
500 g all-purpose flour
250 ml warm milk
1 packet dry yeast (7 g) or 25 g fresh yeast
1 egg
2 egg yolks
80 g sugar
80 g softened butter
Pinch of salt
Zest of 1 lemon
🥄 Ingredients — Filling
250 g cottage cheese
100 g sour cream or Greek yogurt
1 egg yolk
60 g sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp vanilla sugar
1–2 tbsp semolina (optional, for thickening)
🍯 Ingredients — Finishing
Melted butter (for brushing)
Powdered sugar (for dusting)
👩🍳 Instructions
Activate Yeast
Warm the milk, mix with sugar and yeast, and let it sit for 10 minutes until foamy.Make the Dough
Combine flour, salt, egg, yolks, lemon zest, and yeast mixture. Add softened butter and knead until smooth and elastic.First Rise
Cover and let the dough rise for 60 minutes or until doubled.Prepare the Filling
Mix cottage cheese, sour cream, egg yolk, sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla sugar. Add semolina if the mix feels too soft.Roll & Shape
Roll out the dough into a rectangle. Cut into squares. Add filling to each piece and roll into small buns.Assemble
Place the rolls tightly next to each other in a buttered baking dish. Brush tops with melted butter.Bake
Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 25–30 minutes until golden.Finish
Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy warm.