Kemalpasa Tatlisi (Turkish Cheese Dumplings in Syrup)

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Pastries doughnuts Medium

Kemalpasa Tatlisi (Turkish Cheese Dumplings in Syrup)

Soft golden cheese-dough balls baked until lightly crisp and then simmered in sweet lemony syrup. They are tender, a little salty-sweet inside and traditionally served with cream. Makes 18 dumplings in about 2 hr 5 min.

Prep 25 min

Cook 40 min

Cooling 1 hr

Total 2 hr 5 min

Yield 18 dumplings

Ingredients

Adjust yield

dumplings

¾ cup (250 g)fresh unsalted white cheese, drained, crumbled
1 ¼ cups (150 g)all-purpose flour
3 ½ oz (100 g)fine semolina
2 (100 g)eggs
3 ½ tbsp (50 g)butter, softened
¾ tsp (3 g)baking powder
2 cups (400 g)sugar
1 ⅔ cups (400 ml)water
1 tbsp (15 ml)lemon juice
¼ cup (30 g)walnuts, finely chopped

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Instructions

Make the syrup first: simmer the sugar, water and lemon juice for 8 to 10 minutes. Keep warm over very low heat.
Heat the oven to 350 F (175 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment.
Mix the cheese, flour, semolina, eggs, butter and baking powder in a bowl and knead 3 to 4 minutes into a soft, smooth dough.
Divide into 18 pieces and roll between lightly floured hands into smooth balls.
Arrange on the sheet and bake 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown.
Drop the hot dumplings into the warm syrup and simmer gently for 10 minutes, turning once.
Remove the pot from the heat and let the dumplings soak for 30 more minutes.
Lift out carefully with a slotted spoon and serve with a spoonful of cream and chopped walnuts.

Tips

Choose a mild, unsalted cheese or the dumplings taste salty.
Lift them with a slotted spoon; the soft, syrup-soaked dough breaks easily.
Do not boil the syrup hard once the dumplings are in.
Good with clotted cream and tea.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make kemalpasa tatlisi (turkish cheese dumplings in syrup)?

Plan on 25 minutes of prep and 40 minutes of cooking, plus 1 hour to chill. The recipe makes 18 dumplings.

How should I store kemalpasa tatlisi (turkish cheese dumplings in syrup)?

Refrigerate in their syrup in a covered container up to 3 days; serve at room temperature.

Can I make kemalpasa tatlisi (turkish cheese dumplings in syrup) ahead?

Yes. It needs time to chill and set, so it is a good one to make the day before you serve it.

Kemalpasa dessert comes from Mustafakemalpasa in Bursa and is made from a dough of fresh unsalted cheese, semolina and flour, baked and soaked in syrup. Serve it with clotted cream and tea.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 18 servings this recipe makes.

210 Calories / serving

4.0g Fat

33.0g Carbs

2.5g Protein

22.3g Sugar

Whole recipe (18 servings): ~3780 cal · 72g fat · 594g carbs · 45g protein · 401g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.