The BEST Pumpkin Dessert: Turkish Kabak Tatlısı

Try Turkish pumpkin dessert —two ways, and a sugar-free alternative! The regular version and one made with slaked lime that only very few get to taste outside of Turkey. Video with step-by-step instructions available.

I rarely, if ever, title a recipe as “best”. Although it is great for search engines and human psychology to get a click, I find it a bit self-aggrandizing. This recipe is an exception. I truly don’t believe there can be a better way to use pumpkins to make something sweet—pumpkin pies included!

With this recipe, we’ll go deep into Turkish cuisine and bury out a treasure that is only available in certain parts of the country during a certain time of the year: crispy pumpkin dessert made with calcium hydroxide, also known as “kireçte kabak tatlısı“.

This special variety, for the most part, is only available in the Hatay region of Southern Turkey. Luckily, you can absolutely make it at home with the right type of pumpkin and some pickling lime. I’ll also share how you can make regular Turkish kabak tatlısı, as well as a sugar-free version using erythritol or date syrup. I can’t wait for you to try one of these wonderful options!

What Type of Pumpkin Should You Use?

Unfortunately, the regular Jack-o’-lantern pumpkins have very little flesh that is often quite bland and dry. The next best option is a sugar pumpkin (aka pie pumpkin); these are smaller and are slightly more fleshy with an earthy and sweet taste.

My personal favorite is called the Cinderella pumpkin. It is also the closest variety to what is traditionally used in Turkey for dessert. Also known as cheese pumpkin, they have lots of flesh and are very flavorful—quite similar to butternut squash. In fact, Cinderella pumpkin and butternut squash are very closely related—therefore, feel free to substitute with butternut squash if you don’t have access to the other variety.

How to Use Pickling Lime / Calcium Hydroxide / Slaked Lime in Cooking?

Warning: Do not consume food-grade calcium hydroxide straight. The highly alkaline powder is very harmful and can cause chemical burns when exposed to the eyes, when inhaled, or digested. I recommend using kitchen gloves when handling this compound.

In my grandparents’ village near the Aegean coast, they used to slake regular limestone to make calcium hydroxide, and use it to make jams & pickles. The compound basically helps to crisp up the fruits and vegetables you are using it on by binding to their pectin, making them firmer.

In Mexico, food-grade calcium hydroxide is known as “cal” and it is commonly used in the production of corn tortillas to increase the bioavailability of niacin in corn thereby making it more digestible.

You certainly don’t want to use the wrong kind of lime to cook with! The limestone sold at home improvement stores is not what you’re looking for unless you know how to slake it. I’d recommend paying a few dollars more and sticking to the food-grade version. It is also worth nothing that nowadays, pickling lime is no longer recommended for long-term preservation since it’s been linked to cases of botulism:

“Canned pickles are safe to eat because they’re soaked in an acidic liquid, typically vinegar, and acid kills bacteria. However, pickling lime is alkaline. This means it neutralizes acids. If pickling lime is left on vegetables, the acid might not be strong enough to kill bacteria.“

Healthline Article

Ingredients for Turkish Pumpkin Dessert

Crispy Version:

• 1/2 cup pickling lime (aka cal, calcium hydroxide, slaked lime)
• 1 gallon of water (for soaking)
• 6lb of pumpkin flesh, sliced (about half of a medium-sized Cinderella pumpkin)
• 2 cups of sugar
• 2 cups of water (for syrup)
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 5 whole cloves
• topping: 1 cup of walnuts, crushed
• topping: 2/3 cup of tahini

Regular Version:

• 6lb of pumpkin flesh (about half of a medium-sized Cinderella pumpkin)
• 2 cups of sugar (or 2.5 cups of erythritol or date syrup)
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 5 whole cloves
• topping: 1 cup of walnuts, crushed
• topping: 2/3 cup of tahini

You may substitute Cinderella pumpkins with butternut squash if needed.

If you think the dessert is not sweet enough for your palate, feel free to add more.

How to Make Turkish Pumpkin Dessert

Crispy Version:

1. Halve the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds.
2. For this crispy version, cut them into crescents. This ensures that there’s some soft pumpkin in the middle after it’s been cooked.
3. Make a calcium hydroxide bath by mixing the pickling lime with water—remember to turn away from the dust cloud. Gloves recommended.
4. Place the pumpkin slices inside the bath, weigh them down with a heavy bowl or place to submerge everything, then let them harden in the refrigerator overnight.
5. The next morning, drain out the water and wash each piece to remove any excess lime.
6. Transfer the rinsed pumpkin into a large pot and pour sugar all over.
7. Add water and mix, bring to a boil, add cinnamon sticks and whole cloves, then turn down the heat and let it simmer for up to 3 hours.
8. When its syrup gets very thick, you can take it off the heat and let it cool down. Personally, I enjoy eating all versions of the Turkish pumpkin dessert cold.
9. Top with tahini and crushed walnuts, or enjoy with clotted cream for an even richer taste!

Regular Version:

1. Halve the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds.
2. For the regular version, you can cut them into any shape you like—smaller pieces will cook faster.
3. Place the pieces of pumpkin into a large pot, and pour the sugar all over. Let it macerate in the refrigerator overnight.
4. When the pumpkin has released its water, transfer the pot onto the stovetop and bring to a boil.
5. Add cinnamon sticks and whole cloves, mix, then lower the heat to a simmer with the lid on.
6. Occasionally mix and continue simmering until it reaches a consistency you like—mine took about 2.5 hours to get very soft. If you’d like for the pumpkins to have more texture, 1.5-2 hours should suffice.
7. Let it rest at room temperature for an hour, then top with tahini and crushed walnuts. Enjoy on its own, or add it to oatmeal, pancakes, or waffles!
8. Each of these recipes will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Watch how to make it step-by-step in this video:

Looking for other Fall recipes? Try:

• stuffed pumpkin
• lentil & butternut squash soup
• roasted carrots with tahini
• butternut squash & miso mac’n cheese
• apple cider pie
• warm date & kale salad

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Don’t forget to let me know in the comments if you make a version of Turkish pumpkin dessert! Afiyet olsun (bon appetite)!

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