Photo: Dodo from Finland · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Basket lined with a blue-striped cloth full of pleated rye pies with pale rice filling, with a basket of bread rolls behind. — Photo: Dodo from Finland · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

European · Breakfast · Lunch · Snack

Karelian Pies

Name: Karelian Pies
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 115 min
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 1 cup water (for porridge); 3/4 cup short-grain white rice (pudding rice); 3 1/4 cups low-fat milk (1%), divided; 1 1/4 tsp salt, divided; 2 cups whole-grain rye flour; 2 tbsp rye flour for dusting; 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp cold water (for dough); 4 tbsp unsalted butter, divided; 4 large eggs; about 6 cups, discarded water for boiling and cooling the eggs; 2 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped

Karjalanpiirakka

By BerryFit Kitchen · Nutrition checked with USDA data · Updated Oct 20, 2026 · How we make recipes

Thin, crisp rye shells with pleated edges, filled with creamy rice porridge and topped with a spoonful of egg butter. This lighter version uses low-fat milk and less butter while keeping the classic Finnish taste and shape.

Prep: 40 min
Cook: 75 min
Total: 115 min
Serves: 8

Medium
Vegetarian

15%

Per serving298kcal15% of a 2,000 kcal day

13gProtein

42gCarbs

10gFat

8gFiber

Calories come from: Carbs 55% · Fat 29% · Protein 16%

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Ingredients

For 8 servings

1 cup240 gwater (for porridge)
3/4 cup150 gshort-grain white rice (pudding rice)
3 1/4 cups793 glow-fat milk (1%), divided
1 1/4 tsp8 gsalt, divided
2 cups240 gwhole-grain rye flour
2 tbsp15 grye flour for dusting
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp200 gcold water (for dough)
4 tbsp56 gunsalted butter, divided
4 large200 geggs
about 6 cups, discarded1,400 gwater for boiling and cooling the eggs (optional)
2 tbsp5 gfresh chives, finely chopped (optional)

Steps

1
Bring the 1 cup water to a boil in a heavy saucepan, add the rice and simmer for about 5 minutes until the water is mostly absorbed.
2
Pour in 3 cups of the milk and bring just to a simmer, stirring.
3
Cook on low heat for 35–40 minutes, stirring often so it does not catch, until thick and creamy.
4
Stir 1/2 tsp of the salt into the porridge and set aside to cool slightly.
5
Meanwhile, mix the 2 cups rye flour, 1/2 tsp of the salt and the cold water into a firm, smooth dough.
6
Divide the dough into 16 pieces, roll each into a ball and keep covered.
7
Dust the work surface with the extra rye flour and roll each ball into a very thin oval about 15 cm (6 in) long.
8
Heat the oven to its highest setting, 250–275 °C (480–525 °F), and line two trays with baking paper.
9
Spread about 2 tbsp porridge along the middle of each oval, leaving a 2 cm (1 in) border.
10
Fold the border over the filling and pinch it into small pleats, leaving the centre open.
11
Place the pies on the trays.
12
Melt 1 tbsp of the butter with the remaining 1/4 cup milk to make the glaze.
13
Bake one tray at a time for 12–15 minutes, until the edges are crisp and the filling has brown spots.
14
Brush the hot pies right away with the butter-milk glaze and cover with a clean towel to soften the crust.
15
While the pies bake, cover the eggs with water, bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes until hard-boiled with firm yolks.
16
Cool the eggs in cold water, peel and chop finely.
17
Mash the remaining 3 tbsp softened butter with the chopped eggs, the last 1/4 tsp salt and the chives, if using.
18
Serve the pies warm with a spoonful of egg butter on each.

Swaps, storage and make-ahead

Swaps

For a dairy-free version, cook the porridge in unsweetened oat milk and use a dairy-free plant-based spread in the glaze and egg butter.
Swap the short-grain rice for pearl barley or mashed potato, both traditional Karelian pie fillings.
If whole-grain rye flour is hard to find, light rye flour works, though the dough may feel slightly softer.
Use green onion tops or fresh dill instead of chives in the egg butter.

Storage

Cool the pies and refrigerate them in an airtight container within 2 hours, then eat within 3 to 4 days, warming them in the oven until steaming hot. Keep the egg butter separately in the fridge for up to 3 days and don't freeze it; the pies themselves taste best on the day they are baked.

Make ahead

Cook the rice porridge up to 2 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge, stirring in a splash of milk if it has thickened too much. You can also boil and peel the eggs a day ahead and mix the egg butter just before serving.

Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.

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Allergens and nutrition

Contains: GlutenMilkEggs

Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.

Full nutrition

	Per serving (238 g)	Per 100 g
Calories	298 kcal	125 kcal
Protein	12.8 g	5.4 g
Carbohydrates	41.8 g	17.6 g
of which sugars	6 g	2.5 g
Fiber	8.1 g	3.4 g
Fat	9.8 g	4.1 g
of which saturated	5.1 g	2.1 g
Sodium	471 mg	198 mg

Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.