Home · Recipes · Porridge & Puddings Biko (Filipino Sticky Rice Cake) Author: Maryanne CabreraPublished: Aug 1, 2017Updated: Sep 21, 2022 View Recipe95 ReviewsThis post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy. Biko is a Filipino dessert made with glutinous rice, coconut milk, and brown sugar. It’s an easy and simple homemade dessert that is popularly served at parties and gatherings. Without even knowing it, I was eating rice for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. Growing up, rice was a main food group in my diet. Rice is a staple in Filipino cuisine (and many other Asian countries). From rice porridge, rice noodles, rice cakes, and rice cereal, rice is used in many forms and applications. As a kid, biko was my favorite sweet treat. It was something I enjoyed every birthday, holiday, and special occasion. What is Biko? Biko is an easy and simple dessert made with glutinous rice (aka sticky rice), coconut milk, and brown sugar. There are many ways to cook this popular homemade dessert. Some people cook the entire thing over the pot while some people prefer to use a rice cooker. I’m sharing the method I was taught as a kid. Filipino Sticky Rice Cake To me, biko tastes like an all encompassing warm hug from your beloved grandmother. It’s sweet, fragrant, and a little over the top. It is best served warm, but it’s also great at room temperature. This recipe makes a large batch of biko. Be prepared to share! Does it matter what kind of rice you use to make biko? Glutinous rice, contrary to it’s name, does not contain any gluten. Glutinous rice is also known as sweet rice, sticky rice, or malagkit. It is a type of short grain rice known for its high starch content. You can see the different between glutinous rice and jasmine rice (medium/long-grain rice) in the photo above. Glutinous rice (short grain) is less translucent in color compared to long grain rice because of it’s starch content. It’s the starch content that makes glutinous rice perfect for desserts and porridge. (Example: Champorado! Filipino chocolate rice porridge.) Do not substitute jasmine rice or any other medium/long grain rice for glutinous rice. The results will not be the same! Secret: Soak Rice Overnight Cooking rice is often time consuming. To shorten this process, I soak the rice in a bowl of cool water overnight. This speeds up the cooking time because the soaked rice has had time to soften and absorb moisture. The rice is then drained, rinsed, and drained again. It is poured into a simmering pot of coconut milk and water. Like risotto, the mixture must be continually stirred to ensure even cooking. The stirring also helps to release the starches, making the mixture thicken. Once the rice is cooked, brown sugar (and a touch of salt) is added. The cooked rice mixture is transferred to a buttered casserole pan. A rich and creamy brown sugar coconut syrup is poured on top. The dish is then placed in the oven to bake for about an hour. The biko is done once the syrup has thickened and is bubbly vigorously. Cool slightly before digging in. The caramel on top will be VERY HOT. While other kids looked forward to rice krispie treats and peanut butter jelly sandwiches after school, every afternoon I’d hope to find a fresh batch of biko waiting for me in the kitchen. I don’t make biko often because I could easily devour any entire pan of this by myself. It’s a special treat I make once in a blue moon. Each bite tastes like a sweet childhood memory. It’s more comforting to me than a giant bowl of mac and cheese. Biko is one of those desserts I could never tire of. Biko (Filipino Sticky Rice Cake) 4.78 from 18 votes Biko is a Filipino dessert made with glutinous rice, coconut milk, and brown sugar. It’s an easy and simple homemade dessert that is popularly served at parties and gatherings.Yield: 9×13-inch pan Prep Time: 25 minutes minutesCook Time: 1 hour hourRice Soaking Time: 8 hours hoursTotal Time: 9 hours hours 25 minutes minutes Servings: 18 Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe Ingredients4 cups glutinous rice3- 14 oz cans coconut milk1 ½ cup water2 ½ cups dark brown sugar packed¼ teaspoon kosher salt Instructions Place rice in a large bowl. Cover with cool water and soak overnight. Drain and rinse rice. Drain and set aside.*Preheat oven to 350° F. Generously butter an oven safe 9×13-inch casserole pan.Reserve ¾ cup of coconut milk. Pour remaining coconut milk and 1 ½ cups water in a large sauce pot. Set over medium heat and cook until mixture begins to simmer. Add drained rice. Stir often, making sure rice does not burn along the sides of the pot. Continue to cook over medium heat for 5-8 minutes until rice has soaked up most of the liquid. Reduce heat and add 1 ½ cups brown sugar and salt to rice mixture. Continue to cook, another 5-8 minutes, stirring often. Taste a small amount of rice to check it is cooked through. At this point, the mixture should be thick and sticky. Transfer cooked rice mixture into prepared pan. Spread into an even layer.In a small sauce pot, combine reserved coconut milk and remaining 1 cup brown sugar. Bring to a boil until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat. Allow to cool slightly, 3-5 minutes, before gently pouring over rice mixture.Bake for 1 hour, until brown sugar topping has thickened and is bubbling. Allow to cool slightly before serving. The caramel topping will be very hot. NotesIngredient Notes: Soaking the rice overnight speeds up the cooking process. Soaking the rice is not necessary. You can cook the rice over the stove with the coconut milk and water mixture. Rinse and drain the rice before adding to coconut milk mixture. You will have increase the amount of water in the recipe to ensure the rice is cooked through. Glutinous rice is also known as a sweet rice, sticky rice, or malagkit. Contrary to it’s name, it does not contain any gluten. Glutinous rice is a type of short grain rice known for it’s high starch content. Leftovers and Storage Notes: Biko can be stored at room temperature for one day. Afterwards, store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Warm up biko for a few seconds in the microwave, or enjoy chilled or at room temperature. All images and text ©The Little Epicurean Author: Maryanne Cabrera Course: DessertCuisine: FilipinoKeyword: rice cake, gluten free, coconut milk, sticky rice Did you make this recipe?Show us on Instagram! Tag @littleepicurean and hashtag #littleepicurean.
Deborah Francisco says: August 2, 2017 OMG, I love biko! It is seriously like a warm hug from your grandma! I remember the first time I was taught how to make it and it was super fun and easy. One of my fav Filipino party foods. Reply
Joan Cajic says: August 2, 2017 Never heard of biko, but I’m now curious and need to start trying out new stuff. This looks delicious, your recipes just make me smile every time. Reply
Hillary says: August 2, 2017 Yum!! I LOVE sticky rice and I think this recipe just deepen my affections. Lol. Can’t wait to try this! Reply
heather (delicious not gorgeous) says: August 3, 2017 i haven’t had biko before, but i could see how cozy and comforting this would be! chewy rice and creamy coconut milk; what’s not to love? Reply
Cindy Rodriguez says: August 4, 2017 This sounds sinfully delicious! I’ve never tried it but am going to have to make it now. Reply
Aleena says: March 19, 2018 Anyone know how many servings this feeds?? Please reply back, making this tonight for coworkers and family…. thanks :) Reply
Maryanne Cabrera says: March 19, 2018 The recipe fills a 9×13-inch baking dish. It should serve 10-12 people, depending on how large of a portion people eat.
BETTY says: April 21, 2018 Biko is a childhood dessert that mom fixed for us, but she wrapped it banana leaves. Puerto Rican, but is willing to try it this way. Reply
Talisa says: May 4, 2018 Love your recipe and easy to follow instructions! I haven’t eaten Biko since my childhood. I love your soaking the rice overnight method! I made this recipe today and was wondering if you used sweetened coconut milk or unsweetened? Reply
Maryanne Cabrera says: May 4, 2018 I used canned unsweetened coconut milk (full fat). I have a link in the recipe to the exact brand of coconut milk I used.
Melissa says: May 18, 2018 My step-mom is from the Philippines. I just moved away from them, and I miss her so much! This recipe is going to either make that worse, or make me feel better. ha ha I hope I can get it a fraction of good she makes it. Reply
Maryanne Cabrera says: May 21, 2018 Hi Melissa! I hope you enjoy the recipe! (And I hope it makes you feel better, not worse!)
Maryanne Cabrera says: October 22, 2018 Sorry, I haven’t tried making this recipe with brown glutinous rice. I’m not sure how it will turn out.
Sanay says: December 27, 2018 I made this on Xmas for my mom! She loved it! The recipe is perfect. Reply
Maryanne Cabrera says: December 28, 2018 Yay! Merry Christmas! I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed the recipe!
Ed Austria says: December 31, 2018 This was my first time baking anything. Followed the recipe as instructed and hoped for the best. I served this at my in-laws Christmas lunch and it was a big hit! It was so delicious that I’m planning to make it again for our New Year’s Eve celebration. Reply
Teresa says: January 17, 2019 Hi! Your biko looks great! Lools just like my mom’s. I was wondering what brand rice do you use? Reply
Maryanne Cabrera says: January 18, 2019 I use the “Sho-Chiku-Bai” sweet rice from Koda Farms or Calrose Sweet Rice.
Rosalie Binarao says: April 9, 2019 I gonna try your biko recipe, as it’s looks like yummy, hope I can get more other different kind of cooking something new,.. Reply
Megan says: April 11, 2019 Hi Maryanne, this is Megan from Visit Cebu. We’d like to share your photo for one of our articles–we will of course give the appropriate credits to you. Just let us know if you wish to have it taken down. Thanks! Reply
Gail Fitzpatrick says: June 15, 2019 I would love to try this recipe but could you tell me how to downsize it to bake in a 8 x 8 baking dish? Thank you Reply
May says: October 30, 2019 Hello Maryanne, Thank you for this post, I enjoyed this!~ May I ask how long can Biko last in the fridge? Reply
Maryanne Cabrera says: November 7, 2019 Hi! Biko can last 3 days in the fridge. Any longer and the rice will start getting stale.
Maryanne Cabrera says: December 9, 2019 I have not tried adding coconut or almonds. If you do add mix-ins, you will have to adjust the amount of coconut milk in the recipe to prevent the biko from drying out.
Ann says: January 28, 2020 Can you make this in a foil pan for a party . I can’t use my glass one bc I don’t want it to get broken . Reply
Maryanne Cabrera says: February 4, 2020 Yes, you can bake this in a foil pan. You may have to adjust cooking time.
Maryanne Cabrera says: February 4, 2020 Yes, you can double the recipe. Be sure to use a large enough pot to cook the mixture stovetop. Also, you have to increase stovetop cooking time to adjust for the increased amount of rice and liquid.
Lara says: May 1, 2020 I made this dish today for the first time. When I was younger I was had to wait to go to a Filipino party to have this dish…LOL. Now that I am older in my 50’s I didn’t know how easy and simple to make this dish!!! My husband who is American loves this dish and a lot of other dishes. I will be making this often. So delicious!! Reply
Maryanne Cabrera says: May 2, 2020 That’s great to hear! Yes, it’s simple to make. I hope you enjoy it often :)
GRace says: May 15, 2020 Hi! I was just wondering whether making Biko works with short-grain rice? Like the type of rice used for sushi? Reply
Maryanne Cabrera says: May 15, 2020 The recipe works best with glutinous rice. You may use other short-grain rice like sushi rice. It won’t have the same chewy and starchy qualities. But, it’ll still be tasty!
Eileen says: May 24, 2020 Thank you! This is the best recipe I found. Soaking the rice overnight did cut done the cooking time. I did cut the recipe in half. 4 cups was a bit too much for a family of 3. Reply
Maryanne Cabrera says: May 26, 2020 Thanks for trying the recipe! Yes, the original recipe makes a large batch. Glad you cut the recipe in half :)
MArgot says: May 28, 2020 I tried it and OMG, it was love at first bite. With sliced bananas and strawberries it was absolutely perfect. I was hoping that my boyfriend wouldn’t like it so I could eat the whole thing by myself but he obviously also loved it :( Thanks so much for sharing!!!! Reply
Maryanne Cabrera says: June 1, 2020 Thank you for trying the recipe! Yes, it’s delicious with fresh fruit! I’m so glad you and your boyfriend enjoyed it :)
Monica Ortega says: July 11, 2020 Do you have a recipe for bibinka? I’m Mexican but I must of been Filipino in another life! I love Filipino food! Thank you for your time. Just made Biko and this recipe is so easy to follow and it came out delicious!! Reply
Maryanne Cabrera says: July 16, 2020 Thanks for trying out the recipe! Glad you enjoyed it. I have a cassava bibingka recipe on the site.
Debbie says: September 12, 2020 Bike is definitely a treat that I remember as a kid. My grandpa was filipino & we would go to alot of church gatherings where I could get my fill. It bring back good memories. Thank you now I can make it for my grandkids. Reply
Maryanne Cabrera says: September 17, 2020 Thanks for sharing! I hope you enjoy the recipe! It’s one of my favorites.
Marie Ramirez says: March 14, 2021 Can I substitute a “Short Grain” rice instead of Glutinous rice? Reply
Maryanne Cabrera says: March 15, 2021 Glutinous rice is a type of short grain rice. To achieve the correct texture and consistency, use rice labeled “glutinous rice” or “sweet rice” for the recipe. Rice simply labeled as “short grain” will not yield the same results.
David says: March 25, 2021 Saw this and was intrigued so made it tonight and it went down a right treat. I did have to scale the recipe down as I didn’t have enough rice. Reply
Anna says: April 3, 2021 Thank you! Your recipe is easy to follow. The Biko tasted delish – almost like my mom’s! Reply
Linda says: May 1, 2021 My mother used to make this for us years ago and this recipe is WONDERFUL! I used Coconut Cream and added shredded coconut to the topping! Next time in going to add coconut to the base recipe! I love this recipe! Reply
Maryanne Cabrera says: May 5, 2021 Thanks for giving the recipe a try! I’m glad you enjoyed it. It’s the one recipe I make that always reminds me of my lola!
Stefanie says: June 8, 2021 My family loves this. My mom made it every year as Christmas loaves for her clients and they loved it too. Reply
Mercedes Laquihon says: June 27, 2021 I cook the rice in a rice cooker and make the coconut milk and brown sugar on the stove til somewhat thick then add in the cooked rice. Can be put in the oven and topped off with the brown sugar and coconut milk. I also add macapuno, adzuki beans and Lanka to the rice when i mix it. Even a halohalo mix will work well added to the rice. Reply
Maryanne Cabrera says: June 28, 2021 Thanks for sharing your tips! Adding macapuno and jackfruit is a delicious idea! I’ll have to try that next time!
Sherry says: August 3, 2021 Love this recipe … family loved it! Thanks for sharing, this one is a keeper. Reply
Maryanne Cabrera says: September 7, 2021 Yes, you can cut the recipe in half and bake it in a smaller container.
Bobbie says: September 15, 2021 Hi, I wanted to make this recipe in two 8×8 pan. What would the cooking time be? Reply
Maryanne Cabrera says: September 22, 2021 If you are using metal pans, cook for about 30-40 minutes until the topping is bubbling.
Kim says: February 6, 2022 Everyone I ever asked said Biko was very hard to make so I never tried until I found your recipe. Being a diabetic, I substituted brown sugar Splenda for the brown sugar. My husband and sister really loved it and it was very easy to make. A new go to recipe. Thank you for sharing Reply
Maryanne Cabrera says: February 22, 2022 Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the recipe! It’s my son’s favorite!
Cbender says: February 25, 2022 Can u reduce the amount of brown sugar for a less sweet version? Reply
Michelle Narayanan says: March 3, 2022 Any idea roughly how many calories per serving? Can’t wait to make this! Reply
Tena says: April 3, 2022 Thats a lot of sticky rice I was thinking of making a half batch. Have any tips on that? Reply
Maryanne Cabrera says: April 8, 2022 Yes, this recipe makes a large batch that serves about 18 people. It’s meant to be shared. If you want to cut the recipe in half- bake it in one 8-inch square pan. Same cooking time, simply cut all the ingredient measurements in half.
Maryanne Cabrera says: July 5, 2022 Hi, unfortunately, I don’t know the nutritional information for this recipe.
Ms Cris says: July 12, 2022 I’ve been looking for an authentic recipe to replicate my mom’s recipe from the Philippines. She never wrote it down and always made it from memory. After her stroke, she couldn’t quite remember how to make it. My first attempt at making this was awesome! Reminds me of my childhood. I would half the amount of sugar for the topping next time. It was kind of too sweet but still amazing. She’s coming over tomorrow to try it. Fingers crossed ? Reply
Carolp says: July 22, 2022 Good but not five-star worthy. Was disappointed after reading such rave reviews. Definitely needs to be served warm. I know it’s probably butchering this traditional dish, but if I make it again, I will add a nut of some kind for crunch and a dollop of whipped cream. Thank you for sharing the recipe! Reply
Maryanne Cabrera says: July 30, 2022 Biko is generally served warm or at room temperature. As with most rice based dishes, it doesn’t do well chilled. (Although, some of my cousins LOVE it cold!). For crunch, biko is often served with latik (caramelized coconut milk bits).
Rebekah says: November 27, 2022 When you say I can cook the rice before you say to use the coconut water and rice mixture, rinse and put it back with the coconut water mixture. What do you mean? Reply
Maryanne Cabrera says: November 29, 2022 Soaking the rice speeds up the cooking process. Rinse the rice using water. Drain. Then, cook the rice using new water and coconut milk.
Rose Mayo says: December 18, 2022 I haven’t tried to cook biko..but i think this recipe is easy to make and filled my cravingness..i love it,i wanna try this recipe soon?? Reply
Dee says: March 11, 2023 If you do not soak the rice overnight, how much more water do you add? Reply
Marie Gimenez says: April 1, 2023 For this biko, do I use sweetened or unsweetened coconut milk? Reply
TJ says: June 4, 2023 This was so easy to make and tastes just like my Mom used to make! I wonder if anyone has tried making this in a disposable pan. This would be great at potlucks, but I’m afraid of how the thinner baking vessel would affect it. Reply
Maryanne Cabrera says: June 5, 2023 Thank you! Yes, I have cooked this in those large foil disposable party pans. It cooks just fine. The only problem with those foil pans- they are a bit flimsy, making it difficult to pull the heavy biko out of the oven. I suggest playing the disposable party pan on a large sheet tray to make it easier move it in/out of the oven. (I will be updating the post with more tips later this month)
Cadunnam says: June 28, 2023 Can InnovAsian sticky rice be used as a substitution for glutinous rice? This is the only kind of sticky rice I could find at the local Publix where I shop. Reply
Maryanne Cabrera says: June 28, 2023 InnovAsian sticky white rice is medium grain rice. The recipe works best with short grain rice because of it’s high starch content.
Kateryna says: August 5, 2023 Thank you for this recipe! I used rampadura instead of brown sugar, it was awesome, especially when it’s next day and it’s nice and cold! Reply
Nancy Cunningham says: August 7, 2023 Just made this tonight. Found the recipe easy to follow & pan looks just as golden & delicious as your photos. Too hot to try yet, but I expect deliciousness. Reply
Harmony says: September 12, 2023 I loved this recipe! I took it out of the oven early, but everything else I followed to the T. It also pairs really well with egg pudding and mango in my opinion 🤤 Reply
CSAlbert says: October 8, 2023 I have made this so many times and have shared your recipe with so many people because they’ve all loved it. So thank you for that. Reply
Cristina says: October 12, 2023 Thank you ever so much for this recipe. Everyone here loves it. Reply