Varenyky with Cherries
Traditional Ukrainian boiled dumplings filled with juicy cherries. The unleavened dough is rolled thin and sealed around a sweet-tart cherry filling thickened with starch so it stays inside. Served with sour cream and powdered sugar.
Ingredients
- 500 gwheat flour
- 250 mlwarm water
- 1 egg
- 2 tbspbutter
- 2 tspsugar
- 0.5 tspsalt
- 500 gcherries
- 4 tbspsugar
- 1.5 tbspstarch
- sour cream for serving
Method
- Sift flour into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix warm water, melted butter, egg, sugar, and salt. Gradually pour the liquid mixture into the flour, kneading first with a spoon then by hand. Knead on a floured surface for 7–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball, cover, and rest for 30 minutes.
- If cherries are fresh, pit them. If frozen, thaw and drain excess juice. In a small dry cup, mix sugar with starch — do not mix them directly with the cherries yet.
- Divide the dough into portions. Roll each portion 1.5–2 mm thin on a lightly floured surface. Cut out circles 7–9 cm in diameter. Place 3–4 cherries in the center of each circle, then sprinkle with 0.5 tsp of the sugar-starch mixture.
- Fold each circle in half and firmly pinch the edges to seal. Make sure the seam is tight so the filling does not leak during cooking.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook in batches of 15–20 pieces. After the varenyky float to the surface, cook for another 3–5 minutes.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and serve warm with sour cream and powdered sugar.
FAQ
Yes — thaw and drain them thoroughly first, then squeeze out as much juice as possible. Add a little starch to the filling to absorb excess moisture and prevent the dough from becoming soggy.
Toss freshly boiled varenyky in melted butter immediately after draining. If you are not serving them right away, spread them in a single layer and keep them coated in butter.
Yes — freeze them raw on a floured tray so they don't touch, then transfer to a bag. Cook directly from frozen in boiling water, adding 2–3 extra minutes to the cooking time.
A simple flour, egg, and warm water dough works well. For extra tenderness, add a tablespoon of sour cream. The dough should be smooth and elastic — let it rest for 30 minutes before rolling.
The classic serving is a generous spoonful of sour cream with a sprinkle of sugar. For a festive version, drizzle with melted butter mixed with cinnamon and vanilla sugar. Cherry varenyky work as a full dessert when served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Some cooks pour the cherry cooking liquid over them — it thickens into a sauce-like consistency. Important: serve hot while the dough is soft — cooled varenyky lose half their charm.
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Comments (1)
I whip the cream to soft peaks for varenyky with cherries, not stiff. Over-whipped cream is on the edge of becoming butter and has a grainy mouthfeel. Stop when it just holds a gentle curl on the whisk — it'll firm up as you fold it.