Ukraine · Flour and Confectionery Products · Vegetarian

Varenyky with Cherries

Name: Varenyky with Cherries
Prep time: 27 min
Cook time: 63 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Ukrainian
Ingredients: 500 g wheat flour; 250 ml warm water; 1 egg; 2 tbsp butter; 2 tsp sugar; 0.5 tsp salt; 500 g cherries; 4 tbsp sugar; 1.5 tbsp starch; sour cream for serving

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.

90 min 450 kcal 6 serves Advanced🌿Vegetarian🇺🇦Ukraine★★★★★4.6· 5 reviews

Ingredients

ServingsMetric

500 gwheat flour
250 mlwarm water
1 egg
2 tbspbutter
2 tspsugar
½ tspsalt
500 gcherries
4 tbspsugar
1.5 tbspstarch
sour cream for serving

Note from Sergei

Sergei Martynov

“Making varenyky is a labor of love that connects you to generations of Ukrainian home cooks. The dough should be smooth and elastic, rolled thin but not so thin it tears when you seal the edges — about 2mm is ideal. Sealing is everything: press firmly and pinch decorative pleats, because even the smallest gap means cherry juice leaks out during boiling and you're left with empty shells. Fresh cherries are traditional, but frozen ones work beautifully — just don't thaw them first, or you'll have a puddle of juice and soggy dough. I always add a tablespoon of sugar and a pinch of starch to the cherries to thicken the juices.”

Dip your fingertip in water and moisten the dough edges before sealing — this acts like glue and creates a much stronger seal than dry dough pressed together.

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.

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Comments (1)

Sergei Martynov✍ Author
29d ago
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.