Dumplings are found all over the world in most cultures. This Pierogi dough recipe can be used to make perogies, pirohy, vareniki, or for pelmeni dough. They’re a boiled dumpling served with sour cream. It’s a simple dough recipe that hasn’t failed me yet.
This is a pretty classic pierogi dough recipe, without any additions like sour cream, boiling water or tons of butter into the dough. Some recipes even use less ingredients without any oil or eggs, but I don’t recommend it. It’s an easy to make dumpling dough recipe, very forgiving. If the dough is too wet, then add a bit more flour. If it’s too hard and then add a bit more water. Allowing the dough to rest will soften it to the perfect consistency.
Pierogies, Perogies or Vareniki can have a variety of fillings. I love Potato, Onion and Cheddar Perogies or Vareniki with Farmer’s Cheese (Tvorog). Some recipes use cabbage or even a sweet fruit filling. Pelmeni Dumplings are another family favorite. Stay tuned for great recipes coming up!
What we call Pierogies or Perogies in English come from the Polish word Pierogi. Vareniki (вареники) are popular in Ukraine and Russia and across the former Soviet Union. Pirohy are popular in Slovakia, and Derelye are enjoyed in Hungary. There are so many dumpling recipes. For the purpose of this blog, I’m calling this a Pierogi dough recipe, or also commonly called Perogy Dough recipe in North America. Pierogis are very popular in Poland when served on Christmas Eve dinner. Bon Appetit! Приятного аппетита!
Pierogi Dough Recipe
The perfect dumpling dough recipe for to make Pierogi dough, Vareniki dough, Pelmeni dough, Pirohy or Derelye dough. A simple classic dough recipe.
Ingredients
- 4 cups flour plus ¼ cup extra flour for kneading
- 2 small eggs
- 1 cup lukewarm water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon oil
Instructions
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Mix the flour and salt, place into a bowl and make a well in the centre.
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Add oil and crack the eggs into the flour. Using a fork, stir the eggs into the flour.
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Slowly add the water while kneading, until the dough forms a sticky ball.
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Continue to knead the dough on a floured surface until dough is soft but not sticky. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes.
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Cover the dough with a bowl and allow to rest for about an hour. If you're in a hurry you can use after 30 minutes of rest, but an hour is best.
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You now have the perfect Pierogi dough.
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I started this website as a way to capture the recipes that I grew up with, and pass them onto the next generation. Being world travellers, there are foods from all over the world, but my passion is primarily the Russian foods I grew up with. 
Vareniki with farmers cheese is our family favorite. We have a family tradition of making them for our dessert on Christmas Eve. We make them a few days ahead of time and then on Christmas Eve we bake them in butter and half&half until they are heated through. We serve them with smetana and maple syrup. Delicious.
Great tradition! Love the idea of naming them ahead then reheating them with smetana! 💕
Thank you so much for this recipe!! I’m trying it today.. hope mine are as good as my grandmothers! Lol
You’re welcome! Good luck, hope they’re as tasty as you remember them! 😊
My Ukrainian great-grandmother made “pyrohy” all the time. Her filling consisted of mashed potatoes, crumbled hoop or farmer cheese completely incorporated into the potatoes and added very finely chopped, sauteed onions (almost brown) to the mixture. . . salt and pepper to taste. She would serve them with browned butter and sour cream and the flavor of this dish was heavenly. She also made some sweetened ones with just the cheese which was nicely seasoned and served them with a light “sauce” made from sour cherries. The ones she made from pitted Bing cherries were served with a mascarpone cheese and sour cream. To the saurkraut pyrohy, she added sauteed finely chopped mushrooms. She made her own saurkraut which she seasoned with salt and pepper and a tiny bit of brown sugar. During the colder months, the pyrohy were made with ground beef seasoned with salt, pepper, ground cumin and then served with a cranberry sauce made with sugar and orange zest. These made a great dinner entree.
Onions almost brown are the secret I believe!! That all sounds absolutely amazing! How lucky you are to have enjoyed all those flavors!!! 😋
Not at all like I make mine. Yours is basically a noodle dough.
So many different ways to make dough 😊
I grew up with alot Doukabour People. And one thing l will share with you is add sour cream to your Perogy Dough! It will improve the flavor big time!!!.From he who knows Cheers!!
Great tip! 😊
I’d like to try! But need full recipe for fillings to cooking please?
Hi Rita, Thanks for checking out the site! There are 2 links in the write up in the middle of the page for different fillings. One is for a Tvorog Cheese Filling called Vareniki, and the other is a Potato and Cheddar Perogy Recipe link. If you click on the links, it will show you the fillings. 🙂
Is this just plain flour you use?
Hi, yes I just use plain regular flour. 😊
Approximately, how many Pirogies can be made from one batch of dough?
Thanks Mic
Great question! It depends on the size of your round circles and also how good you are at reusing the dough scraps. I’d say this recipe should yield about 50+ Pierogies. 😊
Thanks for getting back so quickly. Dough resting as we speak.
I also add 2-3 tbsp of sour cream and 4 tbsp of Bacon grease
How do I make the sauerkraut for the pierogi? Thank you
Hi Eleanor, I just fry an onion until caramelized, add some store bought sauerkraut, cook for 2 minutes and season it with salt and pepper! And that’s it! 😊
Can the pierogi dough be made a day or two ahead of stuffing/cooking them?
Hi Michelle! I have always used the dough on the same day when making it. I think it’s always best fresh and it’s easy to make. Some people roll out the dough, dry it out a bit and keep it in the fridge before making. Other people have frozen the pierogi dough before using. If storing in the fridge ahead of time, make sure its wrapped well in plastic cling wrap. Allow to warm up to room temperatur before using. Please let me know how it goes! 🙂
I am of Polish origin. Your recipe is good although I use sour cream instead of oil. But , a fine point of grammar, pierogi is already plural so no “s” or “es” should be added. One is called a pierogi but no body eats just one so it is usually plural.
Hi Laurie, thanks so much for checking out the recipe! 😊
Laurie, great point about the grammar. But, one is not called ‘pieróg’ not ‘pierogi’.
Yes, I know. . I think autocorrect messed it up.
Sounds so easy! But, having been intimidated for years, I still don’t believe I could make it… It’s just bloody hard. 🙁
It is easy!! Give it a try!!! The fun part is making pierogi and they don’t turn out pretty and are lopsided! ???? I say they taste better that way!
I will try. Yes, imperfect pierogi are the best for some mysterious reason. This is why they MUST be handmade.