This Ukrainian pierogi dough recipe is good for any pierogi filling. The mixture is elastic, easy to work with, and wonderful for freezing
This Ukrainian pierogi dough recipe has been an absolute favorite of my family for many years. And I think I’ll never change this recipe to another one.
Ukrainian pierogi or pierogies are also known as varenyky, pirohy, pyrohy, perogy, and even padeheh (the name depends on the area and dialect). But regardless of what you call them, it’s one of the most delicious Ukrainian dishes. They are small filled dumplings, made by wrapping a savory or sweet filling in an unleavened pierogi dough. You should cook them in boiling water.
I was thinking, what if you want to make homemade Ukrainian pyrohy, and you don’t have the best pierogi dough recipe … This problem should be solved as soon as possible! In search of the best result, you can, of course, try a new recipe every time… or make your life easier and use this recipe. Trust me, it will take your pedaheh to the highest level!
The dough is just as important as the filling for pyrohy. No filling “wants” to be wrapped in a tasteless, hard, and unsmooth mixture. Do you like delicious Ukrainian pyrohy? Me too!
What are pierogi?
- in general, pierogies are one of the most delicious symbols of Ukrainian cuisine (together with Ukrainian borscht, holubtsi, pampushky, and many other yummies)
- but Ukrainian pyrohy is not just a sweet or salty filling wrapped in pierogi dough… it’s an ocean of taste and a long history
- moreover, varenyky are a great occasion to bring the whole family together… when all the members of a family from grandparents to great-grandchildren sit down together at a big table and make pyrohy, the house is filled with some kind of fabulous atmosphere; conversations become warm and sincere, and happiness reaches the highest level). Ukrainian pyrohy – “connecting people”!
Eating homemade pierogies is an indescribable pleasure! Store-bought ones will never compare to them, so forget about them altogether.
The perfect Ukrainian pierogi dough recipe
You know, over the years of my culinary adventures and experiments, I have tried different options: varenyky dough with sour cream, vegan pierogi recipe, kefir – based variant… But none of them can compare to my Ukrainian baba (or babcia as I call her) Maria’s recipe, because her homemade pierogi dough is perfect! It’s not just a recipe, it’s a real treasure. Trust me… I’m not exaggerating.
Of course, every Ukrainian family has its own proven pierogi dough recipe. And each family quite logically considers their recipe the best. I will not argue or object. But I wholeheartedly advise you to try my recipe. You’ll have the most tender, elastic, easy-to-work, and excellent for freezing pyrohy dough.
This recipe is suitable for both savory and sweet varenyky fillings.
Useful tips for the best result:
- this pierogi dough should be kneaded well. Thorough kneading will help gluten to form, and elasticity largely depends on this. Imagine that you are doing a massage to the dough… put your love into it, add a little strength and you will have the most delicious varenyky in the world!
- it’s next to impossible to make a mistake with this recipe. Anyway, if something went wrong and the consistency did not turn out to be perfect, everything is very easy to fix: if the mixture is too sticky, add more flour; if it is very tight and dry, add some water.
- a very important point – this pyrohy dough should “rest”. Thus, knead it, cover it with a kitchen towel (or wrap it in a film), and leave it for 30 minutes at room temperature.
- salt and sugar are both important if this recipe… regardless of whether your pierogi filling is sweet or salty. Salt and sugar will not only balance the taste, their mission is to make the dough tender and smooth.
- This recipe calls for eggs (the egg makes the taste richer and more expressive. And also, thanks to the eggs, pierogies will not overcook while boiling).
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour (you may need a little more)
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 Tbsp oil
- 1 cup (250ml) boiling water
Ukrainian pierogi dough recipe step – by – step
Beat eggs with oil, sugar, and salt
Add 3 cups of flour and mix with your hands (no need to knead, just mix until large crumbs form)
Add boiling water (yes, hot boiling water, not warm water), add 1 more cup of flour and mix with a spoon (be careful – the mass will be hot). After 1-2 minutes, you can knead with your hands. Add more flour, if the mixture is too sticky. Cover the finished dough with a kitchen towel and leave for 30 minutes at room temperature. After that, you can make pyrohy. Bon appetit!
FAQ
You’ll make approximately 60 – 70 pedaheh (the quantity depends on their size). I boil half of them right away and freeze the rest. If you do not plan to freeze your varenyky, but immediately feed a family of 3-4 people, then prepare half a portion of this Ukrainian pierogi dough.
I love “plump” pyrohy, so I cook about 1lb 10oz (700-800g) of filling.
Plain all-purpose flour is best suited for this recipe. I don’t advise replacing it with whole wheat, buckwheat, corn, or other kinds of flour (they have less gluten, or it is completely absent) – in this case, the dough will turn out to be less elastic, not smooth and it will not have the right consistency. As a result, your pedaheh may be overcooked while boiling … if you still want to add another type of flour, then add 70% all-purpose flour and no more than 30% of the other one of your choice.
Salt is not only about taste (pyrohy should be delicious, right?). Besides, salt helps in the formation of gluten, and it is extremely important here for the correct consistency.
If desired, you can prepare this Ukrainian pierogi dough in a mixer – the recipe and cooking steps are the same as for kneading by hand.
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Ukrainian pierogi dough recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour (you may need a little more)
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 Tbsp oil
- 1 cup (250ml) boiling water
Instructions
- Beat eggs with oil, sugar, and salt
- Add 3 cups of flour and mix with your hands (no need to knead, just mix until large crumbs form)
- Add boiling water (yes, hot boiling water, not warm water), add 1 more cup of flour and mix with a spoon (be careful – the mass will be hot). After 1-2 minutes, you can knead with your hands. Add more flour, if the mixture is too sticky. Cover the finished dough with a kitchen towel and leave for 30 minutes at room temperature. After that, you can make pyrohy. Bon appetit!
This recipe is similar to my mother’s but no sugar in hers. My grandma, my mother and ladies from the church all made pierogi. . Now I make them with my grandkids.
I am so happy that you make pierogi. Enjoy them!
My Grandparents fled the Ukraine (Russia, Einlage by the Dnieper River) in 1927 for Canada…. bringing with them all the Mennonite heritage with them. I grew up spending summers visiting and enjoying myself wishing summer wouldn’t end. We had faspah (late lunch) in which all the leftovers were used. Glums Wareniki (Verenyky), Fleisch Perishke, Roll Kuchen, Schaubel Zup, Zwieback, Farmers Sausage & Cheese – it was my favorite meal. Your recipe is just about identical to the one in my Mennonite Treasury of Recipes!
Oh, how beautiful that you keep the culinary traditions, recipes and memories of your grandparents!
I was raised every holiday on pudahey
Delicious. My grandmother a Ukrainian there was none other than the best pudahey
So nice to hear from you. I am really happy that you like this Ukrainian dish! I was raised on them too! And I go on making them every single Sunday.