Serves 6
95 min
Blueberry Dumplings (Ukrainian Varenyky)
Recipe GLPRb83ca21017ae03
Traditional Ukrainian blueberry varenyky are tender, pillowy dumplings filled with sweet blueberries and a hint of sugar. The dough is made with kefir and water for a soft, elastic texture, then hand-rolled and filled with fresh blueberries before boiling until they float to the surface. Serve warm with a generous dollop of sour cream for an authentic Eastern European dessert experience.
Save recipes you love
Create a free Grocery List Plus account to save recipes, rate them, and add every ingredient to your grocery list in one tap.
Ingredients
1 large egg
150 ml kefir
100 ml water
Pinch of salt
500 g all-purpose flour
400 g fresh blueberries
100 g granulated sugar
Directions
Combine the kefir and water in a small bowl and mix well.
Crack the egg into a large bowl and whisk it with a fork until combined. Pour in the kefir-water mixture and stir to combine.
Sift the flour with a pinch of salt into another bowl. Gradually add the sifted flour to the wet mixture, stirring first with a fork, then switching to hand kneading as the dough comes together.
Continue kneading the dough by hand for 5–10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. The dough will initially feel quite stiff. Form it into a compact ball, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and let it rest at room temperature for 40 minutes. The dough will soften and become easier to work with during this resting period.
After resting, pinch off a small portion of dough and keep the remainder wrapped to prevent drying. Lightly flour a work surface and roll out the dough portion as thin as possible. Cut out circles using a glass or round cutter. Gather the scraps, re-wrap them, and repeat with the remaining dough. Use minimal flour when rolling to prevent excess flour in the final product.
Place a small handful of fresh blueberries in the center of each dough circle. Sprinkle a small amount of sugar over the blueberries. Fold the dough circle in half to enclose the filling, then pinch and press the edges firmly to seal, creating a half-moon shaped dumpling. Repeat until all dough and filling are used.
Arrange the filled dumplings on a lightly floured board, ensuring they do not touch one another. At this point, you may freeze them for later: place the board in the freezer for 2–3 hours, then transfer the frozen dumplings to an airtight bag for storage up to one month.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and carefully add the dumplings, a few at a time, stirring gently to prevent sticking. Once they float to the surface, cook for an additional 2–3 minutes.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked dumplings to a serving dish. Serve warm, sprinkled with additional sugar and topped with a generous dollop of fresh sour cream.
