Vareniki with Sweet Cherry Filling
Tender dumplings pinched around sweet-tart cherries — vareniki z vyshneyu, the summer dessert dumpling of Ukraine. Boiled soft and served with honeyed sour cream. The bite that bursts with ruby cherry juice is pure joy.
Why you'll love this recipe
- An old world recipe, made the way it always was
- One of the most-requested recipes here
- Not one spoon of refined sugar
- Sweetened with real honey
- Makes enough for 6
What you'll need
Everything here is a real ingredient you can find in a normal shop. Nothing artificial, no powders pretending to be sugar. Here is the full list, with the quantities I actually use.
- 2 1/2 cups (300 g) flour
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) warm water
- 1/2 cup (120 g) kefir or yogurt
- 1 egg, pinch salt
- 3 cups pitted sour cherries (fresh or frozen, well drained)
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp cornstarch (to hold the juice)
- To serve:** sour cream + honey
What goes into Vareniki with Sweet Cherry Filling
This one comes together in two parts, each doing its own job:
- Dough. Built from 2 1/2 cups (300 g) flour and a few others.
- Filling. Built from 3 cups pitted sour cherries (fresh or frozen and a few others.
How to make it
Mix dough ingredients to a soft, smooth dough; rest 30 minutes covered.
Toss cherries with honey and cornstarch.
Roll dough thin; cut circles. Place a few cherries in each, fold and pinch the edges tightly sealed (this matters — loose ones leak).
Boil in batches in gently simmering water 4–5 minutes, until they float and the dough is tender.
Serve warm with a spoon of sour cream swirled with honey.
Save this one for later — hover the image to pin it.
Storage
Keep it covered in the fridge and it will hold for three to four days. If you are making it ahead, hold back any fresh topping until just before you serve so nothing goes soft. Most of these freeze well too, wrapped tight, for up to three months.
Questions about this recipe
Is Vareniki with Sweet Cherry Filling really made without refined sugar?
Yes. All the sweetness comes from honey - there is not one spoon of white sugar in it. That is the whole point of how I cook.
How long does Vareniki with Sweet Cherry Filling keep?
Kept covered in the fridge it holds for three to four days. Most of these freeze well too, wrapped tight, for up to three months - hold back any fresh topping until just before serving.
How many does Vareniki with Sweet Cherry Filling make?
This makes enough for 6. It scales cleanly, so use the 1x / 2x / 3x buttons on the recipe card if you need more or less.
Vareniki with Sweet Cherry Filling
Tender dumplings pinched around sweet-tart cherries — vareniki z vyshneyu, the summer dessert dumpling of Ukraine. Boiled soft and served with honeyed sour cream. The bite that…
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (300 g) flour
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) warm water
- 1/2 cup (120 g) kefir or yogurt
- 1 egg, pinch salt
- 3 cups pitted sour cherries (fresh or frozen, well drained)
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp cornstarch (to hold the juice)
- To serve:** sour cream + honey
Instructions
- Mix dough ingredients to a soft, smooth dough; rest 30 minutes covered.
- Toss cherries with honey and cornstarch.
- Roll dough thin; cut circles. Place a few cherries in each, fold and pinch the edges tightly sealed (this matters — loose ones leak).
- Boil in batches in gently simmering water 4–5 minutes, until they float and the dough is tender.
- Serve warm with a spoon of sour cream swirled with honey.
