© Angelika Schwaff
Ingredients
Dough:
500 g flour
250 ml hot water (just below boiling)
1/2 tsp salt
A pinch of sugar
4 tbsp sunflower oil
Filling:
Pitted cherries (fresh or frozen)
Sugar, to taste
1–2 tsp starch
Method
1. Prepare the dough
In a bowl, combine the flour, salt, and sugar. Pour in the hot water and quickly mix with a spoon. Add the sunflower oil and knead into a soft, smooth dough. Finish kneading lightly by hand.
2. Rest the dough
Wrap the dough and refrigerate for 20–30 minutes. This allows it to become elastic and especially tender.
3. Prepare the filling
Mix the cherries with sugar and add starch to prevent excess juice from leaking during cooking.
4. Shape the varenky
Roll out the dough and cut into small circles. Place the filling onto each, then fold and seal the edges.
5. Cook
Boil in salted water for 2–3 minutes after the varenky float to the surface.
To serve
Serve hot, generously topped with cold sour cream.
Few dishes evoke the feeling of a Ukrainian summer quite like cherry varenyky. Traditionally made when sour cherries are in season, these delicate dumplings have long been a centerpiece of family kitchens, bringing generations together around the table to pit cherries, roll dough, and share stories.
Across Ukraine, varenyky are more than food. They are symbols of hospitality, celebration, and home. Cherry-filled varenyky, in particular, capture the fleeting abundance of summer, preserving the sweetness and tartness of the harvest in a dish that is both comforting and joyful.
Whether served simply with butter, a spoonful of sour cream, or a sprinkle of sugar, cherry varenyky remind us that some of the most meaningful culinary traditions are rooted in family, seasonality, and the simple act of gathering together.