Dessert pierogi? Yes: Apple Pie Pierogi with Streusel Crumb Garnish. The dough gives the sweet filling a savory edge that reminds me of old-world pastries. Although you could serve this any time of year, it would make a fabulous addition to a holiday feast.
You’re going to make a pie without a crust, and then make a topping without a pie!
Ingredients
- For the Filling
¾-1½ oz. (2-4 Tbs) sugar (see notes)
1½ oz. (¼ cup, packed) brown sugar
1 oz. (3 Tbs + 2 tsp) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the work surface
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
⅛ tsp nutmeg
⅛ tsp allspice
2 lbs Northern Spy apples (4 medium-large apples, see notes), peeled, cored, and very thinly sliced
2½ tsp lemon juice
Zest from ½ lemon
1¼ oz. (2 Tbs, packed) raisins
¼ oz. (2½ tsp) butter, cut into small pieces
- For the Crumb Garnish
1 oz. (¼ cup) AP flour
1½ oz. (¼ cup) sugar
1½ oz. (¼ cup, packed) brown sugar
2 Tbs old-fashioned oats
¼ rounded tsp cinnamon
⅛ tsp nutmeg
⅛ tsp salt
1½ oz. (6 Tbs) cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 oz. (¼ cup) walnuts or almonds, ground
- For the Dough
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
2 large eggs
5 Tbs lukewarm water
2 Tbs vegetable shortening
2 slightly generous Tbs sour cream
- For Rolling, Stuffing, and Boiling
Butter
- For Presentation
24 oz. sour cream or crème fraiche
Cinnamon or powdered sugar
Directions
- Make the Filling
- Pre-heat the oven to 425°F.
- Place the sugars, flour, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and allspice in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the apples; toss. Add juice and zest, toss. Toss in the raisins.
- Pour the filling into an 8-inch, glass baking dish. Dot the top with the butter pieces. Cover the filling with foil.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F. Bake 10 minutes more; the filling should be thick and bubbling. Remove foil and continue baking until the apples offer little resistance to a tester, about 10 minutes longer.
- Remove filling from oven; let it sit on a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, the filling is ready to be used, but it will be more workable after an overnight in the fridge. (Don’t eat it straight from the dish, and wind up with none left for your pierogi! You will be tempted!)
- Make the Garnish
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugars, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Rub in the butter just until it forms a consistent, mealy texture with no large, obvious pieces of butter. Whisk in the almonds, breaking up any clumps that may you encounter.
- Place a Silpat into a rimmed baking sheet. Pour the mixture onto the Silpat as evenly as you can. Use a whisk gently to even it out in a thin layer. Bake, until the edges are dark brown but not black, 16 minutes. Cool on a rack, 10 minutes. Transfer to the same, unwashed mixing bowl and use a heavy-bottom tumbler to pulverize the mixture into crumbs.
- Make the Dough
- Place all ingredients into a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Kneed on lowest speed until the dough comes together and forms a single mass on the hook. Continue to knead for 2 minutes. Check the dough: it should not stick to your fingers. If it does, add flour by the Tbs and knead until it’s incorporated. Check again and continue until the dough doesn’t stick to your fingers.
- Form the dough into a ball and cut it into four pieces. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Set aside.
- Roll, Stuff, Boil, and Fry
- Put on a large pot of water to boil. Adjust to a simmer.
- Working with one of the dough segments at a time, roll on a floured surface, to somewhere between 1/8 and 1/16-inch thick. Use a 3.5-inch cutter to cut circles. One by one, peel a circle from the work surface. Because it’s elastic, the circle will shrink. Lay it back down – same side down – in a spot that gives you some maneuvering room and roll it to 16-inch. Peel it away, turn it over, and scoop 1 level Tbs (tightly packed) filling into the center of the circle. Lay it back onto the work surface, grab two opposing sides of the circle, and pull the dough up and over the filling, stretching ever so gently to give yourself room to make a seal. Work your way around the half-moon shape, teasing the dough to make sure you do not get any filling in the seal, and pinching the dough very tightly. Do this at least twice. Then, if you’re fancy, you can “braid” the dough; although that’s not common, it’s pretty and it helps to ensure an excellent seal. Do not use a fork to crimp; that is very un-Polish, to my way of thinking. Lay the pierog on a lightly floured surface and continue until you’ve used all the filling.
- Use a Chinese spider to gently lower as many pierogi as you can into the simmering water without stacking them, whirling the water gently as you do. Adjust the heat so that you’re able to maintain a very gentle simmer. Give them a frequent, gentle stir to make sure they’re not sticking to the pan or each other. At some point, one of them will float to the surface; at that point, stop stirring them and let them simmer for 2 minutes. Use the spider to lift them out of the water and transfer them to a plate with a Tablespoon of butter on it. Swish them around and turn them, as you allow them to melt the butter and get slathered with it. Continue until you’ve boiled all the pierogi.
- Fry the pierogi in batches, in a large skillet with a moderate amount of butter, over medium heat, turning frequently, until golden brown. Watch carefully; once they start to brown, they brown quickly.
- Presentation
- Dust serving plates lightly with streusel, arrange the pierogi, straight from the frying pan onto the plate, and dot each one generously with sour cream. Sprinkle generously with more streusel, and then give each dish the barest dusting of cinnamon or powdered sugar.
Notes
- Use the lesser amount of sugar if using Northern Spy apples. Use the greater amount if using a Honeycrisp/Granny Smith mix.
- Northern Spy makes a fantastic filling, but they can be hard to find. A half-and-half combination of Honeycrisp and Granny Smith is my second favorite choice – and it’s hardly a “second.” It’s a delicious combination. Note that Northern Spy apples will offer a slight bit of resistance even when fully cooked.
- This filling is difficult to work with, because it’s wet. You can head that off somewhat by dusting it lightly with cornstarch just before you start stuffing the pierogi. Be strict about using a perfectly-leveled Tablespoon of filling per pierog, or you’ll wind up with a disaster on your hands. Have a towel on hand so that when you get filling on your fingers, you can easily dry them off. You’ll find yourself needing to do this constantly.
- A coffee grinder will do a great job on the almonds.
The Backstory
I’m not going to ask you if you’ve ever eaten pie filling without the crust, because I know you have. It’s delicious, of course …. but it’s better when it’s paired with a really good crust. The combination of fat and sweet just can’t be beat. I would also argue that the crust – unless it’s something particularly cookie-like – adds a balance to the sweet filling. Dutch Apple Pierogi tips the scales even further, and you wind up with contrasts – creamy, crunchy, soft, fruity, savory, sweet – that allow you to taste all of the elements separately, and yet enjoy them as a balanced whole. That, and you get the perfect amount of belly-pleasing satisfaction.
Dessert pierogi are pretty unusual, so if you’re familiar with pierogi, but this seems surprising, you’re right. Let me tell you, though, they are wonderful. Very old world in the sense that they are just sweet enough, and no more.
Social Learning
There’s technique involved with rubbing butter into flour (or into a dry mixture). Using your hands is a time-honored method, but many people consider it inferior to other methods (using a cutter, a fork, or two knives, for instance) only because your hands have to potential to heat the butter, which may cause the butter and flour to meld in a way that’s won’t lend itself to the flaky result you’re hoping for. However, because this garnish involves such a small amount, and it contains much more than flour, you can do it quickly and easily by hand without overheating it. Your palms tend to be warmer than your thumbs and fingers, so don’t use your palms. Work quickly. You’ll reach a point where you’ve got a coarse meal, and if you keep going, the flour will start to form large clumps. In the best-case scenario, you’d stop before these large clumps form. If you take it too far, you’d at least stop at the very moment these large clumps began to form.
Note that once the pierogi have been boiled and tossed in butter, they are ready to eat, ready to be fried (optionally, but recommended), or ready to be cooled and refrigerated (or frozen). When (thawed and) reheated, they’ll be indistinguishable from fresh.
If you have excess dough, here’s a quick and easy idea: chop some onion cheddar – or another very flavorful cheese – into small pieces and use them as a filling.
This is a full day’s-worth of hard work. I suggest that you break it up into two or three days. Day 1) The filling will be good for many days in the fridge and is easier to work with when cold anyway. Day 2) Once you make the dough, you should continue through the boiling phase, same day. Otherwise, the dough may discolor. Furthermore, the liquid in the filling of pierogi that have been stuffed but not boiled will eventually make the dough soggy, which will either ruin its texture of make it fall apart. Boiled pierogi, once they’ve cooled, can be stacked in resealable containers, with each a sheet of wax paper separating any layers. Day 3) Frying refrigerated pierogi is the same as described above, except that you should use a very low heat setting, so that by the time you’ve browned them, you’ve also reheated them.
Dutch Apple Pierogi with Streusel Crumb Garnish
Credit for images on this page: Make It Like a Man! This content was not solicited by anyone, nor was it written in exchange for anything. Thanks, Kesor. Thanks Prosper Circle.
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I’ve never seen Northern Spy Apples even in the heritage apple farms of Boonville (Mendocino County, CA). I wonder if they’re strictly regional. No matter these pierogi look sensational. GREG
Interesting! They’re quite hard to find, but I happen to know a place. I’ll bet it is a regional thing.
“creamy, crunchy, soft, fruity, savory, sweet” Who could resist that combination. They look amazing. I will be adding this to my things to try list.
Happy Thanksgiving
Lori recently posted…Home Alone
They’re a lot of work, but so good!
What a fun, different and delicious way to serve dumplings with streusel!
angiesrecipes recently posted…Easy Curry Carrot Bread
Thanks!
This recipe sounds outstanding. On the subject of apples, do you have a favorite variety? Mine is McIntosh.
Thanks! For eating out of hand, there are so many that I like: Jazz, for instance. For cooking, I like to mix grannies and honey crisp.
Oh yeah, I love fruit-filled pierogi, but I’ve only tried them with cherries and blueberries. With the apple filling, that must be do delicious, too. And the toppings elevate already delicious dish to a fancy level!
Thank you!
Years ago, I was friends with a Polish family who had pierogi on a regular basis, but they always were savory rather than sweet. I wonder now if that was a family preference. In any event, I miss them.
Trying these would be a good way to learn the art myself, and then I could move into savory.
shoreacres recently posted…The Poets’ Birds ~ Great-Tailed Grackle
Wonderful idea! I would say that savory are far more common, by the way.
This is one amazing recipe. I wish I could get a to-go order. 🙂
😀
This recipe looks like a nice alternative to apple pie. I note that ‘traditional’ pie crust has a lot more butter in it than pierogi dough- looks almost like a variation on Chinese dumpling dough, including boiling it in water? Anyway, I’m in! I’d like to eat this on Thanksgiving!
In my house pierogi were part of every holiday meal. Yes, far less fatty than a pie crust, and yes, sort of like a Chinese dumpling, but much heavier.
Jeff, your apple pierogis look wonderful. We have a Polish neighbor who brought us Chrismas pierogi (mushroom and cabbage I think) last year. I’ve also had the classic potato as well as sweet potato, but never apple. I must pass this recipe on to our neighbor. Maybe she’ll bring over apple pierogis this Christmas.
Ron recently posted…A Master Weaver and a Swedish pancake pie…
That’d be an awesome present!
This is such a creative recipe, Jeff! I think I’ve only had pierogies once in my life, and they were definitely savory involving potatoes and onions. I look forward to attempting the pierogi dough for both sweet and savory fillings.
Also, I am definitely one who likes using my fingers to mix butter in — and, contrary to popular belief, my pie crusts come out quite flaky!
Thanks, David. They’re a lot of work, but we’ll worth it.
Well I don’t think I’ve ever stumbled across Dutch Apple Pierogi before. I’m intrigued. Truth be told, I’ve only ever stumbled across savory pierogi. The apple twist here sounds fantastic. Great tip on the flour and the finger and the rubbing. Happy Thanksgiving, Jeff!
David @ Spiced recently posted…Cinnamon Sugar Butterflake Rolls
Happy Thanksgiving to you, too, David! Fruit-filled pierogi are definitely a thing, though not nearly so popular as savory. My grandma used to make them with plums.
Oh, yum! I never make pierogi (just looked that up to see if it was plural or singular; happy to report — which I know you already knew from the way you used it! — that it’s plural; the singular is pierog). Gotta make these, though, as my introductory dish. Really nice — thanks.
John / Kitchen Riffs recently posted…Cornmeal Drop Biscuits
You will be pleased, John! These are delicious.
I like to have contrasting flavours, textures, temperature in my food and your description of “creamy, crunchy, soft, fruity, savory, sweet” is making this so tempting for me!
EASYFOODSMITH recently posted…SOYA 65 – सोया 65 (Hot & Spicy Soya Nuggets)
Thank you!
Wow, I really like pierogi but never knew they came in fruit filled form. Sounds really nice! I usually prefer pierogi boiled only but these for some reason I can’t really articulate call out to be fried. Does that make sense?
Totally makes sense to me. In most restaurants, most pierogi are served boiled. At home, though, I grew up having them fried. With the sweet fillings, it does seem to make more sense to have them fried, although I can’t say why exactly.
I’ve only had savory Perogi (at a Polish restaurant I love). This sweet apple one sounds amazing! Love all of the contrasting textures. Hope you had a wonderful (& delicious Thanksgiving, Jeff. 🙂 ~Valentina
Happy Thanksgiving to you, too, Valentina!
Goodness, these look great! I’m committed to baking and working with flour more in this new year, including making pasta and pierogis, so I’m excited to try your recipe. Apple and cinnamon are one of my favorite fillings too, so I’m delighted! I hope you have a wonderful holiday season through the rest of the year.
Christian Steinsworth recently posted…Minimalist Lifestyle: Tips for Advanced Decluttering
I hope you like them!
I wish I could say that I’ve a perogi, but I haven’t. However, yours makes me want one. I love apple pie, but the idea of these little individuals sweet treats with the crumb toppings sounds like a great idea to me. Now I have a goal and trying perogis and possibly moving on to this recipe. Thanks!
Thanks, MJ!
Such an interesting twist on perogis . Anything with apple pie filling must taste amazing, but I’m sure it’s a lot of work and skill to make them.
Judee recently posted…Vegan Potato Latkes and Oil-free
It is definitely a lot of work. But well worth it.
Wow! I have never thought to make a sweet Pierogi although Hungarians have their Plum Dumplings, they don’t really consider it sweet! Definitely getting this on my New Year’s menu! Thanks Jeff
Eva Taylor recently posted…Thai-inspired Pumpkin Soup
My grandma used to make plum pierogi! That’s what inspired this.
Such a creative idea! I would never have thought to make a fruit-filled pierogi. I have to say this looks absolutely delicious though!
Molly Pisula recently posted…Baked Jalapeño Artichoke Dip
Thanks, Molly!
I love this Jeff ! so delicious !! love it!!
Gloria Roa Baker recently posted…Individual Berry no bake cheescakes (Mini cheescakes de frutos rojos)
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We traditionally think that “an apple a day keeps the doctor away “. Apple pie, apple dessert and apple strudel are very popular here. But this recipe looks very different and very new for us. I would like to try it with grannysmith apple.
Would be delicious with grannies!