Until recently, I’d never made sour cream pierogi dough with a stand mixer. Turns out, it works perfectly. I believe that my grandmother, who was very attached to her old-world traditions, would approve of this shortcut.
How To Make Sour Cream Pierogi Dough in a Stand Mixer
Course: Appetizers, Christmas, Dessert, Dinner, Easter, Holidays, Main CourseDifficulty: Easy50
small pierogiYour filling should already be made (and cooled) before you start in on the dough. Uncooked dough has a short shelf life.
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour (8¼ oz. bread flour + 6¾ cake flour), plus more as needed
3 large eggs (5¼ oz.)
½ cup lukewarm water (4 oz.)
3 Tbs vegetable shortening (1½ oz.)
3 Tbs sour cream (1½ oz.) , plus a tad more for good luck
Directions
- Place all ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Knead on lowest speed until dough clears the bowl (1½ minutes), then continue to knead for 1 more minute. The dough should be astonishingly soft, and it should seem to want to be sticky – but it shouldn’t really be sticky.
- If the dough actually is sticky, add 1 Tbs of flour, and knead for 45 seconds. Repeat this step until it is no longer sticky. This could go on for some time; be patient.
- Use a bench scraper to segment the dough into workable pieces. For me, that’s eight; it depends on how large your workspace is and how ambitious you are. Cover them loosely with plastic wrap (and refrigerate).
- You’re now ready to start rolling, stuffing, and boiling – which must be done same-day, or the dough will discolor.
Notes
- If your eggs turn out to weigh too much, you can compensate by subtracting the overage from the water, or you can make up for it in Step 2.
- Vegetable shortening is Crisco or the like. Substitute butter, or use a mix of butter and Crisco.
- Weighing your ingredients instead of measuring them by volume will ease up the need for Step 2; but no worries – this is a forgiving dough.
The Backstory
I’m a traditionalist – the type who would never dream of filling a pierog with cheddar cheese or hamburger. I’ve always made my dough the way my grandmother did: with my hands and knuckles and shoulders and back. I thought I was innovative because I used a bench scraper. However, unlike my grandparents, I make my living selling information, not through back-breaking physical labor. I get my exercise artificially, at the gym (if at all). I’ve made pierogi dough enough times by hand that I know how it should turn out. I wondered, is my KitchenAid up to the task? Unlike many of my bright ideas, it turned out fantastically.
Social Learning
Making dough in this manner is unbelievably easy, and it’s every bit as good as anything you can make by hand.
Pierogi dough doesn’t have to be made with sour cream; you can make it all sorts of different ways, from this sour cream version, which is rather fancy, to others that are downright austere. But sour cream gives the dough a tenderness that I really love.
Now that you’ve made your dough, click here to read about stuffing and cooking your pierogi, or click here to see a list of our pierogi recipes and articles.
If pierogi making is new to you, I wholeheartedly recommend the following video. I don’t know this guy – and certain things he says, like that he’s never tried a saurkraut-filled pierog, quite literally leave me flabbergasted – but I heavily respect the way he makes his pierogi and think his video makes an excellent tutorial.
How To Make Sour Cream Pierogi Dough in a Stand Mixer
Credit for images on this page: Make It Like a Man! unless otherwise indicated. This content was not solicited, nor written in exchange for anything. It was not sponsored by Polvision, even though the camera loves me.
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You know, if our grandmothers had a some of the kitchen tools we use today, they’d have jumped on them as well. Of all the times I’ve not made pierogi, I’d probably use a mixer if I did. I actually love these dumplings and am surprised I’ve never given them a go!
John @ heneedsfood recently posted…Pino’s Dolce Vita Fine Foods, Kogarah
Agreed! I will probably always use a mixer at this point. Those little buggers require so many steps, it’s nice to find a short cut that maintains the same quality.
Dude, those are some epic pierogi, Jeff! I’ve been meaning to try my hand at making pierogi sometime soon…we’ll see if I ever get around to it. I’ve also been meaning to go to a Pittsburgh Pirates game to see the great pierogi race. Have you ever seen it??
David @ Spiced recently posted…Coffee Ice Cream
I’ve never been to a Pirates game, however there is a massive Pierogi festival in Pitts that a friend of mine has tried to get me to enter, but the competition would be fearsome.
That do looks so soft and silky! I love making my own pasta but have never made pierogi! Pinning for a very happy day in the kitchen.
My grandmother made the best dough. I learned it from her. If you do give it a spin, let me know how it comes out!
Never tried making pierogies, def a try
Hey Rahul! Welcome. Pierogi are a lot of work! But damn, they’re good.
We’ve adapted old recipes (including one for a Christmas stollen that makes 8 loaves!) to a stand mixer. Most work pretty well, and so much easier on the cook. This looks wonderful — best pierogi dough ever. Thanks!
John/Kitchen Riffs recently posted…Asparagus with Savory Whipped Cream
Thank you, John!
I have never had sour cream before in my life. Sadly, I cannot eat it. It sounds gross but so many people are drawn to it like moths to flames. Perhaps on my death bed? lol
GiGi Eats recently posted…Making Meatzas With Molly Sims
Is it because it has the word “sour” in it? There’s a lot of stuff made with milk where the recipe more-or-less goes: let your milk sit out on the counter for a couple weeks. It people knew, they’d be afriad of yogurt.
I just love pierogi and can’t believe you are gracious enough to share your grandmother’s recipe. I feel like I stuck gold! Thank you!!!!!!!!!! Pinned!
Elle @ Only Taste Matters recently posted…35+ Gluten-Free Pies for Pi Day
You’re welcome!
50+ pierogi, holy smokes… I would have to get a gym membership Jeff. Your edge folding needs a 2 thumbs up, you are a pro!
Nice job on these and thanks for the chuckle… always enjoy reading your posts.
Kevin | Keviniscooking recently posted…Peppercorn Romano Zoodles
Thanks! I feel like I need to promote that edge folding, so that my grandma’s legacy can live on!
I’ve never attempted pierogi at home, but I’ve made my fair share of ravioli, so I’m ready to take on the challenge! It would have never occurred to me to add sour cream to dough, but I like the idea. Unlike Gigi, I love sour cream—can (and do) eat it straight out of the container…
Frank recently posted…Ravioli nudi (Spinach and Ricotta Dumplings)
You’re exactly right, Frank. It’s the Polish ravioli. I often want to describe them that way to people who’ve never had one. If you’ve made ravioli before, this’ll be a snap for you.
Where is the rest of the recipe? It ends at 2. and there is no link to a continuation on this page that I can find.
Thanks, Kay Dee. This page steps you though only making the dough. We’ve revised the page in order to include links to filling recipes, instructions on stuffing and cooking, and a link to the full list of our pierogi articles and recipes.
I have been wanting to make pierogies for a while and have actually been thinking about getting the pasta roller attachment for the kitchenaid stand mixer to use for pastas, but also other stuff like pierogies.
Have you frozen the pierogies for later use?
Yes! I don’t think there’s anything in the world that freezes more perfectly. I recommend two things … well, three: 1) First, put them on a baking sheet (if you have room for one in your freezer) and slide it into the freezer for about an hour. Just enough to get them “set” so that they won’t stick together. Then, transfer them to a freezer bag. 2) If they’re going to be in the freezer for longer than a few weeks, leave them in the freezer bag for 24 hours, then transfer them to a vacuum-sealed bag. (The vacuum sealer will crush them otherwise.) Thaw them overnight (or over two nights) in the fridge. You’ll hardly notice – probably won’t notice – the difference between them and the fresh ones. The third thing is, the roller is probably a great labor saver – just make sure you’re able to roll the dough wide enough that you don’t wind up with ravioli-sized pierogi.
have to get another tub of sour cream. Going to use my standmixer with dough hook. Then, let dough rest an hour or so, flatten a bit, and put it through my pasta rollers, and then put it on my Pierogi mold, fill with filling and put another sheet across then use my rolling pin to seal the dough…and get my fillings ready to go…then going to freeze them.
I’ve never used a pasta roller, but it sounds like a labor-savor, for sure! What is your pierogi mold like?
Jeff your pierogi look outstanding. I love the idea of sour cream pastry, so must try it in my kitchen aid. I made pierogi many years ago, but I think I cheated with the pastry. Thanks for a great post, love that your grandmother has been so inspirational.
Pauline McNee recently posted…in My Kitchen – November 2021
Thank you, Pauline! I spend a good bit of time cooking with her, because she cooked without recipes, and I wanted to capture what she did. She was an amazing Polish cook.