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Pierogi with farmer’s cheese is as classic Ukrainian as it gets. Called “vareniki,” these little dumplings are filled with sweet cheese and absolutely to-die-for!
Pierogi can have so many different types of fillings. They can range from sweet to savory, but this particular version is my husband’s favorite. He loves it so much that I had to create a lazy pierogi recipe for the days that I din’t have time to make them the traditional way.
Get ready to venture straight into my childhood when you bite into pierogi with farmer’s cheese. Passed down through several generations, this recipe is authentic, time-tested and so tasty!
What are Vareniki?
In English, “vareniki” translates to “boiled things”. In short, vareniki are dumplings filled with an assortment of mostly vegetarian fillings. Below I will go more in depth about the difference between some of the dumplings you’ll see on this blog and beyond.
Difference between Vareniki, Pierogi and Pelmeni?
If you have been following my blog, or any Eastern European food blog for that matter, you have probably started to notice that we LOVE our dumplings. There are so many different types, variations and fillings that it might be hard to keep up. Therefore, I wanted to give you a little background on the three most common dumplings to help clear up the confusion.
Vareniki & Pierogi
Vareniki and Pierogi are actually the same type of dumpling! Now, you are probably wondering why there are two different words to describe the same dish? Well, vareniki is the more commonly used term in Russia, while pierogi is the term used in Poland, Ukraine and Slovakia. These dumplings are typically served as an appetizer or dessert and made with mostly vegetarian ingredients (although my version contains meat). See what I mean? This dumpling situation can feel like a whirlwind!
To make matters even more confusing, Russian piroshky often get mixed up with pierogi. But, piroshky are actually quite different because they are fried instead of boiled. The type of dough you use for each dumpling is also quite different as well.
Pelmeni
Pelmeni are tiny morsels that are stuffed with a filling of meat and simple spices like salt, pepper and garlic. The raw dough is stuffed with a raw meat filling (typically beef, fish or pork) and the two cook together in boiling water until the dumpling floats to the top of the pot. This dish is typically served with a dollop of sour cream and dill, or in a light chicken broth. Unlike vereniki or pierogi, this dish is typically served as a meal versus a dessert or appetizer.
Freezing Pierogi
First, freeze your pierogi on a floured surface like a baking sheet. Only after they are completely frozen can you store them in a freezer bag. They will stay fresh for up to two or three months (just keep an eye out for freezer burn). Never freeze cooked pierogi. The reheating doesn’t work well and they become mushy.
Pierogi Filling
Like I said before, there are a ton of different pierogi filling options. I stick to this one mostly to stay on my husband’s good side :-). Feel free to toss in some fresh fruit to this recipe to switch things up though. Blueberries and cherries are always welcome additions.
If you want something more savory, mushroom and onion, sauerkraut and potato or potato and cheese are great options as well. For extra decadence, toss these pierogi in high-quality European butter as soon as they come out of the boiling water.
Pierogi Dough
I have to say that this dough is incredible to work with! It is stretchy and malleable, making it super easy to shape. Just make sure you don’t roll it out too thin to prevent tearing. When the pierogi are cooked, you will surely fall in love with the texture and how well the filling is secured inside the dough.
Other Pierogi Recipes To Try:
- Steamed Blueberry Vareniki aka Pierogi
- Pierogi
- Meat Potato Pierogi
Recipe
Pierogi with Farmers Cheese (Vareniki Recipe)
Print Pin
Servings
70 Units
Prep Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 50 minutes mins
Recipe contributed by: Natalya Drozhzhin
These farmer's cheese vareniki (aka pierogi) are soft dumplings filled with sweet farmer's cheese. Make a huge batch and you'll have tons to freeze for your next craving!
Instructions
Pierogi Filling
In a medium bowl, mix the farmer's cheese, sugar and egg until well combined. Set aside.
Pierogi Dough
Whisk the eggs together with sour cream, lukewarm water, and milk until the mixture has an even texture.
Add in flour, sugar, and salt to the liquid ingredients. Knead the dough by hand or with a stand mixer with dough hook attachment until it is no longer sticky.
Making Pierogi
Roll out the dough on a well-floured surface. Using a cup or biscuit cutter, stamp out circles in the dough. Flour the cup to make it easier to cut circles.
Fill the circles with the cheese filling, placing the filling in the center.
Fold over the edges of the circles and pinch the edges with your fingers. Make sure the edges are tightly sealed so the filling does not fall out.
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add 10-20 vareniki and cook until they float to the top. Drain, then top the hot vareniki with a few small slices of butter. Optionally, serve with sour cream, jam, or sugar.
Nutrition Facts
Pierogi with Farmers Cheese (Vareniki Recipe)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 56 Calories from Fat 18
% Daily Value*
Fat 2g3%
Saturated Fat 1g5%
Trans Fat 0.001g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.1g
Cholesterol 12mg4%
Sodium 89mg4%
Potassium 16mg0%
Carbohydrates 8g3%
Fiber 0.2g1%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 18IU0%
Vitamin C 0.003mg0%
Calcium 7mg1%
Iron 0.4mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Posted January 6, 2020
About Author
Stephen WardFeb 26, 2024 Is Farmer's Cheese similar to Baker's Cheese? Sounds like it may be the same. My grandmother used to use "baker's cheese" but it is hard to find these days. Can we add potato to the Farmer's Cheese to make the cheese go further? If so is there a ratio, like 50/50? Or would that not be recommended? I am looking forward to trying this recipe.
Natalya DrozhzhinFeb 27, 2024 Hi Stephan, I have never heard of Bakers Cheese reference to cottage cheese. We have a link on how to make farmers cheese in the recipe, maybe see if they look similar? But.. I wouldn't combine it with potatoes, its not going to taste very good.
MarianaFeb 21, 2024 I use different sized drinking glasses to cut dough into rounds (dip in flour before cutting into dough) to get different sizes of perogi.
I find just a regular drinking glass is a good size, juice glass for bite-size perogi and perhaps a large coffee cup for larger ones. Wine glasses would probably also work but be careful the glass is not too thin as you will be pressing into the dough! Don't want to cut yourself or have broken glass.Natalya DrozhzhinFeb 21, 2024 Thanks for the feedback Mariana and for sharing such great tips with others!
M YorgaJan 25, 2024 These are sweet perogies where I make regular cheese perogies.
Dry cottage cheese, salt to taste if cheese is salt free, bit of sour cream. No need for egg but you can.
Use hand mixer and blend till smooth. Only perogies allowed to make other than dessert. Parents Ukrainian and many aunts head of Ukrainian halls in Western Canada.
Should try.Natalya DrozhzhinJan 25, 2024 Thanks for sharing your version! We appreciate it.
WindchimeAug 12, 2023 The dough was WAAAAAAAAY too sticky and wet even after kneading for 10-15 min by hand. Had to add over 1 cup of extra flour to get it right in the end. The dough is also super difficult to roll even after resting and letting the gluten develop. Not happy and needless to say, not using this recipe again 🙁
MarianaFeb 21, 2024 I have found that I need to adjust for humidity sometimes when making perogi dough. On a very humid day, I usually need to add more flour/salt OR cut down on the liquid.
I will usually put half the amount of liquid to the amount of flour used, to start. (for example, for 2 C flour I will use 1C liquid, including egg or oil to make the 1 C).
What you can do is start with a little less than half the amount of liquid and then add a bit more flour if too sticky/wet. If I end up adding quite a bit more flour I will also sprinkle in more salt.
My test is to rub my dough-covered hands together and if the dough forms (balls) together and just comes cleanly off my hands, then the dough is the right consistency. Good luck and enjoy!Natalya DrozhzhinAug 14, 2023 Hi Windchime, I'm sorry to hear it didn't work out for you. The dough is very soft and easy to work with, so I'm not sure what went wrong that it was so sticky. What flour did you use?
GinaJul 17, 2023 Is there a certain thickness to roll the dough out to? Tried to boil one but felt not cooked as much as it should be taking it out once floating??
- See AlsoPane Carasau Recipe on Food52Homemade Margherita Pizza RecipeGluten Free Dinner Rolls Recipe | Soft, Squishy Yeast RollsThe Best Ever Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
MarianaFeb 21, 2024 The Babas used to say that the dough should be thin enough to read a newspaper through! That might be a bit too thin if you haven't made them all your life - you don't want the dough to tear because it is too thin. I roll my dough (which should be elastic) to about 1/8" thick. that's thin enough to handle without tearing. I don't like too thick a dough as it's all about the filling! Practice 🙂
Natalya DrozhzhinJul 18, 2023 Hi Gina, you can let them simmer for a bit more when they are on top. But I typically roll it our to about 1/12 of an inch or about 3mm. Hope this is helpful. Enjoy
PatJul 10, 2023 Best perogis ever. I use ricotta cheese and no sugar and they taste exactly like babcias, love the dough's texture, it REALLY brings me back
Thank you!!!Natalya DrozhzhinJul 10, 2023 Hi Pat, ah I'm so glad you found a recipe that reminds you of your grandmother! I love nostalgic recipes 😀 Thank you for giving this pierogi recipe a try!
ChrisMay 12, 2023 I am looking forward to trying your recipe. I have my mother's which is a little different. I make these for Christmas and like to make ahead and freeze. Do you recommend freezing before or after putting in boiling water.
MarianaFeb 21, 2024 If you freeze cooked perogi you end up with a big goopy mess that's stuck together.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and/or sprinkle with flour to prevent sticking. Tray freeze. I give the tray of frozen perogi a short rap on the counter or drop it onto the counter from an inch or so above to loosen perogi, if need be. Once frozen, you can fill ziplock bags and the periogi won't stick together. You can remove individual periogi from the bag to cook as many as you need at a time. I bring the water to a boil, gently slip the perogi off my fingers into the boiling water. Use a wooden or plastic utensil to stir the water in a circle (so you don't cut into the perogi) until water comes back to a boil.
For frozen perogi, I turn the heat down to a gentle boil or simmer and leave them in 1-2 minutes longer to make sure filling is heated/cooked thorugh. If you continue on to pan fry then just remove them when they float to the top. You should coat perogi with EVOO or butter (heart patient) in a bowl right after they come out of the boiling water to prevent sticking.
When you have a large roasting pan of them for the holidays/gatherings, and they've been sitting for a while, take a kitchen towel. clasp the lid down against the pan and give one (or two at the most) quick firm shake. This will un-stick them again. Too many shakes or too hard of a shake will tear them apart.Natalya DrozhzhinMay 12, 2023 Hi Chris, I typically freeze them before boiling, this prevents them from sticking together. I would recommend reading "Freezing Pierogi" section in the post. We share the details on freezing them. Enjoy
MichelleMar 1, 2023 When I was growing up we always went out for Pierogi dinner and they were much larger and deep fried. How would you make the larger ones and is there a tool you can buy to make the larger ones? Thanks I want to try this soon as I don't care for the potato ones. I was brought up on the farmers cheese.
Natalya DrozhzhinMar 1, 2023 Hi Michelle, I am wondering if you are referring to these. https://momsdish.com/recipe/6… I hope this is what you were looking for.
AngelinaFeb 13, 2023 They took time to make it work. I put a lot more flour and rolled cut the circles and individually took each circle before filling and filled in my hand because they stuck the first time on the board. Anyways they did turn out amazingly delicious after some tries. Thank you!
Natalya DrozhzhinFeb 13, 2023 Hi Angelina, I am so glad it worked out in the end. Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback. Enjoy!
Natasha KotowiczJan 3, 2023 I learned to make them from my mother in law. I do not do sugar and we serve them with a rich cream gravy and pork chops. This is recipe that you need to make several times and maybe have some guidance to get them right. Once you do, they are worth the labor to make.
Natalya DrozhzhinJan 3, 2023 Hi Natasha, That sounds so delicious!! Thank you for sharing this!
Sharlene BarrierDec 10, 2022 My first time ever and what a disaster. Dough too thick, way too much cheese leftover. How thick do you roll out??? Missing my mom. My fault I never made them with her or my babcia. I think a first timer needs to do it with someone experienced. I only got 18 pierogis. Well see how they taste on Christmas Eve. Good thing my sister got store bought as a backup. Drying my tears!! Lol
Not recipe's fault.Natalya DrozhzhinDec 12, 2022 Hey there! I am so sorry to hear that! I am sure you did a wonderful job, I am wondering if the dough was a little off. I hope you give this recipe another go in the future. It's so great to have these traditional recipes under your belt.
LanaDec 5, 2022 Perfect vareniki dough! So easy to work with.
Natalya DrozhzhinDec 5, 2022 I am delighted to hear you love this recipe, Lana! Thank you for your feedback. Happy holidays!
DelOct 4, 2022 Can you also share a pieroshki recipe?
Natalya DrozhzhinOct 4, 2022 Hi Del- which kind are you looking for exactly? We have several on the blog! This link will take you to the piroshki recipes we have. Enjoy! https://momsdish.com/?s=piros…
TerraSep 6, 2022 Hi! I am wondering if I need to boil the perogies... Can I freeze and then pan fry with butter. Or must these be boiled
Natalya DrozhzhinSep 6, 2022 Hey Terra- yes, it is recommended you boil them since the dough is raw. Pan frying would take a lot longer and I haven't tried it before with these. If you want that pan fried taste, you can always do that after boiling them! Enjoy!
michelleSep 5, 2022 The dough was beyond sticky after kneading for a long time which made the process beyond frustrating. Next time I am craving these Ill just go to the speciality market. Bummed I spent all this time and am not happy with the final product.
Natalya DrozhzhinSep 5, 2022 Hey Michelle- I'm so sorry to hear that, I know how frustrating that must feel. In the future, if the dough is still sticky I would recommend you keep adding extra flour a little bit at a time until it's the perfect consistency. Sometimes the flour type can make a difference, as well as how it's measured.. so I recommend adding more if needed to make the dough soft and work-able. If you give them another try I hope you love them!
NatalieOct 7, 2022 Absolutely agree with you! I'm a cook by a profession. Measurements depend on the flour grade and quality. I personally prefer canadian flour. Simple solution, keep on adding extra flour little by little untill you get that desirable consistancy.
Natalya DrozhzhinOct 8, 2022 Thank you, Natalie! I like Canadian flour as well.
TerryApr 24, 2022 I love pierogi with farmers cheese, but I don't think my mom added sugar. This may be a silly question, but can I just use this recipe sans cheese and get good results?
Natalya DrozhzhinApr 25, 2022 Hi Terry - Thanks for the question. Technically, you can add whatever filling you'd like to pierogi. If you skip the cheese filling, you can fill them with fruit, poppy seed filling, or whatever else you'd like. Hope this helps!
Diane BarnardJan 30, 2022 Hi. This may seem like a dumb question. When you say to use a cup to cut the dough into circles, can you give me the size of the cup please (width). I have tried to make Pierogi's but they are always to small and not enough filling. Thank You.
ElizabethFeb 21, 2022 We use a Tuna can to cut the dough. It's the perfect size.
Natalya DrozhzhinFeb 21, 2022 That's so clever! Thanks for sharing, Elizabeth.
Natalya DrozhzhinJan 31, 2022 Hello, Diane. I'd say roughly 3 inches in diameter. If this still seems too small, you can always use a wider cup and just add more filling! You will have less pierogi overall, but they'll be bigger. Enjoy!
LenaJan 30, 2022 Natasha! Yesterday I left a review on potatoe pirogues. Last night I made farmers cheese and made these вареники today. Recipe came out perfect, easy to work with, superior results. The only change I made was omit the sugar in the dough. It was perfect. My Dad's face lit up when I put these on the table. He loved it!!!!
Natalya DrozhzhinJan 31, 2022 Your comment made me smile. I'm happy you all enjoyed them. Thank you for sharing, Lena!
CindySep 20, 2021 Hi Natalya, I used to always make veraniki with my grandmother and mother, but I haven’t made them in years. My cousin is coming to visit and wants to make them with me. I lost my precious recipe, and am going to use yours.
I have a tendency to over knead dough by hand, then it gets tough, and the last time I made pasta dough in my Kitchen aide I had to keep adding flour and it was tough:( Which do you recommend, and any tips? Thank you, CindyNatalya DrozhzhinSep 20, 2021 Hey Cindy, this dough is very soft and easy to work with. I think adding too much flour could me it tough. Instead of adding more flour to the dough, I would flour the surface generously.
I hope you love the outcome! Enjoy time with family!
InnaMay 30, 2021 I used Canadian flour but had to add 5th cup of flour it was so sticky, is the description correct or right?
Natalya DrozhzhinMay 31, 2021 Hey Inna, if you knead the dough and allow it to rest, it should be more elastic. Flour the working surface as well, it should work well. If you see that it’s still sticky, you can add more flour. Enjoy
MarianeFeb 15, 2021 I just read your article and have to say that my family never
puts sugar in the farmers cheese/dry cottage cheese. This would make it sweet more like a desert. This is not used as part of a main meal only desert.I'm from a large Ukrainian family with several aunts in charge of the kitchen at Ukrainian halls and we have never done this.
We will add a tsp salt and some sour cream and possibly a egg yolk for the cheese filling.
As for your dough it is basic for beginners but for advanced cooks the dough is so soft similar to gnocchi.
As for eggs in the dough it doesn't make the dough softer, quite the opposite, so you have to watch the quantity of eggs to flour. Instead of milk use oil.
Your whole recipe is for desert perogies. We never put sugar in our dough.
Daniel AntoniukJun 1, 2021 I grew up in a Ukrainian family and my mother and grandmother also never added sugar. I ordered it this way once in a restaurant and couldn't stand it. So I think, traditionally it is best without the sugar. I'm not sure if you can like both the sweet and non- sweet versions as they are so different. Mom used to use half farmers' cheese/half cottage cheese and then added a dollop of sourcream on top at the table. Yes, it was served as our main entree not an appetizer.
Natalya DrozhzhinJun 1, 2021 Everyone's version is a bit different, we love this version as a dessert or brunch option.
Natalya DrozhzhinFeb 16, 2021 Yes, sounds like our family has a different recipe. This is our favorite recipe for breakfast or brunch. Hope you give it a try, it's so good!
Liliana DavilaJan 19, 2021 Hi Natalya! I am eager to try this recipe! I traveled once to Poland and a lady shared her dough recipe with me. I never took down the ingredients, but I do remember the addition of sour cream, to the flour, water and salt. I don't recall the eggs in the ingredients. I have searched a variety of recipes and many of them have just a basic flour, water and salt. What might the addition of sour cream/kefir, and eggs add to the dough? How will the dough be different? I would love to hear your insight. Thank you!
Natalya DrozhzhinJan 19, 2021 Hi Liliana, eggs are used for color, bring ingredients together and make the dough tender. We have tried several recipes and this one has always been a favorite.
DorianDec 27, 2020 I moved to Utah from Chicago many years ago, and have struggled every Christmas to find the pierogis of my childhood. Mom used to buy them from numerous Polish shops around the city, but never made them herself. This year I decided it was time
to bring back the tradition and I hunted for a recipe online. These pierogis not only reminded my family of our childhood Wigilia, but also tasted even better! Thank you for allowing us to continue the pierogi tradition! I'll be keeping this in my recipe box for years to come!Natalya DrozhzhinDec 27, 2020 Dorian, I am so happy to hear this. This is why I love what I do. Thank you for sharing your story, it gives me extra motivation. 🙂
Eva LeeDec 19, 2020 Would like to make a non-sweet version of farmer's cheese pierogies. What do you suggest?
Natalya DrozhzhinDec 20, 2020 Hey Eva, you can remove sugar and add a bit more salt. I don't know what other seasonings would be good with salty vareniki.
Shirley BairdDec 9, 2020 Please what is farmers cheese and. European butter
MarianeFeb 15, 2021 farmers cheese is dry cottage cheese. For non desert perogies you put approx 1tsp per 1 lbs cheese, add some sour cream to smooth and possibly 1 egg yolk.
the amount of sour cram depends on how dry the cottage cheese is.
Natalya DrozhzhinFeb 16, 2021 Thanks for all the tips!
Natalya DrozhzhinDec 9, 2020 Here is the link to farmers cheese: https://momsdish.com/recipe/2…. Lots of stores sell European butter, you can google for a few brands.
Jane ZNov 5, 2020 Can I make the dough a day ahead?
Natalya DrozhzhinNov 6, 2020 Hey Jane, you can, just keep it in a sealed container.
NinaOct 8, 2020 HI Natalya! I love your site!! You have wonderful recipes. I was bothered however reading your history on the name difference between Varenyky and Perogies where you said in Ukraine they are referred to as Perogies which is not at all correct. They are called Varenyky, ( варити - Varite, meaning boil) and a variety that is baked is called Pyrohy. The term perogy became a common identifiable name in north America because of the large number of Polish companies who branded pre-made varieties and made them mainstream.
John StramkowskiJan 13, 2021 I am a Ukrainian English and my recipes have been handed down directly from grandparents of the Ukraine 🇺🇦 and vereniki is all I know it’s potato cheese filled fried with onions
I’m not saying anything is wrong with anyone else’s history just want to share mine xxxNatalya DrozhzhinJan 13, 2021 Hi John, thank you for sharing your feedback. There are a lot of versions of Ukrainian Vareniki. Yours sound more modern because cheese wasn’t available in Ukraine back in the days. Unless it was farmers cheese. I do like the potato and cheese combo! 🙂
MarianeFeb 15, 2021 Once again your all to young to know. As farmers in the Ukraine we had farmers cheese/dry cottage cheese. This is the same in Western Canada.
Some people find the sharpness of just cheese to much and like to mix with potato and onions which I do for my husband but he's not Ukrainian.
Remember to make the really great dough and use cheese is more expensive so it's cheaper for commercial enterprises to skimp.Natalya DrozhzhinFeb 16, 2021 Mariane, not sure if age plays a role. I grew up on the farm in Ukraine and we made our own farmers cheese. The style of American cottage cheese and farmers cheese would be different. It wouldn't work well for this recipe. I would suggest making or purchasing farmers cheese. Homemade farmers cheese doesn't really have sharpness unless you are using cheddar cheese.
Natalya DrozhzhinOct 8, 2020 Hey Nina, thank you for sharing your feedback about the recipe. I think it will be useful for others.
DariaOct 8, 2020 Hi! Is it possible to boil them without freezing them first or will they fall apart?
Natalya DrozhzhinOct 8, 2020 Yes, you can book them right away. Just keep them on a well-floured surface to prevent them from sticking.
ScottJun 11, 2020 Hi Nat my family comes from a long line of Ukraines we used brancourts farm cream cheese but since they closed certain cheeses we are unable to find a cheese to replace our veraniki with , what do you recommend and where to purchase please
Natalya DrozhzhinJun 11, 2020 Farmer's cheese can be made at home and the process is pretty easy. Here is the recipe: https://momsdish.com/recipe/2…
ConniJan 15, 2020 My family LOVES any type of pierogi. BUT hubby is now Celiac and can NEVER eat them again. I’m hoping that you or someone reading this has come up with a gluten free dough you’d be willing to share.
Natalya DrozhzhinJan 15, 2020 I am not familiar with gluten-free cooking. But I think the dough is very forgiving and would probably work with gluten-free flour, Costco has a really good one.
