These potato cream cheese pierogi are soft, chewy dumplings filled with a smooth, tangy potato mixture and finished in a skillet with buttery caramelized onions. They are the kind of family meal that disappears from the plate almost as fast as you can fry them.
The dough is made with sour cream, so it rolls out easily and stays tender after boiling. The filling gets its silky texture from cream cheese and butter. Plan on a relaxed afternoon in the kitchen, and invite someone to help you pinch.
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Why This Potato Cream Cheese Pierogi Recipe Works
Sour cream in the dough keeps pierogi tender while the bread flour gives them enough structure to hold the filling without tearing. A short rest lets the gluten relax so the dough rolls thin without snapping back.
Cream cheese makes the potato filling extra creamy and slightly tangy, and the final sear in butter and onions turns each dumpling crisp on the outside while the inside stays soft.
Ingredients for Potato Cream Cheese Pierogi
- 2 3/4 cups bread flour, plus 2 tablespoons for kneading
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- 1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch slices
- 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, for the filling
- 1/2 teaspoon onion salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, for frying
- 1 large onion, diced
Bread flour. Its higher protein gives a dough strong enough to seal without tearing. All purpose flour works in a pinch but the dumplings will be a little softer.
Sour cream. It adds fat and tang to the dough, which makes the pierogi tender. Full fat gives the ideal results.
Russet potatoes and cream cheese. Russets mash fluffy and dry, which is what you want in a filling. Let the cream cheese soften first so it blends without lumps.
Butter and onions. Browned onions in butter are the classic finish. Cook them slowly until sweet and golden.
Onion salt. It seasons the filling and adds a savory onion note. Reduce it if your cream cheese is very salty.
How to Make Potato Cream Cheese Pierogi
1. Cook the potatoes. Boil the sliced potatoes in a pot of salted water for 15 to 20 minutes, until a fork slides in easily.
2. Make the filling. Drain the potatoes and mash them with the cream cheese, 3 tablespoons butter, onion salt, and pepper until smooth. Let the filling cool completely.
3. Mix the dough. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add the sour cream and eggs and stir until a shaggy dough forms.
4. Knead and rest. Knead on a floured surface for 5 minutes, working in up to 2 tablespoons more flour, until smooth and elastic. Cover and rest for 20 minutes.
5. Roll and cut. Roll the dough to about 1/8 inch thick and cut circles with a 3 inch round cutter. Re roll the scraps once.
6. Fill and seal. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling in the center of each circle, fold into a half moon, and pinch the edges firmly to seal.
7. Boil. Cook the pierogi in batches in simmering salted water until they float, 2 to 3 minutes, then remove them with a slotted spoon.
8. Fry with onions. Melt 6 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat and cook the onion for 12 to 15 minutes until golden. Add the pierogi and sear 2 to 3 minutes per side until crisp.
How to Serve Potato Cream Cheese Pierogi
Serve the pierogi hot with a spoonful of sour cream and the golden onions on top. They work well alongside smoked sausage and potatoes skillet for a satisfying dinner, or as a side next to loaded potato soup with bacon. For a lighter meal, pair them with potato salad with sour cream and a green salad, or with a bowl of red potato soup on a cold night.
How to Store and Reheat Potato Cream Cheese Pierogi
Refrigerate leftover pierogi in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Reheat them in a skillet with a little butter over medium heat for a few minutes per side until hot and crisp. To freeze, lay uncooked pierogi in a single layer on a floured tray, freeze until firm, then move them to a freezer bag. Boil them straight from frozen and add a minute or two to the cooking time before searing.
Tips and Variations for Potato Cream Cheese Pierogi
Cool the filling completely. Warm filling softens the dough and makes the edges hard to seal.
Do not overfill. About one heaping tablespoon is enough. A greedy spoonful makes the pierogi pop while boiling.
Seal the edges well. Press out any air and pinch the edges firmly. If the dough feels dry, dab a little water on the edge.
Keep the dough covered. Cover the dough you are not using so it does not form a dry skin.
Boil gently. A hard boil tears the dumplings. Keep the water at a steady simmer and cook in batches.
Dry before frying. Let boiled pierogi drain for a minute so they sear instead of steaming in the pan.
Do not eat raw dough. This dough contains raw eggs and flour, so wash your hands after handling it and read the Ohio State University article on raw dough safety.
Switch the filling. Try cheddar mashed into the potatoes, or swap in sauerkraut or sauteed mushrooms for a different flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions About Potato Cream Cheese Pierogi
How many potato cream cheese pierogi does this recipe make?
You should get about 24 pierogi with a 3 inch cutter, depending on how thin you roll the dough.
Can I make potato cream cheese pierogi ahead?
Yes. Assemble them, freeze them on a tray, and boil from frozen when you are ready to cook.
Why are my potato cream cheese pierogi tough?
Tough dough usually means too much flour was worked in during kneading or the dough was rolled too thick. Keep the dough soft and roll it to about 1/8 inch.
Can I use all purpose flour?
Yes. The pierogi will be softer and a little more delicate, so handle them gently.
How do I know when pierogi are cooked?
They float to the surface after 2 to 3 minutes. Give them one extra minute, then remove them with a slotted spoon.
Potato Cream Cheese Pierogi
Equipment
- Large pot
- Potato Masher
- Rolling Pin
- 3 inch round cutter
- Large skillet
- Slotted spoon
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cup bread flour plus 2 tbsp for kneading
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- 1 lb russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2 inch slices
- 6 oz cream cheese softened
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter for the filling
- ½ tsp onion salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter for frying
- 1 large onion diced
Instructions
Cooking
- Boil potatoes. Cook the sliced potatoes in salted water 15 to 20 minutes until tender.
- Fill. Mash with cream cheese, butter, onion salt, and pepper, then cool completely.
- Dough. Mix flour, baking powder, salt, sour cream, and eggs, then knead 5 minutes and rest 20 minutes.
- Shape. Roll to 1/8 inch, cut 3 inch circles, fill with 1 heaping tablespoon, fold, and pinch to seal.
- Boil. Simmer in batches until they float, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Fry. Cook the onion in 6 tablespoons butter 12 to 15 minutes until golden, then sear the pierogi 2 to 3 minutes per side.
