BBQ brisket shredded and served with fries Oven-Braised BBQ Brisket BBQ chicken thighs served Sticky BBQ Chicken Thighs (Oven Baked) BBQ ribs served with corn on the cob Oven-Baked BBQ Ribs with Buttered Corn Irish pear cider served fresh Irish Pear & Cider Cocktail Holiday apple cider served in a glass Mulled Holiday Apple Cider with Orange Spiced cherry cider served in a glass Spiced Cherry Apple Cider Glass of blueberry mint lemonade Blueberry Mint Lemonade with Homemade Syrup Blueberry iced tea in a glass Fresh Blueberry Iced Tea Blueberry liqueur in a bottle Homemade Blueberry Vodka Liqueur Green Apple Cider served fresh Iced Granny Smith Apple Cider Mocktail Green tea with lemon served fresh Classic Lemon Green Tea Vanilla latte served fresh Homemade Vanilla Bean Latte Fiery spiced cider in a glass Spicy Ginger-Chili Apple Cider Oak Aged Cider served in a glass Bourbon-Barrel Style Spiced Apple Cider Winter fruit tea served in a glass Spiced Winter Fruit Tea with Rosehips Tropical fruit tea served in a glass Tropical Green Tea Punch with Mango and Pineapple Salted Caramel Cider in a glass Salted Caramel Apple Cider Cantaloupe smoothie in a glass Creamy Cantaloupe & Yogurt Smoothie Plum Vanilla Cider served Vanilla-Plum Sparkling Apple Cider Mocktail Spiced Plum Tea served in a glass Spiced Plum Tea Infusion BBQ brisket shredded and served with fries Oven-Braised BBQ Brisket BBQ chicken thighs served Sticky BBQ Chicken Thighs (Oven Baked) BBQ ribs served with corn on the cob Oven-Baked BBQ Ribs with Buttered Corn Irish pear cider served fresh Irish Pear & Cider Cocktail Holiday apple cider served in a glass Mulled Holiday Apple Cider with Orange Spiced cherry cider served in a glass Spiced Cherry Apple Cider Glass of blueberry mint lemonade Blueberry Mint Lemonade with Homemade Syrup Blueberry iced tea in a glass Fresh Blueberry Iced Tea Blueberry liqueur in a bottle Homemade Blueberry Vodka Liqueur Green Apple Cider served fresh Iced Granny Smith Apple Cider Mocktail Green tea with lemon served fresh Classic Lemon Green Tea Vanilla latte served fresh Homemade Vanilla Bean Latte Fiery spiced cider in a glass Spicy Ginger-Chili Apple Cider Oak Aged Cider served in a glass Bourbon-Barrel Style Spiced Apple Cider Winter fruit tea served in a glass Spiced Winter Fruit Tea with Rosehips Tropical fruit tea served in a glass Tropical Green Tea Punch with Mango and Pineapple Salted Caramel Cider in a glass Salted Caramel Apple Cider Cantaloupe smoothie in a glass Creamy Cantaloupe & Yogurt Smoothie Plum Vanilla Cider served Vanilla-Plum Sparkling Apple Cider Mocktail Spiced Plum Tea served in a glass Spiced Plum Tea Infusion
Freshly made plum dumplings with cinnamon sugar and breadcrumbs
Homemade Plum Dumplings Recipe – Traditional Hungarian Dessert

Hungarian Plum Dumplings

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Cakes and Desserts
This dish is the textbook example of potato doughs: the goal is a shell strong enough to hold the juicy fruit but soft enough to melt in your mouth. The secret lies in the potato-to-flour ratio and speed. If the potatoes cool down too much, the starch structure changes, making the dough heavy and rubbery. The contrast between the cinnamon breadcrumbs and the tart plums makes this the unrowned king of Sunday lunches.
🕒 Prep Time 45 mins
🍳 Cook Time 15 mins
⌛ Total Time 1 hr
🍽️ Servings 5 servings
🔥 Calories 420 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Hungarian

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Large pot (plenty of water needed)
  • Potato ricer (for lump-free dough)
  • Slotted spoon
  • Skillet for crumbs
  • Pastry board

Allergen Information

⚠️ Wheat
⚠️ Egg
⚠️ Milk

Instructions

1 ✓

Boil the potatoes in their skins in salted water until a knife slides in easily. Peel while still hot and rice them immediately.

Tip: Ricing while hot is critical. If you let whole potatoes cool, the starch retrogrades, resulting in a gummy, gluey dough.
2 ✓

Spread the riced potatoes out to cool to lukewarm. Add the flour, egg, salt, and 1 tbsp of soft butter. Knead quickly just until combined.

Tip: Do not overwork the dough! Too much kneading develops gluten, turning the dumplings into rubber balls.
3 ✓

Roll the dough out on a floured surface to about 1/4 inch thickness and cut into 12 squares. Place a teaspoon of cinnamon sugar inside each pitted plum.

Tip: The sugar inside will caramelize and melt with the fruit juices.
4 ✓

Place a plum on each dough square, pinch the corners together, and roll between your palms to form a ball. Ensure there are no cracks!

Tip: Seal tightly, or the cooking water will get in and the delicious plum juice will leak out.
5 ✓

Meanwhile, melt 3 tbsp butter in a skillet, add the breadcrumbs, and toast over medium heat until golden brown, stirring constantly. Stir in the sugar and cinnamon at the end.

Tip: Breadcrumbs burn easily, so watch them closely! They are ready when they smell nutty.
6 ✓

Boil the dumplings in gently boiling salted water. Once they float to the surface, cook for another 2-3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain, and roll in the cinnamon breadcrumbs.

Tip: Don't overcrowd the pot, or the water temperature will drop and the dough might get soggy.

Recipe FAQ

Why are the dumplings hard?
The dough absorbed too much flour, or you kneaded it too long. Potato dough requires quick and light handling.
They opened up while cooking. Why?
You likely didn't seal the dough tightly enough around the plum, or the water was boiling too vigorously.
Can I freeze them?
Yes, freeze them raw (before cooking) on a tray, then bag them. You can cook them from frozen, just boil them a bit longer.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Russet Potatoes (starchy, for boiling)
  • 1.25 cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 large Egg
  • 12 small Plums (Italian Prune Plums are best)
  • 1 cup Breadcrumbs
  • 0.25 cup Granulated Sugar (for crumbs)
  • 12 tsp Cinnamon Sugar (to fill the plums)
  • 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • 4 tbsp Butter (divided: 1 tbsp for dough, 3 tbsp for crumbs)
  • 1 pinch Salt