Ripe Plum Filling for Pierogies

This plum filling for pierogies is about as simple as it gets: ripe plums, peeled and pitted, filled with sugar and cinnamon, then dipped in more sugar before wrapping in pierogi dough. Three ingredients, no cooking, pure fruit flavor.

Sweet pierogies with plum filling are a staple in Polish, Ukrainian, and Czech kitchens, especially in late summer when Italian prune plums are at their peak. Those small, oval plums with dark purple skin are the traditional choice because they hold their shape during boiling and have a dense, sweet flesh that doesn’t turn watery inside the dough.

The sugar and cinnamon melt into the plum as the pierogi boils, creating a hot, syrupy pocket of spiced fruit inside the soft dough. When you bite through, you get that burst of warm plum juice mingling with cinnamon sweetness.

Peel the plums before filling. The skin can get tough and chewy when boiled inside the dough, which throws off the tender texture you want.

Kitchen Tips

• Use the ripest plums you can find. Underripe plums are too tart and firm, and the sugar can’t compensate.
• Italian prune plums (also called damson or zwetschge) are ideal. They’re smaller, so one plum fits perfectly inside one pierogi.
• If using larger plums, cut them into pieces that fit your dough rounds. Don’t overstuff or the pierogies won’t seal properly.
• Serve boiled sweet pierogies tossed in melted butter with a dusting of sugar and sour cream on the side.

Variations

• Cardamom twist: Add a pinch of ground cardamom alongside the cinnamon for a warmer, more complex spice flavor.
• Breadcrumb topping: After boiling, toss the pierogies in butter with toasted breadcrumbs and sugar for a crispy coating.