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These homemade Cheddar Pierogies with Caramelized Onions and Bacon are the perfect meal to make with family and friends. Simple potato-filled Pierogi dumplings tossed in a nutty, buttery pan sauce and topped with crispy caramelized onions, sharp cheddar cheese, and bacon. Every bite is a little cheesy, a touch buttery, and full of creamy potatoes layered with delicious caramelized onions and salty bacon. Nothing is better…or cozier…on a cold winter night.
I could not be more excited about this recipe. Pierogies are one of those foods that bring back all the best memories. Tell me you all grew up eating Mrs. T’s cheddar Pierogies too? The frozen bags of Mrs. T’s were always stocked in our freezer. My mom would make them for the two of us on cold winter days. Yes, way back when my family still lived in Cleveland. Of course, back then, my mom would simply boil up the frozen pierogies, top each with a handful of cheddar cheese, and then melt the cheese in the microwave. And then?
We’d proceed to eat them by the fire…
We also did this with top Ramen (another tried and true favorite). Mom and I really knew how to live it up on bitter cold Cleveland days. It was literally a three-step, two-ingredient meal, but I loved it. So much so that when I got a little older, my best friend and I would come home from school and do the very same thing. And yes, I got her hooked on pierogies as well.
When I first started cooking for the family, I remember one long summer spent up at Mt. Hood. It was the first summer (of many) that we spent there, and I recall it doing nothing but rain. It was cold and I was bored. So bored. So what did I do? I taught myself how to make homemade pierogies. From that day on I knew I could never go back to Mrs. T’s…nothing beats a homemade pierogi.
SO GOOD.
Once I discovered how to make homemade pierogies, I’d make a HUGE batch and freeze them. My younger brother Kai says that to this day, pierogies are still one of his favorite meals I’ve made him.
It’s been ages since I last made pierogies (over two years…see my first pierogi recipe here). A couple weeks ago I found myself really wanting to make a more classic pierogi. One topped with onions and cream…and bacon too.
Enter today’s recipe…and it’s probably my favorite recipe of the week.
Here is how you make homemade pierogies.
Start with the dough. It’s your basic, flour, egg, salt, combo, but what’s unique about most pierogi recipes is the use of sour cream in the dough. The sour cream keeps the dough moist and adds the slightest tang. Since I don’t cook with sour cream, I always use plain greek yogurt instead, which works perfectly. However, you can certainly use an equal amount of sour cream if you prefer.
Next, the filling…cheesy, creamy, buttery potatoes, simple as that. Don’t mess with it, so good.
You can make the potatoes the traditional way on the stove-top, or you can use the instant pot. I prefer to use the instant pot. It’s the easiest, quickest way to make potatoes.
Let me tell you about the toppings.
I’ve had a lot of people message me in the past to tell me about all the different ways they top their pierogies. But what I believe to be most classic are onions with a dollop of sour cream. Or even just butter and a dollop of sour cream. I’m not 100% sure (because I googled this and multiple answers came up), BUT I do think these are semi-classic toppings. Either way, they’re DELICIOUS.
Next up, crisp up some bacon. You can use the same skillet used to caramelize the onions with a touch of apple cider vinegar for a bit of tang. Finish with some fresh thyme. Now, toss in the pierogies and serve each serving with addition cheddar and a dollop of cream. I like to use more yogurt, but use what you love most. These cheddar pierogies with caramelized onions and bacon are going to be good no matter what.
Freeze for later.
Here’s the thing about pierogi making. Just like ravioli, these take time. Please do not let this scare you away. Making pierogies is very simple. The dough is incredibly easy to work with. If you can roll out a basic bread dough, you can certainly make pierogies. You don’t need any special equipment, just a bowl, a spoon, and a rolling pin. And if you don’t have a rolling pin – use a wine bottle.
So, while making pierogies does take a little effort, you can make them in bulk over the weekend…or whenever you have time. Then just freeze what’s left over for the quickest, easiest lunch or dinner…any day of the week. Once the pierogies are frozen, simply boil them up from frozen, they take just minutes to cook.
And yes, these are far better than Mrs. T’s.
My suggestion?
Find some time this week, over the weekend, or maybe even over Christmas break. You can even gather up some friends and make it a holiday Pierogi Night. Everyone can help in making the pierogies. Enjoy some fun drinks, maybe a cheese board too, and of course…Christmas music!
Sounds to me like the perfect way to spend a cold December night!
If you make these Cheddar Pierogies with Caramelized Onions and Bacon, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Watch the How To Video:
Cheddar Pierogies with Caramelized Onions and Bacon
Servings: 8 (about 40 pierogies total)
Calories Per Serving: 604 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 1 cup plain full fat greek yogurt, plus more for serving
- 1 large egg
Filling
- 4 Russet potatoes, peeled and quartered (about 3 pounds)
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese. plus more for topping
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- kosher salt and black pepper
Onion Butter Sauce
- 4 thick cut slices bacon, chopped
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
- 1. To make the dough. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, butter, yogurt, and egg, and mix until combined. Knead the dough for 2-3 minutes. Cover and let sit 30 minutes.2. To make the filling. Bring the potatoes to a boil in a large pot of cold water. Salt the water and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 to 30 minutes.3. Drain the potatoes, return the potatoes to the pot and mash over low heat, adding the butter, cheddar cheese, and cream cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 4. Roll the dough out onto a floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness. Using a biscuit cutter, cut out 3-inch circles. Spoon 2 teaspoons of filling into the center of each round. Brush the edges with water and fold half of the dough over the filling to enclose it. Press down the edges to seal, pressing out all the air. Be sure to keep the dough covered as you work to prevent from drying out. At this point, the pierogi can be flash-frozen on a baking sheet for 30 minutes, then transferred to a freezer bag and frozen for up to 3 months. 5. When ready to cook, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the pierogies in batches for 2-3 minutes, or until they float. Drain.6. To make the butter sauce, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Drain onto a paper towel. Wipe the skillet clean, then set back over medium-high heat and melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add the onions and cook 5 minutes, until softened. Add the apple cider, season with salt and pepper and continue cooking another 5-8 minutes, until the cider has evaporated and the onions are golden and caramelized. Add the remaining butter and thyme and cook 2-3 minutes, until the butter is browned. Remove from the heat.7. Drop the pierogies into the sauce, gently tossing to combine. Spoon the pierogies and onions onto plates. Top with cheddar and bacon. EAT!
Instant Pot
- 1. Combine the potatoes and 1 1/2 cups water. Cover and cook on high pressure/manual for 12 minutes. Once done cooking, use the natural or quick release function and release the steam. Drain the potatoes well.2. Finish as directed above from step 3 on.
I can’t bear mash potato on its own, but have always wanted to try pierogies. Thanks to this recipe they didn’t disappoint, and my husband finally got to have mash back in his life again 😀
Unlike some of the other comments on here I found the dough vs. filling yield pretty much bang on, and it perfectly serves the guided number of people. That was with a teaspoon of filling per pierogie though as opposed to the amount the recipe recommends. Making this dish takes a lot longer start to finish than what the recipe states, you’re definitely committing the majority of a morning/afternoon to it if you’re making enough for 8 people and don’t have a helper on hand! They freeze brilliantly and make for a very handy meal after a busy day at work.
Hey Anna,
Thanks you so very much for trying this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
Hi Tieghan! I’m hoping to make these homemade pierogis tomorrow. In the ingredients list for the sauce, it says “apple cider vinegar”, but in the instructions, it says “apple cider”. Which one is needed for this recipe? I don’t want to use the vinegar and ruin the sauce!
Hi Trina,
For this recipe, you will use apple cider vinegar. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
They turned out great! I didn’t roll the dough as thin as I should have (and I think table salt would be better than kosher in the dough because the granules are smaller) but they turned out so tasty! A special meal for friends visiting from out of town.
Hi Trina,
Wonderful! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try! Happy Holidays!?? xTieghan
The above-described method for caramelized onions does not yield the same results. Onions are soggy whilst the onions in the pic are crispy. Additionally, you don’t add egg to the flour. You’re not making pasta.
So what else is inaccurate about this recipe and the pic that goes along with it. Hmm.
Hi there,
Did you give the recipe a try or just sharing your opinions? Let me know if there is something I can help with! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
How do you freeze them? Are there any special instructions?
Hi Morgan,
Please follow the instructions in step 4 for freezing. I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
Totally delicious- I would go five stars but it took me more time than then recipe stated. I wondered if it would have gone faster if I had a pasta press for the dough? Hard to get the dough even and thin enough- so good though!
Hey Suzie,
Happy Sunday! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! xTieghan
OK – yum! My kids just wolfed down about eight of these in one sitting. A bit more labor-intensive than I thought – I underestimated how much dough rolling I’d have to do. I only yielded about 23 pierogies and had a lot of leftover potato filling. I also pan-fried the pierogies on their own in butter for a few minutes on each side after boiling, before adding them into everything else, gave it a nice little crisp on the outside. All that said, it was absolutely delicious and worth all the effort!
Hi there! Thanks so much for trying out this recipe, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! xxTieghan
Looking forward to giving this a try as it’s so similar to my family’s recipe. For those not liking the texture, after boiling the pierogi, fry it it in lots of butter, lightly browning both sides. Trust me, it makes a HUGE difference in taste. Dollop with sour cream, so good! Thanks for new ideas on fillings Tieghan!
Hey Kristin,
Happy Wednesday! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Have the best day:) xTieghan
This one was a big miss for me for a couple of reasons. As others have stated, this recipe makes it tough to project a “yield.” I tried to heed other reviews and made 1 recipe of the dough and then used 1 pound of potatoes (but kept the cheese, butter, and cream cheese the same. I was afraid they wouldn’t be cheesy enough if I cut down the cheese in accordance with the potato!) My rolling pin has changeable guides on the ends of it that can be set to 1/16″, 1/8″, 1/4″ or 3/8″ so that when you’re rolling out dough, it’s the correct thickness throughout. Whatever you do, don’t roll your dough out to 1/8″ like the recipe calls for. That’s too thick and the pierogis were too doughy because the ratio of dough to filling was way off. I didn’t have a 3” biscuit cutter, only 2.75” and 3.25” so went with the 3.25” size. The first time I cut circles, I did roll to 1/8″ inch but the second time and thereafter, I rolled to 1/16″. 1/16″ worked much better. As a result of all this (maybe due in part to the extra .25” on my biscuit cutter but I don’t know), my yield was only 28 pierogis and I only used about 75% of the filling I made. As far as taste goes, there wasn’t any “sauce,” because the onions soaked up all the butter so that was a disappointment. Admittedly, I’ve never had a pierogi before but am always a big fan of potatoes and cheese (especially together!). But this just lacked flavor and the boiled dough with the creamy potato mixture was strange to me. The onions and bacon were fine but still couldn’t salvage it. I froze the remaining pierogis and will revisit them once I can find another sauce for them or some other use. A ton of work and too many calories for something I just didn’t think was that good. If you do make it, make one recipe of the dough, use 1 pound of potatoes, cut down the cream cheese, butter, and cheddar to 1/3 of what the recipe calls for, and roll your dough to at least 1/16”.
Hey Abby,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, sorry it wasn’t enjoyed! xTieghan
What’s on the side? Sour cream or cream cheese?
Hey Aisha,
I like to serve my pierogi with a side of sour cream or greek yogurt. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
finally tried it!!!! WAAAAAAAAAAY too good!!! Loved it so much
Hey Aisha,
Fantastic! I am delighted to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a try! Have the best week:) xTieghan
Delicious! I had to do a last minute sub of apple cider vinegar for red wine vingear and it still tasted great. I think the number of potatoes could be scaled back to 2, I probably had twice the amount of potatoes I needed, but can’t complain about leftover mashed potatoes!
Hey Emily,
Thank you so much for giving this recipe a try, love to hear that it was enjoyed! Have the best week:) xTieghan
Hi, love your recipes! I’ve got this on the menu for the week but am wondering if I can sub gf flour? Anyone out there try it? Thank you!
Hey Aline,
I haven’t tested this with GF flour, but I would recommend using Cup4cup GF flour. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
These were SO delicious! The perogies, the sauce, all of it. I made triple the dough for this amount of filling and froze 80 perogies for later. Another winner! <3
Hey Mahala,
I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a try! Happy Sunday! xTieghan
Love these pierogies! It has now been my tradition to make them every Easter! Definitely a family favorite, even for my dad who doesn’t like cheddar cheese.
Hey Monica,
Awesome! So glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! xTieghan
These are incredible and so easy. We followed the recipe exactly as is and had waaayyy too much stuffing, so we just ate that as mashed potatoes throughout the week.
We froze most of the recipe and I’m enjoying them more from frozen! I just boil until they float and then pan fry in a little butter. No topping necessary. Will definitely be making again
Hey Laura,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled it was enjoyed! xTieghan
These are the best. I make them over and over!
Hey Alyssa,
I am thrilled to hear this recipe was enjoyed. Thanks so much for giving it a try. Have a great week! xTieghan