Piroshki are a classic Slavic specialty. You can make these Russian Piroshki with fruit, mashed potatoes, meat or cheese. These have apples in them.

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Piroshki are a classic Russian/ Ukrainian specialty. You can make them with fruit, mashed potatoes, meat or cheese. These have apples in them.

Make these on a warm day when you can open your windows and air out the house; unless you like the “fried” aroma. These fluffy goodies are delicious and get devoured quickly.

Ingredients for the Russian Piroshki Dough:

1 1/2 Tbsp oil
15 oz luke warm water
4 cups + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour (divided)
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp Active Dry Yeast
1 Tbsp sugar (omit sugar if doing meat or potato filling)

Ingredients for Russian Pirozhki Filling:

2 to 3 apples, peeled, cored and chopped finely (I use a food processor and pulse several times)
1/4 cup sugar (1/4 teaspoon per piroshok)

A bowl of finely chopped apples

Other Ingredients:

Enough canola oil to go half-way up the side of the piroshky when frying.
Extra flour to dust the cutting board.

How to make the Dough:

1. The easiest way to do this is in a bread maker. If you have one, set it to the dough setting and add the ingredients in the following order: Oil, water, 2 cups flour, salt, sugar, 2 cups + 2 Tbsp flour* , yeast.
A bread maker will do the following: mix, let dough rise, mix again and let the dough rise (about 1 to 1 1/2 hours)

*to get an flour exact measurement, use a dry ingredients measuring cup and scrape off the top with the back of a butter knife.

You can also make this dough using a stand mixer with a dough hook and then letting it rise in a warm place (like the oven).

2. Put the finished dough onto a well floured cutting board, sprinkle dough with flour and with well-floured hands, shape it into a large log. It will rise more as it sits on the board.

3. Cut off pieces one at a time about 3/4″ thick.

4. Place the piece of dough over your well-floured hand (dough will be sticky) and shape it into a 3″ to 4″ circle using your hands. Do not put flour on the side where you are going to put the apples, otherwise the sides won’t seal.
A log of dough on a floured cutting board with a Russian piroshok with apples on the side

A circle of dough rolled out being filled with apples

A circle of dough being filled with finely chopped apples to make piroshki

A close up Russian piroshki with apples on a floured cutting board

5. Put 1/4 tsp sugar in the center of the dough and put 1 heaping Tbsp of apple over the sugar. cover the apple with the sides of the dough and pinch the ends together with your fingers to seal the dough together.

6. Flatten the pirojki slightly to make them a more uniform size.

6. Heat oil in a large, deep, heavy-bottomed pan. There should be enough oil to cover the pirojki half-way up the side.

7. Place them in the hot oil (about 330°F) and fry until deep golden brown on each side. They should sizzle when you put them in the oil. Sometimes they puff up a lot on one side so you may end up with a third side that needs to be fried.

8. Place on paper towels to cool and enjoy!

Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

Russian Piroshki (pirojki) with apples - Пирожки

5 from 10 votes
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
Piroshki are a classic Slavic specialty. You can make these Russian Piroshki with fruit, mashed potatoes, meat or cheese. These have apples in them.
Russian piroshki with tender apples are so soft, airy and satisfying. This has the best piroshki dough!
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 15 -20 piroshki

Ingredients for the Dough:

  • 1 1/2 Tbsp oil
  • 15 oz luke warm water
  • 4 cups + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour, divided
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp Active Dry Yeast
  • 1 Tbsp sugar, omit sugar if doing meat or potato filling
  • 2 to 3 apples, peeled, cored and chopped finely (I use a food processor and pulse several times)
  • 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 teaspoon per piroshok

Other Ingredients:

  • Enough canola oil to go half-way up the side of the piroshky when frying.
  • Extra flour to dust the cutting board.

Instructions

The easiest way to do this is in a bread maker.

  • If you have one, set it to the dough setting and add the ingredients in the following order: Oil, water, 2 cups flour, salt, sugar, 2 cups + 2 Tbsp flour* , yeast.
  • A bread maker will do the following: mix, let dough rise, mix again and let the dough rise (about 1 to 1 1/2 hours).
  • Put the finished dough onto a well floured cutting board, sprinkle dough with flour and with well-floured hands, shape it into a large log. It will rise more as it sits on the board.
  • Cut off pieces one at a time about 3/4" thick. Place the piece of dough over your well-floured hand (dough will be sticky) and shape it into a 3" to 4" circle using your hands. Do not put flour on the side where you are going to put the apples, otherwise the sides won't seal.
  • Put 1/4 tsp sugar in the center of the dough and put 1 heaping Tbsp of apple over the sugar. cover the apple with the sides of the dough and pinch the ends together with your fingers to seal the dough together. Flatten the pirojki slightly to make them a more uniform size.
  • Heat oil in a large, deep, heavy-bottomed pan. There should be enough oil to cover the pirojki half-way up the side.
  • Place them in the hot oil (about 330°F) and fry until deep golden brown on each side. They should sizzle when you put them in the oil. Sometimes they puff up a lot on one side so you may end up with a third side that needs to be fried.

Place on paper towels to cool and enjoy!

    Notes

    To get an flour exact measurement, use a dry ingredients measuring cup and scrape off the top with the back of a butter knife. You can also make this dough using a stand mixer with a dough hook and then letting it rise in a warm place (like the oven).
    Course: Dessert, snack
    Cuisine: Russian, Ukrainian
    Keyword: Russian Piroshki
    Skill Level: Medium
    Cost to Make: $

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    Natasha Kravchuk

    Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

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    Recipe Rating




    Comments

    • Louella Lapp
      December 1, 2023

      Hi Natasha, this is one of my family’s favorite things. We especially love Piroshki made with dry curd cottage cheese and baked with cream and dill.

      Reply

      • NatashasKitchen.com
        December 1, 2023

        They are so good! We love them too!

        Reply

    • Suzy
      September 2, 2022

      Can i make this dough ahead of time and make everything else a day or so later?

      Reply

      • NatashasKitchen.com
        September 2, 2022

        Hi Suzy, the dough is best used the same day it’s made.

        Reply

    • Polina
      October 23, 2021

      Just awful. This dough has no elasticity. Everything fell apart in oil

      Reply

      • Natasha
        October 23, 2021

        Hi Polina, I haven’t had that experience but I am happy to help troubleshoot. You might check the measurements to see if enough flour was added and double-check that your yeast is still active. Also, keep in mind if yeast dough is overheated while proofing, you can kill the yeast and the dough will fail. I hope that helps.

        Reply

    • Rozet Jido
      October 3, 2021

      Hi Natasha,
      I love your Piroshki recipes. Do you also have a low-carb version of the baked Piroshki dough?
      Thank you

      Reply

      • Natasha
        October 3, 2021

        Hi Rozet, I don’t have a low-carb version that I can think of aside from maybe using raw tortillas as we did with our Chebureki.

        Reply

    • Lisa
      September 24, 2021

      Hi Natasha,
      I have used so many of your recipes since becoming an adopted mom to my Ukrainian/ Russian teens. Have you tried these in an air fryer?

      Thank you!

      Reply

      • Natashas Kitchen
        September 24, 2021

        Hi Lisa, I have not tried these in the air fryer to advise on the outcome. If you happen to experiment, I’d love to know how you like that!

        Reply

    • Delilah Treft
      March 27, 2020

      I am wondering if the dough for the apple Piroshki is a dough just for deep frying? I am Ukraianian & my mom used to make them but she baked them. And they would come out real gooy and soft. Can you tell me what I can do different.?
      Thanks
      Delilah

      Reply

      • Natashas Kitchen
        March 27, 2020

        Hi Delilah, this dough is really intended for frying rather than baking. I do have excellent recipes for baked piroshki dough that my readers really love.

        Reply

    • Nastya
      November 22, 2019

      Can you use this filling for the buchty that you have? Instead of the cherry.

      Reply

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