Celebrate fall with these homemade Pumpkin Pierogies with Brown Butter and Sage, filled with a creamy, savoury pumpkin and potato filling. Toss the tender pierogies in nutty brown butter with crispy sage leaves, then pan-fry them until lightly golden for an extra layer of flavour and texture. Serve them with fried onions, sour cream, fresh chives, and crispy sage for a cozy autumn dinner that puts a seasonal twist on classic homemade pierogies.
Recipe at a glance:
- Recipe: Pumpkin Pierogies with Brown Butter and Sage
- Recipe Type: Homemade pierogies
- Total Time: About 1 hour 30 minutes
- Servings: 4–6 servings
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- Main Ingredients: Potatoes, pumpkin purée, flour, butter, fresh sage.
- Filling: A creamy, savoury mixture of mashed potatoes and pumpkin purée
- Cooking Method: Shape and boil the pierogies, then pan-fry them in brown butter until lightly golden.
- Flavour: Savoury, buttery, slightly sweet, earthy, and rich with fall flavours
- Best For: Fall dinners, Thanksgiving season, weekend cooking, and cozy comfort-food meals
- Serve With: Fried onions, sour cream, crispy sage leaves, fresh chives, and extra brown butter
- Make-Ahead Friendly: Yes. Shape and boil the pierogies ahead of time, then refrigerate or freeze them until ready to pan-fry and serve.
- Freezer Friendly: Yes. Freeze the cooled, boiled pierogies in a single layer before transferring them to a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
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Ingredients
Find below the list of ingredients I used to make my Pumpkin Pierogies with Brown Butter and Sage recipe.
- Yellow flesh potatoes
- All-purpose flour
- Salt & pepper
- Large egg
- Warm water
- Neutral oil
- Plain pumpkin puree
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Cream Cheese
- Ground nutmeg
- Butter
- Sage leaves
- Sour cream
See recipe card for quantities.
Making the Pumpkin Pierogies
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- Make the dough: Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the egg, warm water and oil, then stir until a shaggy dough forms. Knead for 5 minutes, until smooth. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
- Knead the dough: Knead for 5 minutes, until smooth. Cover and rest for 30-40 minutes.
- Cook the potatoes: Boil in salted water until tender, about 12–15 minutes. Drain well and return them to the warm pot for a minute to let excess moisture evaporate. Mash until smooth.
- Make the filling: Stir the pumpkin, cheddar, cream cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg into the warm potatoes. Let the filling cool completely. It should be thick enough to hold its shape on a spoon.
5. Roll out the dough: Roll half the dough on a lightly floured surface to about ? inch (3 mm) thick. Cut into 3-inch (7.5 cm) circles. Let the scraps of dough rest before rerolling.
6. Fill the pierogies: Place about 1 tablespoon of filling in the centre of each. Fold into half-moons and pinch the edges firmly closed.
7. Repeat steps 5 & 6: Repeat with the remaining dough scraps and filling.
Cooking the Brown Butter Sage Pierogies
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- Cook. Boil the pierogies in batches in gently simmering salted water. Once they float, cook for another 2 minutes, then lift out with a slotted spoon.
- Set aside and freeze. Reserve 12 boiled pierogies for pan-frying and serving. Arrange the remaining 24 on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer without touching. Let them cool, pat away excess moisture, then freeze for 1–2 hours, until firm.
- Brown the butter and sage. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 3–4 sage leaves and cook until crisp and the butter is golden brown and smells nutty. Transfer the sage leaves to a plate.
- Pan-fry the pierogies. Add the 12 reserved pierogies to the skillet and cook for 2–3 minutes per side, until lightly golden. Reduce the heat if the butter starts to darken too quickly.
How to Freeze Homemade Pierogies
Cool the boiled pierogies completely before freezing to prevent excess condensation and ice crystals from forming. Toss them very lightly with oil or melted butter to help prevent sticking, then arrange them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet without letting them touch. Freeze the pierogies for 1–2 hours, or until firm, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat the pierogies directly from frozen by adding them to a buttered skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water and covering briefly to warm the centres before uncovering and frying until golden.
How to store fried Pumpkin Pierogies
Store leftover fried Pumpkin Pierogies with Brown Butter and Sage in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Reheat the pierogies in a skillet over medium-low heat with a little butter until warmed through and lightly crisp on the outside. Avoid microwaving them when possible, as it can make the dough softer and less crisp. Store extra crispy sage leaves separately and add them after reheating for the best texture.
You may also like
Explore more homemade pierogi inspiration with Pierogi Salad, which turns tender pierogies into a hearty and flavourful meal. Try Crack Chicken Pierogi Casserole for another comforting way to serve pierogies in a rich, satisfying dinner. Enjoy Pumpkin Turkey Meatballs when you want another savoury recipe that incorporates pumpkin into an unexpected fall-inspired dish. Warm up with Pumpkin Tomato Soup for a cozy way to use pumpkin beyond traditional baked goods and desserts. Make Sage Chicken Meatballs for another savoury recipe that highlights the earthy flavour of sage featured in the brown butter sauce of these Pumpkin Pierogies.
Recipe
Pumpkin Pierogies with Brown Butter and Sage
Equipment
- 3-inch round cutter
Ingredients
Pierogi Dough
- 3 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 large Egg
- 200 ml Warm water
- 2 tablespoon Canola oil
Potato Pumpkin Filling
- 450 g Yellow flesh potatoes peeled and cubed
- ¼ cup Cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup Cheddar cheese shredded
- ¾ cup Pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Ground pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Ground nutmeg
To Finish and Serve
- ⅓ cup Butter
- 8 leaves Fresh sage
- ½ cup Sour Cream
Instructions
- Make the dough. Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the egg, warm water and oil, then stir until a shaggy dough forms. Knead for 5 minutes, until smooth. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
- Cook the potatoes. Boil in salted water until tender, about 12–15 minutes. Drain well and return them to the warm pot for a minute to let excess moisture evaporate. Mash until smooth.
- Make the filling. Stir the pumpkin, cheddar, cream cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg into the warm potatoes. Let the filling cool completely. It should be thick enough to hold its shape on a spoon.
- Shape the pierogies. Roll half the dough on a lightly floured surface to about ? inch (3 mm) thick. Cut into 3-inch (7.5 cm) circles. Place about 1 tablespoon of filling in the centre of each. Fold into half-moons and pinch the edges firmly closed. Repeat with the remaining dough and scraps.
- Cook. Boil the pierogies in batches in a large pot of gently simmering salted water. Once they float, cook for another 2 minutes, then lift out with a slotted spoon.
- Set aside and freeze. Reserve 12 boiled pierogies for pan-frying and serving. Arrange the remaining 24 on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer without touching. Let them cool, pat away excess moisture, then freeze for 1–2 hours, until firm. Transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Brown the butter and sage. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 3–4 sage leaves and cook until crisp and the butter is golden brown and smells nutty. Transfer the sage leaves to a plate.
- Pan-fry the pierogies. Add the 12 reserved pierogies to the skillet and cook for 2–3 minutes per side, until lightly golden. Reduce the heat if the butter starts to darken too quickly.
- Serve. Plate the pierogies and spoon the brown butter over them. Top with fried onions, sour cream, crispy sage leaves and chopped chives.
