Czech cuisine wouldn't be complete without dumplings, and we Czechs have so many delicious versions! One of the quickest and most popular is steamed dumplings in a cup. No rising time needed-just a few easy steps, and you will have fluffy dumplings ready to pair with your favorite sauce!
In this post: What are these dumplings · Czech pronunciation · Notes on ingredients · What cup to use · Instruction · Video recipe · Serving · How to store · Useful tips
➜ What are dumplings steamed in a cup
Steamed dumplings in a cup start with cubes of fried white bread, usually made from Czech Houska or Rohlík rolls. Mix these crispy bread cubes into a batter of milk, flour, and eggs. Pour the mixture into greased cups, then place them in a pot of hot water to steam. Once ready, tip the dumplings out easily, slice them, and serve as a side dish. Surprisingly fluffy without any yeast or baking powder, these dumplings are perfect for beginners and a breeze to make!
Steamed dumplings in a cup make a great alternative to traditional Czech bread dumplings or potato dumplings. They offer a nice texture and, in my opinion, an even more pronounced flavor.
➜ Czech pronunciation
The Czech name for these dumplings is Hrníčkové knedlíky. I even recorded a short audio clip so you can hear the authentic Czech pronunciation. Enjoy!
➜ Notes on ingredients
- White bread; Czechs typically use Rohlík or Houska rolls for these dumplings, but a French baguette works great if you can't find Czech bread. Bread that is 2-3 days old is ideal. It holds its shape better when cut into cubes and will not crumble as much.
- All-purpose flour; or plain flour. Dumplings are usually made with so-called Hrubá mouka (coarse flour), but I can assure you that regular all-purpose / plain flour works perfectly for this recipe too. No problems at all! For extra information read the article all-purpose flour in the Czech Republic.
- Eggs; the only slightly tricky part is separating the yolks from the whites and whipping the whites on their own. Make sure to transfer the egg whites into a clean, grease-free bowl and use clean whisks for the best results.
The other ingredients are straightforward. Just milk, fresh parsley leaves, salt, and a bit of unsalted butter to fry the bread cubes. You will also need a bit of extra butter and flour to grease and flour the cups before steaming.
✅ See the recipe below with step-by-step photos and many helpful tips. Scroll down for the full printable recipe in both US cups and metric measurements.
➜ What cup to use?
For the best shape and size, use a cup with a smooth inner surface that is slightly narrower and taller, around 3 inches (7.5 cm) in diameter and 4-5 inches (10-12 cm) high. Deeper cups can be tricky to grease at the bottom, and dumplings made in wider mugs might not hold their shape as well when tipped out.
With the basic recipe, I ended up with mixture that filled two cups, both about 3 ½ inches (9 cm) tall and wide. Each cup gives me roughly 5 slices of dumplings.
➜ Instructions
STEP 1: Start by preparing the cups for steaming the dumplings. Grease each cup with a knob of butter or other solid fat, then dust lightly with flour, shaking out any excess.
STEP 2: Cut the white bread into small cubes, about ¾ inch thick. Heat butter in a frying pan and fry the cubes until golden brown, stirring to ensure even frying. Once done, remove from heat.
STEP 3: Rinse the parsley leaves, drain, and chop them coarsely, using only the leaves and setting the stems aside. Sprinkle the chopped parsley over the fried bread cubes.
STEP 4: Separate the egg yolks from the whites, placing the whites in a clean bowl.
STEP 5: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, flour, and egg yolks until smooth, using a hand whisk to prevent lumps.
STEP 6: In another bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form.
STEP 7: Gently fold the beaten egg whites and fried bread cubes into the milk mixture. Fill each prepared cup with the batter, leaving about a half of inch (1-2 cm) of space at the top.
STEP 8: Bring about two inches (5 cm) of water to a boil in a large pot. Place the filled cups in the pot, cover with a lid, then reduce the heat to low. Steam the dumplings for 30 minutes.
STEP 9: Carefully remove the cups from the pot. I used a pair of tongs. Let the dumplings cool for about five minutes, then loosen them from the cup edges with a thin knife and tip them out. Slice into ½-inch (1.2 cm) pieces and serve.
➜ How to serve
Use slices of steamed dumplings just like traditional Czech bread dumplings. They make a perfect side dish for classic Czech sauces like Svíčková, Rajská, or Koprová. Serve the dumplings warm.
Tip: If you have leftover dumplings, try making a simple Czech treat the next day: Fried dumplings with eggs! Cut the dumpling slices into cubes and fry them with an egg for a quick, tasty meal.
➜ How to store
Wrap the dumplings in foil and place them in the fridge once they have cooled. This keeps their surface from drying out. Stored this way, they will last 4-5 days.
These dumplings also freeze wonderfully! Place the cooled slices in a freezer-safe container or bag. After about an hour, shake the container to keep the slices from sticking together. This way, you can grab just the amount of dumplings you need straight from the freezer. They will keep for at least 3 months frozen.
➜ Video recipe
If you are a visual learner, take a look at this quick, one-minute video on making steamed dumplings right in a cup! And don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for more Czech recipes. Thank you very much!
➜ Useful tips
- After steaming, the surface of the dumplings in the cups may look a bit puffy, but don't worry. They will settle as they cool. This is perfectly normal!
- How to reheat the dumplings: If you have frozen the dumplings, let them thaw at room temperature on the counter. The best way to reheat them is with a steamer, as the steam helps the dumplings stay moist while warming them through.
- Another option is to place the dumpling slices in a microwave-safe bag, sprinkle a bit of water on them, and microwave until warm. This method also keeps them soft and delicious!
Tried this recipe?
Leave a review down in the comments! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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📖 Recipe
Easy Czech Dumplings Steamed in a Cup (Hrníčkové knedlíky)
Tap or hover to scale
Ingredients
- 2 cups white bread cut into cubes
- ⅓ stick unsalted butter
- 1 ¼ cup milk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup green parsley leaves
Miscellaneous
- a little solid fat and flour to grease and flour the cups
Instructions
- Start by preparing the cups for steaming the dumplings. Grease each cup with a knob of butter or other solid fat, then dust lightly with flour, shaking out any excess.
- Cut 2 cups white bread into small cubes, about ¾ inch thick. Heat ⅓ stick unsalted butter in a frying pan and fry the cubes until golden brown, stirring to ensure even frying. Once done, remove from heat.
- Rinse ½ cup green parsley leaves, drain, and chop them coarsely, using only the leaves and setting the stems aside. Sprinkle the chopped parsley over the fried bread cubes.
- Separate 1 egg yolk from the white, placing the white in a clean bowl.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together 1 ¼ cup milk, 1 cup all-purpose flour, and egg yolk until smooth, using a hand whisk to prevent lumps.
- In another bowl, beat the egg white with ½ teaspoon salt until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold the beaten egg whites and fried bread cubes into the milk mixture. Fill each prepared cup with the batter, leaving about an inch (2 cm) of space at the top.
- Bring about two inches (5 cm) of water to a boil in a large pot. Place the filled cups in the pot, cover with a lid, then reduce the heat to low. Steam the dumplings for 30 minutes.
- Carefully remove the cups from the pot. I used a pair of tongs. Let the dumplings cool for about five minutes, then loosen them from the cup edges with a thin knife and tip them out. Slice into ½-inch (1.2 cm) pieces and serve.
Notes
- The basic recipe makes 2 mugs of dumplings (about 10 slices).
- What cup to use? For the best shape and size, use a cup with a smooth inner surface that is slightly narrower and taller, around 3 inches (7.5 cm) in diameter and 4-5 inches (10-12 cm) high. Deeper cups can be tricky to grease at the bottom, and dumplings made in wider mugs might not hold their shape as well when tipped out.
- Serving: For the best shape and size, use a cup with a smooth inner surface that is slightly narrower and taller, around 3 inches (7.5 cm) in diameter and 4-5 inches (10-12 cm) high. Deeper cups can be tricky to grease at the bottom, and dumplings made in wider mugs might not hold their shape as well when tipped out.
- How to store: Wrap the dumplings in foil and place them in the fridge once they have cooled. This keeps their surface from drying out. Stored this way, they will last 4-5 days.
- These dumplings also freeze wonderfully! Place the cooled slices in a freezer-safe container or bag. After about an hour, shake the container to keep the slices from sticking together. This way, you can grab just the amount of dumplings you need straight from the freezer. They will keep for at least 3 months frozen.
Amy says
This is a fantastic idea! Thank you so much! I can't wait to try it.
Petra | Cook Like Czechs says
Thank you for the kind words, Amy! Good luck making the dumplings,
Petra
Zuzka says
How do you steam them? For how long? I think a step is missing.
Thank you.
Petra | Cook Like Czechs says
Oh, I am very sorry! I accidentally skipped step 8 on the recipe card. Thank you so much for your sharp eye; I have fixed it! To be sure, here is what was missing: Bring about two inches (5 cm) of water to a boil in a large pot. Place the filled cups in the pot, cover with a lid, and then reduce the heat to low. Steam the dumplings for 30 minutes.
George A Kent says
This recipe worked perfectly and allowed us to make it gluten free. Had been looking for a knedliky gluten free recipe for years, and this is it. The egg whites provide the dough rise since yeast would not work to rise flour with no gluten. Great consistency and so easy. Brava Petra!
Petra Kupská says
Hi George,
I am so happy to hear the recipe worked perfectly for you and that you could make it gluten-free! The egg whites really do help with the rise, and it's great to know it turned out with great consistency. Thank you for your kind words!
Carol Kent says
I am absolutely in love with these dumplings. I made them with gluten free flour and they came out perfectly!
Petra | Cook Like Czechs says
That´s great! Thanks for the feedback. I am happy that you like them.
Radka says
I have been making similar dumplings for years here in Australia but they never came up as fluffy as these!
thank you Petra! 😊