Dampfnudeln (German Steamed Yeast Dumplings)
Dampfnudeln, German steamed yeasted dumplings, are one of my very favorite Christmas market foods! Here is my recipe. They're fluffy, steamed buns often served with vanilla sauce and topped with a poppyseed-sugar mixture. And let's not forget about that caramel crust on the bottom! Just heavenly and addictive! I have been making them at home for years.
Servings: 4 dumplings
Calories: 811kcal
Equipment
- 1 large rimmed pan with lid I like having a glass lid, so I can see what's going on. It's important not to peak at the dumplings during the steaming phase!
- 1 Whisk for whisking together the vanilla sauce
- 1 dough tools these come in handy when removing dough from the mixing bowl and for dividing the dough into balls.
Ingredients
Dough
- 250 grams all-purpose flour
- 3 ½ grams active-dry yeast half of an individual pouch
- 25 grams sugar
- 125 milliliters milk luke warm
- 1 ½ grams salt
- 40 grams butter melted
- 1 egg large
Steaming Liquid
- 125 milliliters milk
- 100 grams sugar
- 100 grams butter
Vanilla Sauce
- 450 milliliters milk
- ½ vanilla bean Scraped out, use seeds/paste only. Alternatively use 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Buy them in bulk to save money, then make my Vanillekipferl next!
- 15 grams cornstarch
- 25 grams sugar
- 1 egg yolk large
Topping
- 2 Tablespoons poppy seeds buy in bulk, then make my poppyseed braided yeast bread next!
- 1 Tablespoon powdered sugar
Instructions
Dampfnudeln
- Mix yeast with sugar and lukewarm milk, let stand for 5 to 10 minutes or until bubbles have started to develop.3 ½ grams active-dry yeast, 25 grams sugar, 125 milliliters milk
- Knead together all remaining ingredients for the dough, then cover and allow to rise for at least 1 hour in a warm spot.250 grams all-purpose flour, 1 ½ grams salt, 40 grams butter, 1 egg
- Separate dough into 4 pieces and shape into balls/dumplings.
- In a high-rimmed skillet with a lid, mix together the steaming liquid ingredients, bring to a boil, then reduce to just below medium heat and place the dumplings in it, leaving plenty of room between the dumplings to expland (they will double in size!). Top with a lid and do NOT lift the lid during the next 30 minutes, or else the dumplings will deflate!125 milliliters milk, 100 grams sugar, 100 grams butter
Warm Vanilla Sauce
- For the vanilla sauce, bring the milk, sugar and vanilla bean to a boil.450 milliliters milk, ½ vanilla bean, 25 grams sugar
- Add the cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil again.15 grams cornstarch
- Turn off the heat, whisk in the yolk and pour over the steamed dumplings when ready to serve.1 egg yolk
Poppy Seed Topping
- Combine poppy seeds and powdered sugar and stir together. Sprinkle with poppy seed sugar mixture if desired (my favorite way to eat Dampfnudeln). Read below for alternative topping and filling options.2 Tablespoons poppy seeds, 1 Tablespoon powdered sugar
Notes
The biggest tip I have is to NOT PEAK at your Dampfnudel dumplings while they're steaming, or else you risk them collapsing in your pan. What a sad moment. It helps to have a glass lid, so no lifting is necessary. I love this pots and pan set that I got 2 years ago. I first saw Gordon Ramsey use them on Masterclass and had to have them, too.
Pan size matters. You want to make sure your pan fits the dumplings with room around them to expand. If your pan is too small or too large, you may run into an issue of the steaming liquid either cooking off too fast or not fast enough.
Don't be scared of yeast dough! It's easy! I make sure to store my active dry yeast in an airtight container in the fridge to keep it fresh. When 'activating' or 'blooming' it, you'll mix it with the barely warm milk and sugar and let it stand for a few minutes to let it bubble up. That's when you proceed with kneading together all other dough ingredients. Dampfnudeln are such a rewarding meal to make at home! Instant Christmas market vibes and you'll be so proud you made them!
My favorite Dampfnudel toppings are vanilla sauce and the poppyseed-powdered sugar mixture from my recipe. You can optionally fill your dumplings with fruit compote or top them. Plum butter is my favorite Dampfnudel filling, but hot cherries or hot berries are popular as well for filling or topping as well (skip the poppyseed mixture if topping with fruit). Get creative and experiment with other toppings like chocolate sprinkles, cinnamon sugar, or filling with chocolate-hazelnut spread.
Nutrition
Calories: 811kcal | Carbohydrates: 101g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 186mg | Sodium: 460mg | Potassium: 408mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 48g | Vitamin A: 1291IU | Vitamin C: 0.05mg | Calcium: 317mg | Iron: 4mg