Steamed Yeast Dumplings (Dampfnudeln)
Dampfnudeln Say it: DAHMP-fnoo-deln
Dampfnudeln are soft yeast dumplings from Bavaria and southern Germany, cooked side by side in a buttered milk bath until they puff into cloud-light rounds with a caramelized golden base. They are a comforting everyday treat, often served sweet with vanilla sauce, stewed plums, or cherry compote, though savory versions exist. The dough is enriched with milk, butter, egg, and a little sugar, then steamed under a tight lid. The result is tender inside, faintly sweet, and crisp underneath—simple, old-fashioned German home cooking.
Steamed Yeast Dumplings (Dampfnudeln)
Dampfnudeln
Pronounced DAHMP-fnoo-deln
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 2 hr
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 2 hr 30 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk, egg. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the dough
For the pot
Method
Warm the milk until lukewarm, then whisk in the yeast and 1 tbsp of the sugar. Let stand 5–10 minutes until foamy; if using fresh yeast, crumble it into the milk and stir to dissolve.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, remaining sugar, and salt. Add the yeast mixture, egg, and softened butter, then knead 8–10 minutes by hand or 5 minutes with a dough hook until smooth, soft, and slightly tacky; the dough should pull away from the bowl.
Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for 60–75 minutes, until doubled in volume and domed.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 8 equal pieces, about 3.5 oz (100 g) each. Shape each into a tight ball, place on the floured surface, cover, and rest 15 minutes until puffy.
Melt the butter in a large heavy lidded skillet or wide pot over medium heat. Add the milk and sugar, bring to a gentle simmer, then arrange the dumplings in a single layer, seam side down, leaving a little space between them.
Cover tightly and reduce the heat to low. Cook 25–30 minutes without lifting the lid, until the dumplings are puffed, the tops feel set, and the liquid is nearly absorbed; the bottoms should be deep golden when checked with a spatula.
Remove from the heat and let stand covered 2 minutes. Lift one dumpling to check; if the bottom is pale, cook uncovered over medium-low 2–3 minutes. Serve immediately.
Regional variant: Savory Palatinate Dampfnudeln (Pfälzer Dampfnudeln)
Reduce the sugar in the dough to 1 tbsp and omit the sugar in the cooking pot; add 1/2 tsp salt to the milk and butter instead. Cook the dumplings the same way until they have a crisp, lightly salty golden base. Serve with potato soup or sauerkraut rather than sweet sauces.
Cook's notes
- Use a heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid and keep it closed during cooking; escaping steam can make the dumplings collapse.
- Keep the cooking liquid at a bare simmer, not a boil, so the bottoms caramelize before the centers dry out.
- Let the shaped dumplings rest until visibly puffy before they go into the pot; this gives the lightest texture.
Serve with
Vanilla sauce, stewed plums, or cherry compote; savory versions go with potato soup.
Make ahead and storage
The dough can be mixed through the first rise, then refrigerated overnight; bring to room temperature and shape before cooking. Leftover dumplings reheat covered with a splash of milk.
