Plum Dumplings (Gomboți) – Authentic Traditional Recipe Step by Step
Discover the authentic plum dumplings recipe, the perfect autumn dessert that combines potatoes, sweet plums, and golden breadcrumbs into a delicious treat.
Plum Dumplings (Gomboți)
Course: desertCuisine: Central European, Romania, UngariaDifficulty: Medium10
servings40
minutes15
minutes280
kcal55
minutesAutumn has its own special scent: baked plums, apples, pears, and homes filled with sweet aromas. It’s the season when we open the oven doors and bake treats for our loved ones. But some of them don’t even require that.
This is how the story of plum dumplings (gomboți) begins – a dessert brought from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, yet lovingly adopted in Transylvania and Banat, where housewives would prepare it patiently, on Sundays or at the start of autumn.
It’s a simple dessert, born from whatever ingredients were readily available at home: boiled potatoes, flour, plums, and a pinch of sugar. And yet, from such modest ingredients, it created joy that brought the family together at the table and made children eagerly wait to see if they would find the surprise dumpling. The latter was special, containing not just a plum but perhaps a walnut or another hidden fruit.
Today, gomboți remain a dessert that connects generations. A warm portion, with soft sweet plums hidden inside the silky dough and rolled in golden breadcrumbs, has the power to remind you of childhood and the simple flavors of home.
Now that your heart is filled with nostalgia for this dessert, it’s time to get to work: let’s make delicious plum dumplings together.
Ingredients – 10 Large Plum Dumplings (Gomboți)
Dough Filling:
500 g starchy potatoes (for mashing)150 g flour (adjust slightly if needed)
1 egg
Pinch of salt
10 ripe plums (halved and pitted if large)
2–3 tbsp sugar (optional, can add cinnamon)
1 packet vanilla sugar & a few drops of vanilla extract (optional)
For Coating:
150 g breadcrumbs70 g butter
2–3 tbsp sugar
1 packet vanilla sugar (optional)
Cinnamon to taste (optional)
Preparation method
- The story is beautiful, but the taste is even more irresistible – let’s see how to turn these simple ingredients into perfect plum dumplings.
- Boil the potatoes
Boil the potatoes in their skins until soft, then peel them. Tip: Boiling potatoes in their skins prevents them from absorbing too much water. - Mash the potatoes: After peeling, mash the potatoes while they are still slightly warm. This makes them easier to mash smoothly.
- Prepare the dough
In a large bowl, mix the warm mashed potatoes with flour, egg, salt, and, optionally, vanilla sugar and vanilla extract. Knead gently, just enough to form a soft, slightly sticky but workable dough. - Prepare the plums: If desired, add a pinch of sugar and/or a walnut or small piece of fruit inside each plum. Kids will love the surprise!
- Shape the dumplings
Take pieces of dough and flatten them in your hand. Place a plum in the center, close the dough around it, and shape it into a smooth ball. - Continue shaping: Repeat with the remaining dough. For smaller dumplings, cut the plums into quarters.
- Boil the dumplings
Bring a large pot of water with a pinch of salt to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and gently add the dumplings. Do not overcrowd the pot.
Cook the dumplings for about 10–12 minutes, or until they float to the surface and are tender. - Prepare the breadcrumbs: In a pan, melt the butter and lightly toast the breadcrumbs. Add sugar and cinnamon to taste.
- Coat the dumplings
Remove the cooked dumplings with a slotted spoon and roll them in the toasted breadcrumbs until fully coated. Be careful—they are hot! - Serve: Serve warm, optionally with a sprinkle of extra sugar or cinnamon. They are already sweet and aromatic on their own.
- My dear friends, this has been our little culinary journey through the world of traditions. If you’re not a fan of breadcrumbs, you can replace them with ground walnuts. I’m curious to see what delicious variations you come up with. Until next time, happy cooking!
