Traditional Slovenian Potato Plum Dumplings
Tina BevkGrowing up, my grandma only made these on special occasions—and I always knew it was going to be a good day when she started boiling the potatoes. These traditional Slovenian potato plum dumplings (slivovi cmoki) are soft, lightly sweet, and absolutely comforting.
They’re great as a dessert, but we usually had them for lunch, with a bowl of soup or nothing at all. It’s the kind of simple, humble meal that feels like a treat. This recipe makes about 15 dumplings, each from a 10×10 cm square of dough. If you’re planning to serve a crowd, be sure to double the recipe.
Since I mentioned that this recipe is great with warm, creamy soup, you might also want to check out my Broccoli Cheddar Soup in a Sourdough Bowl—it’s rich, cheesy, and perfect for dipping that crusty sourdough lid while your dumplings are bubbling away.
Important Ingredients
- Starchy Potatoes: Help give the dough that soft, tender texture.
- All Purpose Flour: Helps hold everything together and balances out the softness of the potatoes.
- Cake Flour: Used traditionally for a slightly lighter, more delicate dough. If you don’t have it, no stress—just use more all-purpose.
- Eggs: Help bind the dough and give it just a touch of richness.
- Dried Plums: Turn all soft and jammy inside the dumplings.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds that sweetness in the center of each dumpling.
- Breadcrumbs: Coat the dumplings and give them that cozy, toasty finish.
- Optional (Sugar, Honey, or Cinnamon): Mix and match to suit your taste!
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- If you’re lucky enough to have fresh plums in season, you can absolutely use them! Just slice them in half, remove the pit, and proceed as usual.
- You can swap the granulated sugar for brown sugar—it adds a caramel-like depth. Honey works too—just drizzle a little inside before closing up the dumpling.
- Traditional recipes use a mix of all-purpose and cake flour, but if you only have one or the other, that’s totally fine.
- For a butter alternative, you can use ghee or even coconut oil for a fun twist in flavor.
How to Make Traditional Slovenian Potato Plum Dumplings
Step 1: Wash and scrub the potatoes. Place them whole (with the skins on) in a large pot and cover with salted water. Boil for 25–30 minutes, or until they’re soft. Drain and let them cool slightly—filling the pot with cold water helps! Peel once they’re cool enough to handle (Image 1). Grate the peeled potatoes into a large bowl or use the tool to squish potatoes (Image 2).
Step 2: Add the flour, salt, and eggs (Image 3). Mix everything together by hand until it becomes a soft dough (Image 4). It will be a bit sticky, but that’s okay—we’ll use plenty of flour on the surface later.
Step 3: Lightly flour your work surface and roll the dough to about 0.5 cm thick (Image 5). Cut it into 10×10 cm squares (I usually cut it into 5 vertical and 3 horizontal pieces) (Image 6).
Step 4: Place a plum in the center of each square. Add the sugar on or beside the plum (Image 7). Fold the edges over the plum and shape into a ball (Image 8), sealing the dough tightly so it doesn’t open while cooking.
Step 5: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Gently drop in the dumplings and cook for 10–15 minutes, or until they float to the top (Image 9). Use a slotted spoon to remove them and let them drain. While the dumplings are cooking, melt the butter in a large pan. Add the breadcrumbs and toast over medium heat, stirring often, until golden and fragrant. You can add a bit of sugar, honey, or cinnamon if you like (Image 10).
You can either roll the dumplings in the toasted breadcrumbs or spoon the crumbs on top of each dumpling. I usually go with spooning—it’s less messy and still delicious!
Hint: Don’t skimp on the sugar in the center or the cinnamon in the coating. That sweetness is what makes these dumplings feel like a hug. And don’t worry if your dough feels a little sticky—it’s supposed to be!
💭Crucial Success Tips
- Choose starchy potatoes – Russets or Yukon Golds are perfect. Waxy varieties will make your dough too gluey.
- Seal the dumplings well – A good seal = no plums escaping mid-boil!
- Don’t overcrowd the pot – Boil in batches if needed so they have room to float and cook evenly.
- Breadcrumbs matter – Toast them until golden and fragrant—it’s the finishing touch that elevates everything.
- Work with cool potatoes – Warm potatoes can turn gummy when mixed with flour.
FAQ
Yes. Freeze them uncooked on a tray, then transfer to a bag. Boil straight from frozen when ready to serve.
Flour your hands and surface well. You can also chill the dough slightly if it’s too sticky to handle.
Most likely, the edges weren’t sealed tight enough or the dough was too thin in spots. Make sure to press all seams closed and handle them gently.
Both! Traditionally, they’re served as a sweet main course. But they make a delicious dessert too—especially with a drizzle of honey or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Traditional Slovenian Potato Plum Dumplings
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 750 g starchy potatoes like Russets or Yukon Gold
- 250 g flour use half all-purpose and half cake flour if you want to keep it traditional
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 eggs
For the filling:
- 15 dried plums remove pits if they aren’t already pitted
- 15 granulated sugar –30 tsp
- 1 tsp plum or 2 tsp if you prefer them sweeter
For the breadcrumb coating:
- 100 g butter
- 70 g breadcrumbs plain
- Optional: sugar honey, or cinnamon
- Yield: This recipe makes about 15 dumplings, each from a 10×10 cm piece of dough.
Instructions
- Wash and scrub the potatoes. Place them whole (with the skins on) in a large pot and cover with salted water. Boil for 25–30 minutes, or until they’re soft. Drain and let them cool slightly—filling the pot with cold water helps! Peel once they’re cool enough to handle. Grate the peeled potatoes into a large bowl.
- Add the flour, salt, and eggs. Mix everything together by hand until it becomes a soft dough.It will be a bit sticky, but that’s okay—we’ll use plenty of flour on the surface later.
- Lightly flour your work surface and roll the dough to about 0.5 cm thick. Cut it into 10×10 cm squares (I usually cut it into 5 vertical and 3 horizontal pieces).
- Place a plum in the center of each square. Add the sugar on or beside the plum. Fold the edges over the plum and shape into a ball, sealing the dough tightly so it doesn’t open while cooking.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Gently drop in the dumplings and cook for 10–15 minutes, or until they float to the top. Use a slotted spoon to remove them and let them drain. While the dumplings are cooking, melt the butter in a large pan. Add the breadcrumbs and toast over medium heat, stirring often, until golden and fragrant. You can add a bit of sugar, honey, or cinnamon if you like.You can either roll the dumplings in the toasted breadcrumbs or spoon the crumbs on top of each dumpling. I usually go with spooning—it’s less messy and still delicious!
Notes
- Use potatoes that are similar in size so they cook evenly.
- You can use brown sugar in the filling if that’s what you have.
- These dumplings freeze well before cooking. Freeze them on a tray, then transfer to a bag. Boil straight from frozen when ready.
Nutrition
If you gave these dumplings a try, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a ⭐️ star rating and drop a comment below to let me know how they turned out.
How To Store Traditional Slovenian Potato Plum Dumplings
For Uncooked Dumplings, freeze on a baking sheet, then transfer to a zip-top bag. Cook straight from frozen—no need to thaw!
Store leftovers cooked dumplings in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or in a pan with a little butter.
If your coated dumplings have been in the fridge, re-toast the breadcrumbs in a dry pan and roll the dumplings through again for that fresh-from-the-pan taste.
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