Vatrushka: the delicious recipe for Russian cheese pastries

Vatrushka are Russian round pastries made from an egg-enriched, sweetened, yeast dough. It’s filled with sweet cheese, usually cream cheese, ricotta, farmer’s cheese, or quark.

This recipe is not only easy to make, but these Russian cheese pastries are super easy to modify with your own delicious fillings. Because the dough is enriched, having both great flavor and texture. The filling is creamy and delicious.

In Czechia, there is a similar pastry recipe known as kolaches. Unlike most pastries which involve a lot of steps, this recipe is easy to make. It’s like a donut, but is much fancier and tastes better too!

What Is A Vatrushka?

Vatrushka buns (pronounced vat-roosh-kah) are Eastern European pastries made from sweet dough. They usually have a well in the middle and are filled with cream cheese, farmer’s cheese, or quark.

The name comes from the word “Vatra” which means fire. It’s probably named this way because it’s such a comforting sweet snack, it warms you up inside

Vatrushka Buns Vs Pirozhki

Pirozhki are popular Eastern European treats, of which Vatrushkas are one of. But they vary in the different fillings, and how the fillings are added.

With Pirozhki, the filling is usually on the inside, while Vatrushkas have their filling on top.

How To Make Vatrushka

Mix together the flour, warm milk, melted butter, dry yeast, sugar, vanilla extract, salt, and egg. Stir until the dough is soft and sticky. Allow to rest for 2 hours in a warm place. In another bowl, mix together the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla sugar, egg, and flour. Add the raisins and mix.

Now it’s time to work with the dough. Shape it into the balls and transfer them to the baking tray. Use a glass bottom to make indentations. Fill each indentation with cheese filling and brush them with egg yolk and milk, and bake.

Vatrushka Filling Ideas

Some filling ideas for Vatrushka buns are ricotta cheese, farmers’ cheese, whipped cream, fresh strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries, cherries, cranberries, or craisins, fruit preserves or jam, chocolate chips.

Tips For The Best Russian Cheese Pastries

Serve these Russian Cheese Pastries with a dusting of vanilla sugar.

If you cannot find it in a store near you, you can easily make your own. Simply scoop the seeds out of a vanilla bean. Add it to one cup sugar and pulse in a food processor until fully incorporated. For every 1 cup sugar, use 1 vanilla bean. Let it sit for at least two weeks.

How To Store Vatrushka Buns

Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Can You Freeze Vatrushka?

Yes, you can! Allow to cool completely. Wrap with plastic wrap, or place in an airtight container, and freeze for up to 3 months.

Instructions

In a bowl add flour, warm milk, melted butter, dry yeast, sugar, vanilla extract, salt, egg and mix all together.

Stir for about 5 minutes until the dough is soft and sticky. Cover it and let it rest for 2 hours in a warm place.

In another bowl add the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla sugar, egg, flour and mix all together well.

At the end add the raisins and mix them all again.

After time has elapsed, use flour to handle sticky dough and divide it into 8 pieces.

Shape it into the balls and transfer them to the baking tray. Use a glass bottom to make indentations.

Fill each indentation with cheese filling and brush them with egg yolk and milk. Bake for 25 minutes at 180°C/356°F.

Decorate with powdered sugar.

Notes

For this recipe, it’s not necessary to proof the yeast before adding the other ingredients.