Topfenknödel are beloved Austrian sweet dumplings made from Topfen (quark), often served with toasted breadcrumbs and fruit compote. They’re light, creamy, and perfect as a dessert or a comforting main dish.
I ate the Topfenknödel in Mittenwald, South Bavaria, Topfen means Quark, and can be substituted with Greek Yoghurt or Ricotta cheese. The dumplings could be be filled with Plum or Apricot pieces, and covered with poppy seeds instead of breadcrumbs.
These dumplings are a staple in Austrian cuisine, especially in regions like Salzburg and Styria. Topfen, also known as Quark or farmer’s cheese, gives them a delicate tang and creamy texture. The dough typically combines Topfen, eggs, semolina or flour, and breadcrumbs, sometimes flavored with lemon zest, vanilla or rum.
🥣 How They’re Made
• Mixing the dough: Topfen is blended with eggs (often one whole and one yolk), softened butter, breadcrumbs, and sometimes flour or semolina. The mixture rests in the fridge to firm up.
• Shaping and cooking: Dumplings are formed and gently simmered—not boiled—for about 10 minutes until they float.
• Finishing: They’re rolled in buttery toasted breadcrumbs, sometimes sweetened with sugar and cinnamon, and served warm.
🍓 Serving Suggestions
Topfenknödel pair beautifully with:
• Fruit compotes: Apricot, plum, or apple are traditional.
• Sauces: Elderberry, blueberry, or vanilla cream.
• Ice cream: Zimteis (cinnamon), sour cream, or butterscotch varieties add seasonal flair Chefkoch.de.
🧁 Variations
• Filled versions: Some recipes tuck fruit like Apricots or Plums inside the dumpling.
• Mohnknödel: Rolled in poppy seeds and sugar instead of breadcrumbs.
• Lighter styles: Recipes vary from rustic ski-hut versions with more flour to refined, airy desserts with minimal starch.
🕰️ Prep Tips
• Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes to firm it up.
• Use Speisetopfen (Greek Yogurt 10%) for best texture.
• Dumplings can be frozen raw, though they may lose a bit of flavor
While preparing the Topfenknoedel, you can make the Vanilla sauce. I prefer the fast method with a mix, or just use Vanilla pudding, the cooking type, and add more milk a the end to make it fluid.
Vanilla Sauce can be ordered here on Amazon
Austrian/Bavarian Topfenknödel
Ingredients
- 250g 2% Greek Yoghurt strained, or Ricotta
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 3 tbsp Flour
- 3 tbsp Grits or Semolina flour
- 1 dash Salt
- Bread crumb mixture:
- 3 tbsp Butter
- 6 tbsp Bread crumbs
- 1 tbsp Sugar
Instructions
- Beat Butter and egg till foamy. Add yoghurt, semolina flour and dash of salt.
- Then stir until smooth. Let rest for 1 hour.
- Boil a pot of water, form dumplings with a wet spoon by hand and place in almost boiling water.
- Leave in water on medium high until the dumplings move to the top, about 15 minutes.
- Fry the butter, bread flour and sugar in a pan until golden brown.
- Remove the dumpling from the water and roll in the bread crumps.
Notes
Dumplings can be filled with plum, apricot or berries, or just add fruit as a side.
A similar recipe can be found here: Topfenknödel
