An easy-to-follow video tutorial on dumpling folding methods. 10 patterns covering all levels of skill. Extra tips to make your attempts to fold dumplings fail-proof.
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Pin ItHere comes the most fun part of my Ultimate Dumpling Guide: folding dumplings into beautiful patterns. Even if there aren’t any set rules, it’s great to try different folding techniques to make your dumplings special. In this post, I’m sharing 10 folding methods. Choose the pattern you prefer, or why not try all of them!
Note: I also have a tutorial on folding wontons in six ways.
The most common look of a Chinese dumpling is ‘half-moon’ shape. So the simplest folding method is to place the filling in the middle of the wrapper, then fold over and seal. Voilà! It’s done. Before watching my tutorial video on 10 methods (inside the recipe card below), let me explain some of the basics of dumpling folding.
Seal well to avoid leaking
No matter what shape you are making, please make sure the dumpling is well sealed, especially if you are going to boil them in water. Otherwise, you would end up with broken wrappers and leaking filling. Not pleasant, is it?
Don’t overly flour the wrappers
In my post on homemade dumpling wrappers, I suggest you dust the dough with flour to avoid sticking. However, if you use excess flour over the wrappers, you would find it difficult to seal. So easy on the dusting and always make sure the less floured side of the wrapper is facing upwards when folding.
Start with a simple pattern and less filling
If you are new to dumpling assembly, start with the simple patterns. Try to place a little less filling on the wrapper. This will make your first attempts much easier. Gradually increase the amount of filling as you improve your skill.
Homemade wrappers work much better
With homemade wrappers, you can fold your dumplings any way you wish as they are moist, soft and stretchy. If you use shop-bought wrappers, you will have to wet the rim to make them sticky.
Since shop-bought ones are drier and stiffer, it’s quite difficult to stretch them. Therefore for more sophisticated patterns, eg. the one shown in the image above, they don’t do a good job.
Choose the pattern that suits your cooking methods
You can choose the pattern(s) that suits your cooking method. For example, if the dumplings are to be boiled, they are less likely to retain a perfect look after cooking.
So to save time, you could go for one of the simpler patterns. Whereas steaming or pan-frying wouldn’t affect the shape of the dumplings. So you could try some of the more intricate patterns instead.
Freeze dumplings if not used immediately
Homemade dumplings freeze very well. Right after they are assembled, lay them on a tray (dust with flour or line with parchment paper) to freeze. Then put them in an air-tight bag when totally frozen.
Follow the same cooking procedure (do not defrost). If using the steaming method, prolong the cooking time by 2 mins (Please find cooking instructions in my post “Cook dumplings in three ways”)
Learn more about dumplings
I hope you find my instructions easy to follow. If you are looking for more inspiration and dumpling recipes, check out these related posts:
Ten ways to fold dumplings
Video
Ingredients
Instructions
- Please refer to the video tutorial below
Notes
- Homemade wrappers work much better
- Seal well to avoid leaking
- Don’t overly flour the wrappers
- Start with a simple pattern and less filling
Your Recipe Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I found this extremely helpful in teaching a Dumpling 101 class for SLT! Thanks so much
You’re welcome Mary! Very happy to know you find my post helpful.
how can I stop my frozen dumplings from “exploding”? they are perfect when freshly made but when I freeze them, they develop cracks in the dumpling wrapper. I use homemade dumpling wrappers.
Excess moisture in the filling, especially from vegetables like cabbage, can expand when frozen and cause the wrapper to crack. Lightly salt high-water-content vegetables after chopping, then squeeze out excess moisture before mixing with meat. Also, homemade wrappers dry out quickly, so avoid leaving them exposed to air to prevent brittleness and cracking. Hope this helps!
Oh that’s a great tip! I did figure it was something inside the dumpling (too much air/too much filling) but couldn’t find a fix – makes sense that it’s the water in the veggies that expands! I’ll try salting the cabbage next time, thank you! I suppose I’ll also have to adjust the saltiness of the filling to compensate for that extra salt…or do you recommend rinsing off the salt from the cabbage before mixing it with the meat?
You only need a little salt for the chopped cabbage. Let it rest for 10 minutes, then squeeze out as much water as possible—no need to rinse. Just slightly reduce the salty seasoning in the filling to balance it out. Happy cooking!
You are so talented, I’m so excited to try these methods out!
Thank you Mel! Hope you’ll enjoy folding and eating your homemade dumplings.
I had never made dumplings before–I thought they would be way to difficult. My husband encouraged me to try to make some so I bought fresh store bought wraps and went on an internet search for help. Your dumpling and dip recipes and directions gave me everything I needed in order to create delicious dumplings with the food I had at home. Your video made folding the dumplings fun and they turned out awesome! These will be made on a regular basis in our home! In the future I would like to try your method and make gluten free wraps for dumplings.
Very happy to know you enjoyed using my recipes!
really good
Watching this video was so calming and beautiful. I struggle with folding dumplings, but after this I feel confident that I’ll be able to fold them properly. Thank you so much and I hope you have a beautiful day 🙂
All your stuff is incredible thanks
Your dumpling posts are a godsend. Thanks for breaking things down.
You’re welcome Mr. Marley! Glad you find my ultimate dumpling guide helpful.