Have a Chinese night with homemade dumplings. Don’t rely on Chinese takeaways all the time. Instead, make your own dumplings at home with your preferred fillings and dumpling fold.
I know folding a dumpling might be a lot of work, especially if you are a beginner. However, it will be the easiest and fastest part of making dumplings once you get the knack for it and learn tips and tricks about folding dumplings.
In my opinion, it is even the most fun part of the recipe since you can style the dumplings according to your desired shape.
In this guide, I teach 7 ways to fold dumplings. From the popular crescent dumpling to the easiest ingot type, you can choose a folding technique according to your desired purpose. On top of that, I share some of my best tips when folding dumplings, do’s and don’ts, and many more.
A Brief Overview Of Dumplings
When it comes to dumplings, it is recognizable in different shapes and sizes. You can find several types of dumplings, including potstickers, wontons, and har gow, to name a few. In general definition, a dumpling is a ball of dough with a sweet or savory filling.
The dough is typically made of flour and water and is kneaded and shaped into small circular wrappers. Each wrapper is filled with a filling at the center and is sealed by pinching. After folding and sealing all the dumplings, it is cooked according to your desired recipe.
It can be steamed, fried, air-fried, or boiled. You can eat it alone or with dumpling dipping sauces like soy sauce or sweet chili sauce. Have it as an appetizer, snack, or side dish in dim sum restaurants.
7 Ways To Fold Dumplings
I listed my top 7 ways of folding dumplings: potbelly, crescent, wheat ear-shaped, lace-shaped, shell, butterfly, and ingot type. It is similar to how you fold a wonton as well.
To help you follow through, watch how I did it with my tutorial guides below or on Instagram and Tiktok. As you watch my videos, check out the detailed steps below for clearer instructions.
1. Potbelly Dumplings
- Fill the center of the wrapper with filling.
- Form a circle on one hand using the thumb and index finger.
- Place the wrapper on top of that circle.
- Fold the wrapper in half using both thumbs, one on each side.
- The left thumb should pinch the left half side, while the right thumb should pinch the right half side of the dumpling.
- Then, gently bring the two sides toward the center.
- Press the edges firmly until you get an oval potbelly shape at the center and pinched edges.
2. Crescent Dumplings
- Fill the center of the wrapper with filling.
- Slightly bend the wrapper in half but not fully closed. This will give you two sides, the top and bottom sides of the wrapper.
- Pinch the top and bottom edges of the right outer corner of the wrapper.
- Then, take a small part of the wrapper from the top fold and pinch it to make pleats.
- Continue pleating the top half of the wrapper until you reach the left side of the wrapper.
- Once your reach the left corner of the wrapper, pinch the edge to fully seal.
3. Wheat Ear-Shaped Dumplings
- Fill the center of the wrapper with filling.
- Form a circle on one hand using the thumb and index finger.
- Place the wrapper on top of that circle.
- Using your other hand, make two pleats on the right side of the wrapper.
- Then, combine those two pleats by pinching them together.
- You will continue pinching the wrapper’s top half and bottom half side towards the pleats. Pinch the top edge towards the two pinched pleats. Then, pinch the bottom edge towards the two pinched pleats.
- Continue the simultaneous pleating of the top and bottom sides until you have reached the end and the dumpling is fully closed.
- It should look like wheat ears from this point.
4. Lace-Shaped Dumplings
- Fill the center of the wrapper with filling.
- Fold the wrapper in half.
- Press the edges of both sides of the wrapper together. This should give you a half-moon shape.
- Then, take the pointed end of the right corner and fold it towards the crease of the filling. The fold should form a small triangle with a new pointed corner.
- Next, take the new pointed corner and repeat step 4.
- Keep repeating steps 4 and 5 until you reach the other side of the wrapper.
- As a result, it should give you a beautiful laced and twisty edge.
5. Shell Dumplings
- Fill the center of the wrapper with filling on one hand.
- Fold the wrapper in half and pinch only the middle upper edge. Both the left and right parts of the wrapper should be open.
- Then, take the right open edge and press it lightly towards the center.
- Once you press, focus on pinching the upper edge towards the center. You will be left with a smaller opening on the right side of the wrapper.
- From the small opening on the right side, lightly press it again towards the center and pinch to seal. It should give you two folded pleats.
- Next, turn the dumpling to the other side. The left opening should now be on the right.
- Repeat steps 3 to 5 on this side.
- It should give you a swerved shell with an S-lining.
6. Butterfly Dumplings
- Fill the center of the wrapper with filling on one hand.
- Fold the wrapper in half and pinch only the middle upper edge. Both the left and right parts of the wrapper should be open.
- Then, take the right open side and press it lightly towards the center.
- Once you press, focus on pinching the upper edge towards the center. You will be left with a smaller opening on the right side of the wrapper.
- After creating one crease, seal the remaining opening by pinching them together.
- Do the same for the left open side. Fold the upper edge towards the center and pinch the remaining opening to seal.
- This should give you a slightly curved dumpling with two overlapping corners at the center.
7. Ingot Type Dumplings
- Fill the center of the wrapper with filling.
- Fold the wrapper in half and press both sides of the wrapper together. This should give you a half-moon shape.
- Then, turn the dumpling upside down, with the flat side at the top and the curved side at the bottom.
- Take the left and right tips with both hands and bring them together at the center.
- The dumpling should now have a round shape with a small sphere at the center.
Essential Tips When Folding Dumplings
Folding your first dumpling can be challenging, but that’s okay! I first started as a newbie as well. Getting it right the first time isn’t always easy.
So, I listed some helpful tips and suggestions that can make a difference in your folding technique. There are several things to keep in mind that can affect the wrapper’s quality and ease of folding.
- Practice with the easiest folding technique: I recommend following the simplest fold such as ingot and potbelly folds. Once you get used to holding the wrapper, folding, and pinching, you can work your way to trying other more complicated folding techniques like lace and wheat ear shapes.
- Do not overfill the dumpling: One of the top reasons why a dumpling would spill and leak out the filling is when you put too much filling. Moreover, overfilling the dumpling wrapper will only make it difficult to shape and seal. You need enough space to pinch and seal the wrapper. I recommend starting with a small amount of filling first to make it easier to fold, especially if it is your first attempt. Once you get used to folding, you can gradually add a bit more filling.
- The filling should not be too wet: A filling that is too wet can soften the wrapper and break it. So, make sure the filling is moist but not watery. If it is too wet, you can drain the moisture out and add a bit of flour.
- Pinch and seal properly: You want to make sure that there are no openings left in the dumplings. If you miss a spot, the filling will most likely spill out when boiled or fried. Aside from spillage, it makes the dumpling weaker and will cause it to crumble during the cooking process.
- Do not dust with too much flour: Dusting the wrapper with flour prevents the wrappers from sticking, which is a good thing. However, too much flour can also make it harder to seal and work with. If you dust with too much flour, adding a bit of water to the edges helps with sealing. Dab a bit of water onto your fingers, swipe your finger onto the edges, and pinch to seal.
- Store leftover uncooked dumplings: If you plan to prepare dumplings in advance, you can keep the uncooked dumplings in the freezer. It should be placed on a flat tray line with parchment paper. Once the uncooked dumplings are completely frozen, you can then transfer them to a sealed freezer bag.
- Use room-temperature wrappers:If you kept the wrappers in the fridge or freezer, make sure you let them warm up to room-temperature before using them. Wrappers that are cold tend to be stiff and may break or crack when folded.
- Store leftover dumpling wrappers: Unused wrappers can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container. It can also be covered with a damp towel to retain its moisture. If the container you used is not airtight or sealed, air will enter and make the wrappers hard and dry. Once it becomes dry, you won’t be able to use it anymore and it will be difficult to fold.
Final Thoughts
Which folding technique do you prefer? Do you know other ways to fold a dumpling? Let us know your thoughts and recommendations below.
If you want to learn more about dumplings, read the following guides: What Are Dumplings?, Bao Vs Dumpling Vs Dimsum, and A Foodie’s Guide On Types Of Dumplings. Stay in the loop with the latest food trends and guides by following Kitchen Misadventures on Instagram and Tiktok
