Make sure the dumpling dough isn’t too dry or too wet. Add the water to the flour slowly and mix just until no more flour remains on the sides of the bowl. It should be somewhat stiff but hold together and easily be able to form into a dough ball. The dough should not be wet or sticky at this point. If it is, simply dust it with a teaspoon of flour at a time incorporating it until it’s no longer wet. When using 00 flour to make dumpling dough, you’ll most likely need the full 6 tablespoons of water because 00 flour has a higher hydration absorption rate. If you use all-purpose flour, you’ll most likely need around 5 tablespoons of water. For bread flour I use, I typically add 6 tablespoons of water, but I never dump the water into the flour because everything from what time of year it is to what brand of bread flour I’m using makes a difference in how much water I’ll need to add.

If you feel the dough is too difficult to knead just after you’ve formed the dough ball, cover it with plastic wrap and let it rest for 15 minutes before continuing to knead it.

Homemade dumpling dough needs to rest for at least 15 minutes and up to 3 hours covered at room temperature before rolling and filling. But you can also wrap dumpling dough in sustainable cling film and place it in the refrigerator overnight, or up to 2 days before rolling and filling.

Making Bulk Dumplings: For standard dumplings and potstickers, I like to make them in bulk over 2 days. I make the dumpling fillings and the dough on Day 1 and refrigerate them overnight. Then I roll and fill them on Day 2. Breaking up the tasks over 2 days makes it feel like less work especially if you don’t have a helper.