Blackberry Dumplings

Soft and tender dumplings cooked on the stovetop in a sweetened blackberry sauce. Top with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Servings: 10

Download printable recipe card here.

INGREDIENTS:

Blackberry sauce:

  • 1 pound (454g) blackberries, fresh or frozen

  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar

  • 1 cup (240mL) water

  • 1 tablespoon (15mL) lemon juice

  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Dumplings:

  • 2 cups (240g) sifted flour

  • 3 teaspoons baking powder

  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar

  • 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces

  • ¾ cup (180mL) buttermilk

  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

 

HOW TO MAKE BLACKBERRY DUMPLINGS:

Blackberry sauce

  1. In a 9" or 10" cast iron skillet or a cooking skillet, combine the blackberries, sugar, water, lemon juice, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine.

  2. Turn the heat to medium and allow fruit mixture to come to a simmer while you make the dumpling dough.

 

Dumplings

  1. In a medium size bowl, whisk together the sifted flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, salt, and sugar.

  2. Add the butter to the flour mixture; then, using a pastry blender, work the butter into the mixture until it becomes coarse, uneven crumbs. Aim for pea-sized chunks (some smaller or larger are fine, but overall, the crumbs should be pea-sized).

  3. Pour the vanilla extract into the buttermilk, stir to mix well, and then pour the buttermilk/vanilla mixture evenly over the flour/butter mixture. Stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened and create a shaggy dough.

  4. Drop the dumpling dough by tablespoonfuls into the simmering blackberry mixture, spreading them out evenly over the whole skillet.

  5. When you have scooped all the dough into the blackberries, cover the skillet with its lid or foil and reduce the heat to low. Allow the dumplings to simmer for about 12–14 minutes, until the dumplings are cooked all the way through. Internal temperature should be at least 195ºF (91ºC).

  6. When dumplings are cooked all the way through and blackberry mixture has thickened, remove from heat and allow to cool a few minutes before serving.

  7. To serve, spoon the hot dumplings and blackberries into bowls and top with ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.

Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Dumplings freeze well, up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and heat individual servings in the microwave as needed.

This recipe is brought to you in partnership with Fresh April Flours.

Rachel Perry