I just whipped up a batch of my grandma’s famous blackberry dumplings and my kitchen smells like pure heaven!
These tender, fluffy treats are the perfect old-fashioned dessert. With sweet, syrupy sauce and soft, melt-in-your-mouth “biscuits,” they’re almost like blackberry cobbler.
You can’t beat the sweet-tart flavor of ripe blackberries with rich, buttery dumplings.
Trust me, once you try them, you’ll be hooked!
Why You’ll Love These Blackberry Dumplings
Seasonal Favorite: Bursting with ripe summer blackberries, they’re perfect for warm weather. But you can enjoy them all year round.
Nostalgic Treat: This old-fashioned dessert has been one of my favorites since childhood. Top it off with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you’ve got a bowl full of comfort.
Guaranteed Crowd-Pleaser: Make them for family gatherings, potlucks, or backyard BBQs. Enjoy them from the pot, topped with ice cream or whipped cream, or as chilled leftovers!
Ingredients
- Fresh or Frozen Blackberries: The juicy, plump berries create the base for the syrup.
- Sugar: It helps transform the berries into a glossy sauce.
- Water: It combines with the berries and sugar to bring everything together.
- Fresh Lemon Juice: To add a light freshness.
- All-Purpose Flour: It’s the foundation of the fluffy dumplings.
- Baking Powder: The leavening agent to puff the dumplings up.
- Salt & Ground Nutmeg: These are key flavor enhancers.
- Milk: I like whole milk for its rich flavor. It moistens the dumpling dough.
- Egg: A single egg acts as the binding agent.
- Vanilla Extract: It infuses the dumplings with a sweet, delicate aroma and taste.
How to Make Blackberry Dumplings
This recipe combines the best elements and techniques from several authentic Southern recipes.
Follow these steps, then serve the dumplings piping hot for an old-fashioned, comforting dessert.
1. Make the syrup. Combine the blackberries, sugar, water, and lemon juice in a pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer.
2. Make the dumplings Whisk together the dry ingredients in a bowl. (Flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.) Then, whisk the milk, egg, and vanilla in a second bowl. Finally, pour the wet mixture into the dry and mix until a soft dough forms.
3. Drop in the dumplings. Increase the heat under the blackberries to medium. Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls into the simmering blackberry mixture.
4. Simmer. Tightly cover the pot. Simmer the dumplings for 15 minutes until puffed up and cooked through. Then, gently flip the dumplings with a spoon to coat the other side. Simmer uncovered for another 5 minutes.
5. Serve and enjoy. Serve the blackberry dumplings warm with the syrup scooped over the top. Enjoy!
Tips for the Best Blackberry Dumplings
When making blackberry dumplings, there are a few tips that’ll make the process smoother:
- Fresh is best. The recipe calls for fresh or frozen berries. However, fresh berries will give you the best results. Select plump, ripe ones with no soft spots or discoloration.
- Leave the batter alone. Letting the batter rest for 5 minutes will work wonders. It gives the baking powder time to activate for fluffier dumplings.
- Proceed with caution! Be careful when dropping the dumplings into the simmering syrup. Drop them gently so the hot juice won’t splash on you. Also, drop them side-by-side instead of on top of one another.
- Top to your heart’s content. Blackberry dumplings taste phenomenal on their own. But they’re even better with ice cream or whipped cream on top.
How to Store
If you have any leftover dumplings, you can store or freeze them to enjoy later.
To Store: Place leftover dumplings in a covered container in the fridge for up to 4 days. If you don’t have an air-tight container, wrap the dish tightly with plastic wrap.
To Freeze: Let the dumplings cool completely. Then, transfer them to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
To Reheat: Let frozen dumplings thaw in the fridge overnight. Then, reheat single servings in the microwave until heated through. Reheat larger portions covered with foil in the oven. Heat at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 20 minutes.
Blackberry Dumplings
12
servings10
minutes35
minutes195
These blackberry dumplings are just like grandma made! Bursting with summer flavor, they’re sweet, easy, and delicious.
Ingredients
- For the Blackberry Syrup
4 cups fresh or frozen blackberries
1 cup sugar
2 cups water
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- For the Dumplings
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 cup milk
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine the blackberries, sugar, water, and lemon juice in a large pot or Dutch oven. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer while you prepare the dumplings.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix with a spoon until a soft dough forms.
- Increase the heat under the blackberries to medium. Drop the dumpling batter by heaping tablespoonfuls into the simmering blackberry mixture. Leave some space between each one.
- Cover the pot tightly. Let the dumplings simmer for 15 minutes without lifting the lid. The dumplings will puff up and cook through.
- After 15 minutes, remove the lid. Gently flip the dumplings over with a spoon to coat the other side in the syrup. Let simmer uncovered for 5 more minutes.
- Serve the blackberry dumplings warm in bowls with plenty of the syrup spooned over top.
Hi Kim, I haven’t made the recipe yet, but it looks like a winner. I’m on a low carb diet because I’m a diabetic. I will be able to substitute the sugar with a low carb sweetner, but the all-purpose flour, I’m still not sure how much of the low carb flours I could substitute with. If for arguments sake I use macadamia flour, how much of that can I use?
Thanks, your recipes are very tasty
Hi Cheanette!
I’m not an expert, but here’s what I found out:
Macadamia flour is a great low-carb alternative for all purpose. But it’s denser than all-purpose flour, so you may need to adjust the liquid ingredients slightly.
I suggest using 2 cups and then adding more milk, as needed.
Almond flour is another great choice and you can use that 1-1 for all-purpose.
I don’t recommend coconut flour as it’s super absorbent. But if you want to experiment, you’d need to use about 1/4-1/2 cup and possible add an extra egg and more milk.
Hope this helps 🙂