Blackberry Dumplings

8 servings Prep: 15 m Cook: 1 h Total: 1 h 15 m Intermediate
5.0/5 (4)
Blackberry Dumplings
My Mom made these dumplings with flour and water and the yummy fresh blackberries we picked after fighting with the snakes in the briar patch. This recipe uses the old way of making them and a new way of fixing them with cake mix for tender, fluffy dumplings. Mom never had leftovers with this dish.

Ingredients

8 servings
  • 1 gallon blackberries cleaned, washed and well drained
  • 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • Just enough water to cover the berries
  • Dough
  • 1 box yellow cake mix
  • 2 beaten eggs
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 1/2 cups flour

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. To cook the berries, put berries, sugar, and water in a large pot. Bring to a boil and cook on medium heat for approximately 20-30 minutes until berries are soft and juicy.
  2. While the berries are cooking, blend the cake mix, eggs, baking powder and water with an electric mixer. Add flour gradually and mix until the dough is stiff. Knead by hand until smooth.
  3. Reduce berry mixture to a gentle simmer. Drop the dough by teaspoonful into the simmering berries. Make sure that the dumplings are far enough apart to allow them to rise. Cover and simmer 5 minutes.
  4. Gently turn the dumplings over on the other side, cover and cook 5 more minutes until dumplings are cooked through and fluffy. Remove from berries.
  5. To serve, put dumpling in a small bowl, add berries and top with vanilla ice cream. Yummmmm! You can cook as much as you need and then put the rest of the dough in the ice box for use at a later time. Can keep up to a week. Other fruit can be used such as strawberries, peaches or pears, fresh, frozen or canned.

Common Problems and Solutions

Q: Why are my dumplings falling apart?

A: Make sure the dough is stiff enough by adding flour gradually until it holds together well. Also, don't stir the berries once you drop the dumplings in - let them simmer undisturbed.

Q: Can I use frozen blackberries?

A: Yes, frozen berries work great. No need to thaw them first, just add a few extra minutes to the cooking time to account for the frozen fruit.

Q: Why are my dumplings tough?

A: Don't overmix the dough once you add the flour. Mix just until combined and knead briefly - overworking develops too much gluten and makes them dense.

Tips and Techniques

The dough can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to a week, making this perfect for using up fresh berries throughout the season. Make sure to keep the berry mixture at a gentle simmer when cooking the dumplings - if it’s boiling too hard, they’ll break apart.

Ingredient Substitutions

  • yellow cake mix: white cake mix or biscuit mix
  • fresh blackberries: frozen blackberries, strawberries, peaches, or pears
  • granulated sugar: reduce to 2 cups for less sweet berries or increase for tart fruit

Equipment Needed

  • Large pot or Dutch oven
  • Electric mixer
  • Large spoon for dropping dumplings

Historical Context

Blackberry dumplings are a classic Southern dessert from the days when families would pick wild blackberries in the summer. The original recipes used simple flour and water dough, but this version uses cake mix for a more tender, dessert-like dumpling.