Blackberry Dumplings
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Last June, my cousin texted me asking if I remembered “those berry things with the dough chunks” our grandma used to make. I had no clue what she meant—until she sent me a blurry photo of an old recipe card.
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Turns out, it was this unique Missouri dessert where pastry pieces are cooked directly in boiling blackberry juice. Not baked. Not fried. Just simmered in a bubbling berry sauce until they’re tender, soaked through, and bursting with flavor.
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I tried it—and wow. Imagine fruit dumplings and berry pie having a baby. That’s exactly what this tastes like.
Blackberry Dumplings
📝 Ingredients
| Berry Sauce | |
|---|---|
| 4 cups fresh or frozen blackberries | |
| 2 cups white sugar (adjust to taste) | |
| 2 cups water | |
| 2 Tbsp butter | |
| 1 tsp cinnamon |
| Pastry Dumplings | |
|---|---|
| 2 cups all-purpose flour | |
| 1 tsp salt | |
| ¼ cup shortening | |
| 1 egg yolk | |
| ~5 Tbsp milk |
👩🍳 Instructions
- Make the berry sauce
- In a large pot, combine blackberries, sugar, water, butter, and cinnamon.
- Cook over medium-low heat for 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until berries break down into a thick sauce.
- Prepare the dumpling dough
- Whisk flour and salt in a bowl.
- Cut in shortening with a pastry cutter or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Stir in egg yolk. Add milk gradually, 1 Tbsp at a time, mixing with a fork until dough holds together.
- Shape the dumplings
- Divide dough in half. Roll each half on a floured surface to ¼-inch thickness.
- Cut into strips 2–3 inches wide.
- Cook the dumplings
- Bring berry mixture to a boil.
- Pinch off 4-inch pieces of dough and drop them directly into the bubbling berries. Continue until all dough is used.
- Reduce heat to medium. Cook for 15 minutes without stirring (you may gently push dumplings down into liquid, but do not stir or they’ll fall apart).
- Finish & serve
- Remove from heat and let rest 10 minutes to thicken.
- Serve warm in bowls. Optional: top with evaporated milk or a scoop of ice cream.
🔑 Notes & Tips
- Start with less sugar if berries are naturally sweet; adjust after tasting.
- Frozen berries work perfectly—no need to thaw.
- Add milk slowly; dough should hold shape but not be sticky.
- Critical: Do not stir dumplings while cooking—they’ll disintegrate.
- Dumplings absorb liquid as they sit; add water when reheating.
- Store covered in the refrigerator for 3–4 days.
✨ This old-fashioned blackberry dumpling recipe is rustic, cozy, and unforgettable—a true taste of Missouri tradition.
