Easy Dumpling Recipe

Simple to Make Drop-In Morsels

Jan 17, 2008 Melody Rhodes

Dumpling making made easy: how to get perfect dumplings every time using a fail-proof dumpling recipe.

Do you desire melt-in-your mouth morsels to compliment that chicken stew or homemade soup?

Dumplings are the perfect accompaniment for meat and broth dishes. You can achieve tender dumplings every time when you know the secret to making delicious dumplings.

Traditional dumpling recipes call for lard or shortening for dumplings. While these ingredients are suitable for biscuits, they generally do not render tender dumplings.

You can become an accomplished dumpling maker but the key is to use either soft margarine or butter instead of lard or shortening in your dumpling recipe.

Easy Dumpling Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of white flour
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4 tbsp. soft margarine or butter
• 1 cup of milk (or more)

Method:

1. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
2. Cut in butter that's been kept at room temperature or use soft margarine.
3. Stir milk lightly into the flour mixture with a wooden spoon and adjust amounts to make sure that you have a moist dumpling dough.

Dumpling Cooking Tips

• Make sure your soup or stew is on a gentle simmer. The liquid does not have to be boiling to achieve tender dumplings. Remember that pot temperature rises with the lid on and you don't want the contents to stick and burn.

• Drop dumpling dough into the liquid by teaspoonfuls or for larger dumplings use a tablespoon. There's no need to worry about shaping perfect dumplings because they will puff up as they cook. Cover your pot with a lid so that the dumplings can steam.

• Check your dumplings after 10 minutes. You can use a knife to cut a slit in one dumpling to check inside. Cook until dumplings are no longer raw in the middle. You are now ready to serve your chicken and dumplings or soup and dumplings. Ladle into serving bowls, including a dumpling or two per bowl.

If you like a little sweet with your meat, add:

Raisin Dumplings

• 1/2 cup of raisins
• 1 tsp chopped onion
• 1 tbsp. chopped pecans

Sweet Drop Dumplings

These dumplings go well with beef dishes

• 1/4 cup of raisins
• 1/4 cup of apples
• dash of cinnamon

For Chicken or Turkey Dishes, add Peaches or Mangos to Your Dumpling Recipe

• 1/4 cup of raisins
• 1/4 cup of chopped peaches or mangos

Steamed dumplings are a wonderful compliment to homemade soups and stews, adding extra wholesomeness, texture, and taste. The next time you're wondering what to serve with that chicken dish or beef stew, pop some dumplings "under the hood" for hearty, down-home goodness.

• If you enjoy old fashioned cooking, try hearty homemade bread, delicious homemade cinnamon rolls or versatile master baking mix for favorites such as muffins, coffee cake, or meat pie, comfort foods for cold winter days.

The copyright of the article Easy Dumpling Recipe in Recipes is owned by Melody Rhodes. Permission to republish Easy Dumpling Recipe in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Dumplings

36 Comments

Comments

Sep 18, 2008 4:44 PM

Guest :

I tried this recipe and these are great! Just like my Mom used to make.

Sep 18, 2008 7:53 PM

Melody Rhodes :

Hello,
I'm so glad you liked them. Yes, this recipe makes very tender light dumplings. I use it all the time.

Kind Regards,
Melody

Sep 28, 2008 1:47 PM

Guest :

I will be making these tonight for my chicken and dumplings, I hope they turn out wonderful!!

Sep 28, 2008 4:18 PM

Guest :

I just tried these tonight and they came out GREAT!! Thank you SO much for posting these! This will be my all time dumpling favorite!! Great job.

Sep 28, 2008 4:57 PM

Melody Rhodes :

Thanks for the feedback. Yes, the dumplings are great, aren't they?

Oct 11, 2008 6:55 PM

Guest :

I was almost out of butter so I used 1 Tbsp of butter and 3 Tbsp of shortening...the dumplings came out mushy, I cooked for over 10 min, was the mushiness because they weren't cooked long enough or from using shortening? Oh, I made very big dumplings...

Oct 11, 2008 7:35 PM

Melody Rhodes :

Hi,
My grandmother used to make them with shortening and hers were always heavy and claggy. That's why, in this recipe I use soft margarine or butter. That's the secret to tender dumplings--you end up with a much nicer, lighter dumpling.

Also, you may have needed to cook them longer. I always insert a knife and check them on the inside.

Nov 9, 2008 3:24 PM

Guest :

Just to let everyone know, I gave this recipe a try and the dumplings came out beautifully! Also, I made them with chicken and veggies in a slow-cooker. I turned the slow-cooker up to high and dropped the dumplings in, cooking them for 25 minutes.

Nov 14, 2008 9:12 AM

Guest :

Love, Love, Love it. Easy to make and taste wonderful!

Nov 16, 2008 5:42 AM

Guest :

tried and true

Nov 25, 2008 7:29 AM

Guest :

hi is that plain or self raising flour please?

Nov 25, 2008 11:57 AM

Melody Rhodes :

For these dumplings, just use regular flour.

Nov 29, 2008 10:45 PM

Guest :

Thanks for sharing!
I am attempting the olive garden recipe for the chicken soup that JUST came out OMG!!!!!! TDF!!!

Dec 14, 2008 8:37 PM

Guest :

The smaller sized dumplings worked better for me.

Dec 15, 2008 4:48 AM

Guest :

The smaller sized dumplings worked better for me.

Jan 19, 2009 7:14 AM

Guest :

this is cool! i wanna try~~

Jan 22, 2009 7:09 AM

Guest :

These were AWESOME! Just like MOM used to make; takes me back to my childhood! Best thing about them is they are so easy to do and cook to perfection! Fully enjoyed the dumplings with my chicken. Most certainly will be using this recipe time and time again. Thanks for posting the recipe!

Jan 22, 2009 10:12 AM

Guest :

Melody, WOW Those were the easiest to make dumplings ever and came out wonderful! At first I thought the dough was too sticky and moist and I was really worried about wasting my broth using it, but I have to say they came out excallent. Thank you so much for a new easy and fast way to make home made dumplings!!!

Jan 22, 2009 4:38 PM

Guest :

I made these tonight and used them on homemade beef stew! They were fantastic! I will never use store bought biscuits again! Thank you

Feb 16, 2009 6:34 PM

Guest :

Great even for dads. The kids said they were amazing. Thank you

Feb 17, 2009 7:50 PM

Guest :

Thanks for sharing this very easy recipe. Made the Dumplings tonite and they were very good. I was surprised using butter rather than shortening.

Feb 28, 2009 9:14 AM

Guest :

do they work with beef

Feb 28, 2009 7:56 PM

Melody Rhodes :

Yes, these dumplings are wonderful with either beef or chicken.

Mar 8, 2009 8:56 PM

Guest :

These are amazing! I have tried to make them before and finally a recipe that comes out right! I have found that using Hungarian Flour (found at Walmart) in high altitudes helps them not be so heavy as well. The flavor of these are great though - and by far the best I have tried! Better than my mom's southern dumplings even - and she's from Mississippi! But shhhhh don't tell her that!

Mar 8, 2009 11:52 PM

Melody Rhodes :

Using soft (unhydrogenated) margarine or butter makes for light dumplings. And these are light and tender. You can gently simmer them, so soup or stew doesn't stick or burn, and you can also check them for doneness, which doesn't hurt them at all.

Mar 9, 2009 7:47 PM

Guest :

hay, these dumplings was the best, i also put corn meal inside of them they was the best, i made stewed chichen i am very pleased with the out come...

Mar 13, 2009 5:07 PM

Guest :

I just made chicken soup with these dumplings for my sick husband (flu) and even in his miserable state he said they were like clouds! Very light, not at all soggy, and very tasty. I added just a bit of cayenne and parsley - we like spicy food.

Mar 13, 2009 5:56 PM

Guest :

I just made chicken soup with these dumplings for my sick husband (flu) and even in his miserable state he said they were like clouds! Very light, not at all soggy, and very tasty. I added just a bit of cayenne and parsley - we like spicy food.

May 4, 2009 4:15 PM

Guest :

good to go

Jun 8, 2009 3:53 AM

Guest :

Fabulous! Best ever! Forwarded the recipe of your outstanding dumplings to my family & friends.
Thank you.
Lyn Roberts, Cape Town, South Africa

Aug 20, 2009 11:56 AM

Guest :

must've did something wrong because the dumplings grew to extremely large size....still tasted good but were extremely large and absorbed most of the stew??? what could've went awry?

Aug 20, 2009 12:27 PM

Melody Rhodes :

Did you use a teaspoon to drop dumpling dough into your liquid? A teaspoon should allow for nice-sized dumplings.

Aug 20, 2009 6:18 PM

Guest :

I think i did something wrong too... :( I made these because I didn't like the heavy thick ones. I'm not sure if they weren't firm enough before i put them in, or i cooked them too long? They disintegrated on me and the ones that were still there were mushy. What did I do? Is the consistency beforehand supposed to be that of like, cookie dough or thinner (or thicker!?). Help!

Aug 20, 2009 6:19 PM

Guest :

I think i did something wrong too... :( I made these because I didn't like the heavy thick ones. I'm not sure if they weren't firm enough before i put them in, or i cooked them too long? They disintegrated on me and the ones that were still there were mushy. What did I do? Is the consistency beforehand supposed to be that of like, cookie dough or thinner (or thicker!?). Help!

Aug 21, 2009 8:15 AM

Melody Rhodes :

Hello,

Did you use soft margarine or butter instead of lard? Lard will make heavy dumplings. Also, if they fell apart, it sounds as though they may have been overcooked.

You can add less liquid if you like for a dryer dumpling and a little more if you like your dumplings moist. I like mine moist so I add a little more liquid but have never had them fall apart.

Make sure your pot liquid is on a gentle simmer. I doesn't need to be boiling.

Aug 24, 2009 8:42 AM

Guest :

I made these dumplings SO easy and SO good. They make for great chicken and dumplings.

36 Comments