Blackberry Dumplings: A Classic Southern Comfort Dessert

This old-fashioned Blackberry Dumplings recipe is a delightful blend of sweet and tangy blackberries topped with soft, fluffy dumplings. The combination of warm berries and dumplings with a scoop of vanilla ice cream is pure comfort food heaven. It’s an easy, rustic dessert that’s perfect for any time of year!

Ingredients:

For the Blackberry Mixture:

• 1 quart fresh or frozen blackberries
• 2 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups sugar

For the Dumplings:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 stick butter (softened)
• 1/4 cup milk

For Serving:

• Vanilla ice cream

Directions:

1. Prepare the Dumpling Dough:
   In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, 1 tablespoon of sugar, baking powder, and a pinch of salt.
   Cut in the softened butter until the mixture becomes crumbly.
   Slowly add the milk and stir to form a dough. Set the dough aside while preparing the berries.
2. Cook the Blackberries:
   In a large pot, combine the blackberries, 1 1/2 cups of sugar, and water. Bring this mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
3. Add the Dumplings:
   Once the blackberry mixture is boiling, drop spoonfuls of the dumpling dough into the boiling liquid.
   Tip: For smaller dumplings, use 1/2 tablespoon for each drop. Dumplings will puff up significantly during cooking, so adjust the size based on your preference.
4. Cook the Dumplings:
   After adding all the dumplings, cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Let the dumplings cook for about 30 minutes.
   Do not lift the lid or stir the pot during this time, as it will affect the texture of the dumplings.
5. Serve:
   Once the dumplings are cooked through and the blackberries are bubbling, serve warm over a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Ladle the sweet blackberry sauce and dumplings generously over the ice cream for the ultimate comforting dessert.

Tips:

• Frozen Blackberries: If using frozen blackberries, there’s no need to thaw them. Just add them directly to the pot with the water and sugar.
• Dumpling Size: As noted, the dumplings will puff up, so use smaller spoonfuls if you want more dumplings per serving.
• Leftovers: Store any leftovers in the fridge and reheat gently on the stovetop or microwave. The dumplings may soften further after storing, but the flavor will remain delicious.

This Blackberry Dumplings recipe is a comforting, nostalgic dessert that’s both easy to make and irresistible when served with vanilla ice cream!