Reminiscent of cobbler, these blueberry dumplings are cooked on the stovetop with fresh or frozen blueberries and drop-biscuit dough. It is an easy treat for blueberry season!
What are Blueberry Dumplings?
Blueberry dumplings resemble blueberry cobbler without the top crust and are quite similar to a dessert called blueberry grunt. Additionally, they have deep roots in Germany and Eastern Europe. However, over time, they have grown into a Southern U.S. dessert. In this dish, cooks drop sweetened dough into a simmering broth of blueberries, allowing it to simmer until fully cooked inside.
The Difference Between Blueberry Dumplings and Blueberry Grunt
These two desserts do not differ significantly. For blueberry dumplings, cooks drop bits of sweetened dough into a simmering blueberry sauce and fit it with a tight lid. As a result, these dumplings cook in the hot liquid and usually become partially or fully submerged. Therefore, their exteriors often turn purple from the blueberry sauce.
You similarly prepare a grunt, but do not fully submerge the dumplings, allowing the white biscuit tops to remain visible on the finished dish. In contrast to dumplings, which usually cook in a saucepan or pot, a grunt can cook in a large skillet on the stovetop; this technique helps keep the dumpling tops out of the sauce. Afterward, you place the grunt in the oven so the biscuit tops can brown.
Use Fresh or Frozen Blueberries
Use fresh (or frozen) blueberries for this recipe. Wash and place them in a thick-bottomed saucepan to prevent scorching during cooking.
Steps to Making Blueberry Dumplings
Follow these steps to make this easy dessert.
Serving Warm
Serve these dumplings warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Add a Slice of Crust to Blueberry Dumplings
If you miss pie crust in this dessert, cut up a prepared refrigerated crust and bake it according to the package instructions. Then garnish this dessert with one or two slices.
Other Blueberry Recipes You Might Like
If you like this recipe, try these. Click on each name to link to the recipe.
- Blueberry Sauce
- Blueberry Crisp
- Blueberry Galette
- No-Bake Blueberry Dessert
- Blueberry Cookie Pudding
- Blueberry Ice Cream
- Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins
- Blueberry Cream Pie
Blueberry Dumplings
Ingredients
Blueberries
- 4 heaping cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
- 1 cup granulated sugar (add an extra tablespoon if you have tart berries)
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Dumplings
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, cold
- 6 tablespoons whole milk or buttermilk (add more if needed to make a dough)
Instructions
Blueberries
- Place the blueberries, sugar, butter, and water in a medium-sized saucepan. Add a tight-fitting lid, and bring to a boil.
Dumplings
- Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium-sized bowl.
- Cut the butter into small pieces (using a grater) in the flour bowl. Use a pastry cutter to mix the butter and flour. Then add the milk and stir to form a dough. Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls into the boiling blueberries.
- Re-cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Let the blueberries simmer for 20 minutes or until the dumplings are cooked and fluffy. For best results, do not remove the lid until the cooking time is finished, and do not stir the dumplings.
- Remove the dumplings from the heat and add the lemon juice and vanilla extract. Stir to mix. Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Garnish with prepared crust pieces.