Rolled Flat or Dropped Fluffy? 16 Old-Fashioned Dumplings Grandma Stretched Into Supper for the Whole Family

Grandma could feed ten people with a pot of broth, two cups of flour and a rolling pin. She never measured, and she never called them anything but dumplings. These old-fashioned dumplings came from hard years, when one pot had to stretch into supper for everybody, and somehow they became the food we miss the most. Here is every kind she made, savory and sweet, and the question that still splits Southern families: rolled flat or dropped fluffy? Tell us which side you are on..

Beef and Old-Fashioned Dumplings With Shredded Chuck Roast

This is the one that starts arguments at the dinner table, in a good way. A cheap chuck roast cooks low and slow until it falls apart, and the rich brown broth it leaves behind is perfect for old-fashioned dumplings. Grandma rolled her dough thin, cut it into strips with a butter knife and dropped them into the pot one by one. The flour on the dumplings thickens the broth into a silky gravy. One pot, one roast, and the whole family goes back for seconds.

You will need: 3 lb chuck roast, salt and pepper, 1 onion, 6 cups beef broth, 2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 3 tbsp cold butter, 3/4 cup milk.

How to make it: 1. Brown the seasoned roast in a Dutch oven, add onion and broth, cover and simmer 3 hours until tender. 2. Shred the beef in the pot. 3. Mix flour, baking powder and salt, cut in butter, stir in milk. 4. Roll the dough 1/8 inch thick on a floured board and cut into strips. 5. Bring the broth to a gentle boil, drop in the strips a few at a time and simmer 15 minutes, stirring gently.

Rolled Flat Chicken and Old-Fashioned Dumplings

If your family only made one kind, it was probably this one. A whole chicken simmered with onion and celery gives you the broth and the meat in one pot. The dumplings are rolled thin and cut into long, flat strips, almost like wide noodles, and they turn silky as they cook. Some cooks let the strips dry on the counter for half an hour first so they hold their shape. Which way did your grandma do it?

You will need: 1 whole chicken (about 4 lb), 1 onion, 2 celery ribs, 10 cups water, salt and pepper, 2 cups flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 cup shortening, 2/3 cup hot broth from the pot.

How to make it: 1. Simmer the chicken with onion, celery and water for 1 hour, then shred the meat and strain the broth. 2. Cut shortening into the flour and salt, then stir in hot broth to make a stiff dough. 3. Roll very thin and cut into 1 by 2 inch strips. 4. Drop into gently boiling broth, add the chicken and simmer 20 minutes until thick.

Ham and Dumplings From the Holiday Ham Bone

The day after Easter or Christmas, the ham bone went straight into the big pot. Nothing was wasted. A few hours of simmering pulls out all that smoky flavor, and the little bits of ham that cling to the bone become the best part of the meal. Rolled dumplings soak up the salty broth, so taste before you add any extra salt. This one tastes like Sunday leftovers turned into something even better.

You will need: 1 meaty ham bone, 10 cups water, 1 onion, 2 bay leaves, black pepper, 2 cups chopped ham, 2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 3 tbsp butter, 3/4 cup milk.

How to make it: 1. Simmer the ham bone with water, onion and bay leaves for 2 hours. 2. Remove the bone, pull off the meat and add it back with the chopped ham. 3. Make a soft dough with flour, baking powder, butter and milk. 4. Roll thin, cut into squares and drop into the simmering broth. 5. Cook 15 minutes and finish with lots of black pepper.

Fluffy Drop Dumplings on Beef Stew

This is the other camp. Drop dumplings are spooned right on top of a bubbling stew, then the lid goes on and nobody is allowed to peek. The steam puffs them up like little biscuits, fluffy inside and soaked with gravy on the bottom. If you lift the lid too early, they turn heavy, so set a timer and walk away. Team rolled or team dropped? Tell us in the comments.

You will need: 2 lb beef stew meat, 2 tbsp flour, 2 tbsp oil, 1 onion, 4 cups beef broth, 3 carrots, 3 potatoes, 1 1/2 cups flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 3/4 cup milk, 2 tbsp melted butter.

How to make it: 1. Toss the beef in flour and brown it in oil, then add onion, broth, carrots and potatoes. 2. Cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours. 3. Stir flour, baking powder, salt, milk and butter into a soft batter. 4. Drop big spoonfuls on the simmering stew. 5. Cover tightly and cook 15 minutes without lifting the lid.

Cornmeal Dumplings in Collard Greens Pot Likker

Old Southern cooks knew the green broth left in a pot of collards, the pot likker, was too good to pour out. So they stirred up a little cornmeal, salt and hot water, patted it into small cakes and slid them into the pot. The dumplings come out tender and soak up all that smoky, peppery flavor. Serve them in a bowl with the greens and a splash of hot pepper vinegar.

You will need: 2 bunches collard greens, 1 smoked ham hock, 8 cups water, 1 onion, 1 tsp red pepper flakes, 1 cup cornmeal, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp sugar, about 1/2 cup boiling water.

How to make it: 1. Simmer the ham hock in water for 1 hour, then add the chopped greens, onion and pepper flakes and cook 45 minutes more. 2. Stir cornmeal, salt and sugar with just enough boiling water to hold together. 3. Shape into small flat patties. 4. Lay them on top of the simmering greens, cover and cook 15 to 20 minutes.

Turkey and Old-Fashioned Dumplings From Thanksgiving Leftovers

Every family has that one person who looks forward to the day after Thanksgiving more than the big dinner. This is why. Boil the turkey carcass for an easy broth, pull off the leftover meat, and you have a cozy pot of old-fashioned dumplings for almost nothing. A little leftover gravy stirred in makes it extra rich. It is the best way to use every last bit of the bird.

You will need: 1 turkey carcass, 12 cups water, 1 onion, 2 carrots, 2 celery ribs, 3 cups chopped leftover turkey, 1/2 cup leftover gravy (optional), 2 cups flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 cup butter, 3/4 cup milk.

How to make it: 1. Simmer the carcass with water and vegetables for 2 hours, then strain. 2. Add turkey and gravy to 8 cups of broth. 3. Cut butter into flour and salt, stir in milk and roll thin. 4. Cut into strips and drop into the simmering broth. 5. Cook 15 to 20 minutes until thick and tender.

Old-Fashioned Dumplings for Hard Times: Butter, Pepper and Broth

When there was no meat in the house, Grandma still made supper. Poor man’s dumplings are just flour, milk and butter cooked in seasoned broth, with a heavy hand of black pepper. They are humble, filling and surprisingly delicious. Plenty of families made old-fashioned dumplings this way through lean years and kept making them long after money got better. If you love that kind of thrifty cooking, see our potato and egg suppers from lean years too.

You will need: 8 cups chicken or vegetable broth, 4 tbsp butter, 2 tsp black pepper, 2 cups flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 1 cup milk, 1 tbsp chopped parsley.

How to make it: 1. Bring the broth, butter and pepper to a gentle boil. 2. Mix flour, baking powder and salt, then stir in milk to make a soft dough. 3. Roll out on a floured board and cut into squares, or drop by spoonfuls. 4. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring now and then. 5. Top with parsley and more pepper.

Old-Fashioned Dumplings in Appalachian Stewed Tomatoes

Ask someone from the mountains about tomato dumplings and watch their face light up. Home canned tomatoes were simmered with butter, a little sugar and salt, then soft dumplings went right on top. The tangy, sweet sauce soaks into the dough. It was a cheap supper in late winter when the cellar shelves still held jars of summer tomatoes. Did anyone in your family make these?

You will need: 2 quarts canned whole tomatoes, 3 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 1/2 cups flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 2/3 cup milk.

How to make it: 1. Simmer the tomatoes with butter, sugar, salt and pepper in a wide skillet for 15 minutes, breaking them up. 2. Stir flour, baking powder, salt and milk into a soft dough. 3. Drop by spoonfuls onto the bubbling tomatoes. 4. Cover and cook 15 minutes without lifting the lid.

Potato Soup With Little Drop Dumplings

Some families call these rivels or noodle drops. Whatever you call them, tiny dumplings turn a simple pot of potato soup into a real meal. The dough is just egg, flour and a pinch of salt, rubbed or spooned into the hot soup in small pieces. They cook in minutes and give every spoonful a soft, chewy bite. It is perfect for a cold night when the pantry is low.

You will need: 4 cups diced potatoes, 1 onion, 4 cups chicken broth, 1 cup milk, 2 tbsp butter, salt and pepper, 1 egg, 3/4 cup flour, pinch of salt, chives.

How to make it: 1. Simmer potatoes and onion in broth until soft, about 15 minutes. 2. Mash a few potatoes against the pot to thicken. 3. Mix egg, flour and salt into a crumbly dough. 4. Drop small pieces into the simmering soup and cook 8 minutes. 5. Stir in milk and butter, season and top with chives.

Butter Beans and Dumplings

A pot of butter beans with a little smoked meat was already a Southern supper, but dumplings on top made it stretch for a few more plates. The creamy beans thicken the broth, and the dough steams into soft pillows. Serve it with a wedge of cornbread and sliced onion on the side. This is the kind of meal that tastes like a front porch in the summer.

You will need: 1 lb dried butter beans (soaked overnight) or 6 cups frozen, 1 smoked ham hock or 4 oz salt pork, 8 cups water, 1 onion, salt and pepper, 1 1/2 cups flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 3/4 cup milk, 2 tbsp butter.

How to make it: 1. Simmer beans with the ham hock, water and onion until creamy, about 1 1/2 hours for dried beans. 2. Season with salt and pepper. 3. Mix flour, baking powder, salt, milk and melted butter. 4. Drop spoonfuls on top, cover and cook 15 minutes.

Smoked Sausage, Cabbage and Drop Dumplings

Cabbage was cheap, and a single link of smoked sausage could flavor a whole skillet. Brown the sausage, wilt the cabbage in the drippings, add a little broth, then spoon dumplings on top and let them steam. Everything cooks in one pan in about 30 minutes. It is a weeknight meal your grandparents would recognize and your kids will actually eat.

You will need: 1 lb smoked sausage, 1 small head cabbage, 1 onion, 2 cups chicken broth, salt and pepper, 1 cup flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 cup milk, 1 tbsp melted butter.

How to make it: 1. Brown sliced sausage in a large skillet. 2. Add chopped cabbage and onion and cook until wilted. 3. Pour in broth and bring to a simmer. 4. Stir flour, baking powder, salt, milk and butter into a soft batter and drop on top. 5. Cover and cook 12 to 15 minutes.

Blackberry Dumplings

In the South, wild blackberries along the fence line meant one thing: dessert. Berries simmer with sugar into a thick purple syrup, then sweet dumplings cook right in it, like a cobbler made on the stovetop. The tops stay fluffy and the bottoms turn jammy. Serve them warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a pour of cold cream. Did you ever pick berries for these?

You will need: 4 cups blackberries, 1 cup sugar, 1 1/2 cups water, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 cup flour, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 cup milk, 2 tbsp melted butter.

How to make it: 1. Simmer berries, sugar, water and lemon juice in a wide skillet for 10 minutes. 2. Stir flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, milk and butter into a soft dough. 3. Drop spoonfuls onto the bubbling berries. 4. Cover and cook 15 minutes. 5. Serve warm with ice cream.

Sweet Potato Country Dumplings

These are made for the holiday table. Cooked sweet potato slices are wrapped in a simple pastry, tucked into a baking dish and covered with a buttery brown sugar and cinnamon syrup. In the oven the syrup bubbles up around them and the pastry turns golden and crisp on top. It is part side dish, part dessert, and it disappears fast. Would you serve these with the turkey or after it?

You will need: 2 large sweet potatoes, 1 package refrigerated pie crust (2 crusts), 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup water, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp vanilla.

How to make it: 1. Peel the sweet potatoes, slice into thick wedges and boil 8 minutes until just tender. 2. Cut pie crust into squares and wrap each wedge. 3. Place in a buttered 9×13 dish. 4. Simmer brown sugar, butter, water and spices for 3 minutes, add vanilla and pour over. 5. Bake at 375 F for 35 to 40 minutes.

Pennsylvania Dutch Apple Dumplings

Not every famous dumpling came from the South. In Pennsylvania Dutch kitchens, a whole peeled apple is filled with cinnamon sugar and butter, wrapped in pastry and baked in a sweet syrup. Videos of these old-fashioned dumplings still pull in millions of views online, and one bite tells you why. Serve each one in a bowl with the syrup spooned over and a little cold milk or cream.

You will need: 6 small apples, peeled and cored, pastry for a double crust pie, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, 6 tsp butter, 1 1/2 cups water, 1 cup brown sugar, 4 tbsp butter, 1/2 tsp cinnamon.

How to make it: 1. Roll pastry and cut into 6 squares. 2. Set an apple on each, fill the center with cinnamon sugar and 1 tsp butter. 3. Fold pastry up and pinch closed. 4. Simmer water, brown sugar, butter and cinnamon 5 minutes and pour around the apples in a baking dish. 5. Bake at 375 F for 40 to 45 minutes, basting twice.

Old-Fashioned Dumplings With Summer Peaches

Peach dumplings are the summer cousin of apple dumplings. Ripe peach halves are wrapped in pastry and baked in a buttery cinnamon syrup until everything turns golden and sticky. Many Southern cooks make a shortcut version with canned crescent dough and a splash of lemon-lime soda in the syrup, and it works beautifully. Either way, serve them warm with vanilla ice cream melting on top.

You will need: 4 ripe peaches, halved and pitted, 1 package refrigerated crescent dough, 1/2 cup butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla, 3/4 cup lemon-lime soda or water.

How to make it: 1. Wrap each peach half in a crescent triangle and place in a buttered baking dish. 2. Melt butter with sugar and cinnamon, stir in vanilla and pour over the dumplings. 3. Pour the soda around the edges, not on top. 4. Bake at 350 F for 35 to 40 minutes until golden and bubbly.

Grandma’s Tips: Rolled vs Dropped, and Why You Never Lift the Lid

Rolled dumplings are firmer and chewier, like a soft noodle, and they hold up well in a long simmer. Dropped dumplings are lighter and fluffier, closer to a biscuit, and they need a tight lid so the steam can cook the tops. Roll thin, about the thickness of a nickel, and flour the strips well so they thicken the broth. Keep the pot at a gentle simmer, never a hard boil. So, which kind wins at your house?

You will need: Basic rolled dough: 2 cups flour, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 cup shortening or butter, 3/4 cup hot broth or milk. Basic drop batter: 1 1/2 cups flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 3/4 cup milk, 2 tbsp melted butter.

How to make it: 1. For rolled, cut fat into the flour, add hot liquid, knead lightly, roll thin and cut. 2. Let strips rest 20 minutes to firm up. 3. For dropped, stir just until mixed and spoon onto a simmering stew. 4. Cover and do not peek for 15 minutes. 5. Taste one before serving to make sure the center is cooked.