How to Make Drop Dumplings

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Chicken and dumplings is a classic cool weather comfort food. However, many people find dumplings intimidating, thinking there is a big secret to making them. 

We bet you will find that this ratio recipe for drop dumplings is easy to make and a great technique to keep in your toolkit. Nothing says comfort food like chicken and dumplings.

When Heather first launched this site, she included this recipe for chicken noodle soup. To make chicken and dumplings, you follow the same technique for homemade chicken stock to make chicken and dumplings. Then instead of making egg noodles, you follow the recipe below for dumplings.

Before making the dumplings, bring the soup to a boil. You don’t want the dough sitting around, waiting for the soup to get hot enough. The dumplings won’t be as fluffy if the baking powder gets used up while the batter sits waiting to swim in the soup.

Then quickly stir together the following recipe.

If you want to make a big batch of dumplings, double, triple, or whatever you need based on this ratio.

Drop Dumpling Ingredients:

  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt
  • flour by 1/4 cupful
  • 1 tsp baking powder

How to Make Drop Dumplings

Hold your horses, Heather. You didn’t say how much flour. Well, it all depends on your humidity level. But how much, Heather?

Stir in 1/4 cup of flour, combined with the 1 tsp baking powder at a time, until the batter is a bit thicker than cake batter., but significantly thinner than biscuit dough. This should be about 1.5 cups of flour. Lisa says she always made her batter too thick and couldn’t figure out why her dumplings were too dense. 

If you drop your first dumpling into the broth and it falls apart, add another 1/4 cup of flour, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1 tsp of baking powder because your mixture is too runny. (Don’t worry, your fallen-apart dumpling won’t hurt your finished dish one bit)

Plop by teaspoonful into the broth, which should be simmering.

Once all of the dumplings have been made, reduce the heat to low, cover, and allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Some of my friends like to add a splash of milk to the broth just before serving. Sometimes I like that; sometimes, I leave it as is.

Enjoy!

Collage of dumpling ingredients, with a bowl of chicken and dumplings
How to Make Dumplings
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25 thoughts on “How to Make Drop Dumplings”

  1. After having chicken & dumplings made by someone I know here, I'd convinced myself I really don't like them. Now the photo of yours makes me want to have some LIKE THOSE.

    Carbs — I need 'em like a hole in the head, but I do love 'em. *sigh*

    Reply
  2. Very good dumplings for my first time ever making them . However, for a family of 5 to 6 I would reckamend that you double this if your family loves dumplings as much as my family does. But all and all this is a very good recipe for dumplings and I would recommend this to anyone who wants to learn how to make dumplings.

    Reply
      • I replyed it never became a dumpling that grama made but…it became a chicken ot pie soup and was sooo so good who knew? I meant chicken pot pie creamy soup! Perhaps my flour got old perhaps the Atlanta humidity ravished it but I want to make this again and again. Weird science indeed. Surprisingly a favorite! Thanks

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  3. What are these dumplings supposed to look like inside… are they supposed to be like a heavy, soggy, ball??? or are they supposed to be light and fluffy? Can someone show me some pictures please.

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  4. I have found that the dumpling mixture needs to be quite thick. I’d say like a wet bread dough. Try one in the broth and if it breaks apart add more flour. Keep trying and eventually you’ll have the right consistency that they sink and then come back up in the boiling broth. Good luck to you all!!

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  5. I’m a single guy who had never made dumplings until now,,fast & easy recipe makes one delicious dumpling soup ……thanks very much;)

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  6. I love you! I have been looking for your recipe for a while now. I had it last year and lost it at some point! I LOVE it! Love LOVE love it!!

    Reply
  7. I am trying your recipe for the first time tonight! I always make my dumplings from scratch, but it is not quick and easy! Thanks for sharing this quick recipe! I will let you know how it turns out! Thanks y’all!!!

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  8. I have never made dumplings before and this looked like a good easy recipe. Turned out fabulous! I added a grating of parmesan cheese, a dollop of ground garlic, and a skattering of parsley too and that added a lovely flavour. Highly recommend this recipe especially to beginners.

    Reply
    • If you’re on a gas stove, you may need to move the pot so that isn’t fully over the flame. It takes a little practice to find that sweet spot where the liquid is hot enough to cook the dumplings quickly, but not so hot that it boils over. If you’re on an electric stove, you can usually just lower the heat.

      Reply
  9. Two questions. A lot of my dumplings just go away and turn into soup. What am I doing wrong. Some are perfect. If I double the batch should it all go in the same pot at same time ? Is that my problem. I make 50 and get 30 ?!

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    • I was raised on one pot dinners, nine siblings so Ma had to make things stretch. Liquid should be a low boil and the dough should be real sticky and soft. They will puff up at least twice in size. We called em hard dumplings. 1c flour, 1c milk, 1 egg, salt and pepper to taste (1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt). Use two tablespoons to scoop and drop into your stock and they should be good in about a half an hour. I usually make two batches in the same pot because they go so fast. They are good reheated. You can make any size and use any stock and use any spice that goes with your stock. A good Italian blend works good. Enjoy!

      Reply
  10. Just tried these for the first time… So easy! They turned out HUGE which was my issue… Just dropped too much of the dough in at one time! Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply

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