Soft drop dumplings meant to steam on top of boiling meats or vegetables — not dunked straight into thin liquid, where they sink and cook poorly.

| | |
| --- | --- |
| **Yield** | One pot of dumplings |
| **Time** | ~25 minutes |
| **Difficulty** | Easy |

## Ingredients

- 3 tablespoons shortening
- 1½ cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup milk or water

## Instructions

1. Cut shortening into flour, baking powder, and salt with a fork (or fingers) until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.
2. Stir in milk (or water).
3. Drop by spoonfuls onto boiling meats or vegetables. **Don't** drop directly into thin liquids — dumplings will sink and won't cook properly.
4. Cook uncovered **10 minutes**, then cover and cook **10 minutes** more.

## Variations

- Add **¼ cup grated cheese** to the flour mix, or **½ tsp** dried sage, celery seed, parsley, or other seasonings.
- For a brighter dough, add **1–2 tablespoons lemon juice** and reduce the milk by the same amount.

← [All recipes](/recipes/)