My Hubby’s Jamaican Fried Dumplings
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My Hubby’s Jamaican Fried Dumplings
Get ready to savor a taste of the Caribbean with my Hubby's favorite Jamaican Fried Dumplings recipe! These perfectly puffy golden + crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside delights are a beloved staple. Whether enjoyed for breakfast, brunch, or as a savory snack, these dumplings promise to bring the flavors of Jamaica right to your table! Gluten-free Option.
Finally, I'm sharing a recipe close to my heart --- Jamaican Fried Dumplings, a total childhood favorite of mine and my hubby's hence the name. These have been a part of our family gatherings for as long as I can remember. Whether we're serving them with jerk chicken or ackee and saltfish, they always steal the show. Just imagine: they're perfectly puffy, golden, and crispy on the outside, but oh-so-soft on the inside.
Think of Jamaican fried dumplings like the Caribbean version of Southern biscuits. They're perfect for soaking up sauces, spreading with jams (or even bacon jam), or dipping into your fave sauces.
For more delicious Jamaican-inspired dishes, give these a try next: Jamaican Pineapple Jerk Chicken, Baked Jamaican Jerk Chicken Salad, Baked Jamaican Jerk Chicken Wings, or Spicy One-Pot Jerk Chicken and Dumplings. They're sure to satisfy your cravings!
Jump to:
- What Are Jamaican Fried Dumplings?
- What Do Jamaican Fried Dumplings Taste Like?
- How To Make Jamaican Fried Dumplings
- Ingredients
- Tips + Tricks For The Best Jamaican Fried Dumplings
- How Do You Eat Jamaican Dumplings?
- What Type of Oil is Best for Frying Dumplings?
- Jamaican Fried Dumplings Q + A's
- More Jamaican Recipes That You'll Love!
- MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
- My Hubby’s Jamaican Fried Dumplings
What Are Jamaican Fried Dumplings?
These traditional Caribbean dumplings are essentially golden balls of dough, deep-fried to crispy perfection. Made with just flour, baking powder, butter, water, and a pinch of salt, they're simple yet oh-so-satisfying. They are the ultimate sidekick to dishes like ackee, jerk chicken + more. Trust me, they'll steal the show at your next meal! And not to mention they are such a yummy snack by themselves.
What Do Jamaican Fried Dumplings Taste Like?
If you have never had Jamaican Fried Dumplings before you're in for a treat they are:
- Crispy on the outside, soft + fluffy on the inside
- Buttery + savory flavor with a hint of salt
- Satisfyingly rich texture with a golden brown crust
- The perfect balance of crunch + pillowy goodness
How To Make Jamaican Fried Dumplings
Making Jamaican fried dumplings is a very similar process to whipping up homemade donuts. Once you've got the dough ready, it's just a matter of frying them up until they're crispy and golden. Voila! You've got yourself a batch of delicious, golden dumpling goodness.
Ingredients
FRIED DUMPLING:
Here's what you'll need—just some basic ingredients that are probably hanging out in your fridge + pantry already.
- Organic all-purpose flour. The base of the dough provides structure + texture. My all-time fave flour is Bob's Red Mill
- Unsalted butter. Cubed into small pieces so it's easier to mix --- This adds richness and flavor to the dough. I love using a high-quality butter like Organic Valley.
- Baking powder. Acts as a leavening agent, helping the dumplings rise and become fluffy when fried.
- Sea salt. Rounds out the flavors nicely.
- Organic cane sugar. Adds a touch of sweetness to the dough, complementing the savory flavors.
- Very cold water or milk. Helps bind the ingredients together to form the dough. (You can use regular cow's milk or plant-based milk, if desired) Using cold liquid helps keep the butter from melting too quickly, resulting in flakier dumplings.
- Vegetable oil. Used for frying the dumplings
SHOP MY FAVORITE TOOLS FOR COOKING, ESPECIALLY FOR THESE DUMPLINGS!
Here, I’ve curated a list of baking + cooking essentials that I use to achieve my favorite dishes, especially with Jamaican Fried Dumplings. Everything from my fave skillet, spatula, mixing bowls, and more. SEE THEM HERE!
Tips + Tricks For The Best Jamaican Fried Dumplings
After watching my grandma, mom, and me make these for years these are my top tips to perfect your Jamaican fried dumplings!
- Keep the dough soft and avoid overworking it. It's alright if it's slightly sticky, but you don't want it to feel wet.
- Don't overcrowd the pan. Give those dumplings some space to fry up perfectly—crowding can cause them to stick together and cook unevenly.
- Make sure the oil is hot before frying. Cold oil leads to greasy, soggy dumplings, so wait until it's nice and hot.
How Do You Eat Jamaican Dumplings?
These dumplings are incredibly versatile—they're great as a side dish with mains or perfect for snacking on their own. Here are a few of my favorite ways to enjoy them --
- As a side dish with Jamaican mains like Jerk Chicken, Jamaican Curry Chicken, Jamaican stew or Ackee and saltfish to name a few!
- Add to soups or stews for heartiness
- Snack on them plain or with a dipping sauce like hot sauce, ketchup or BBQ sauce.
- Top them with boiled or scrambled eggs or avocado for a hearty breakfast.
- Enjoy them alongside a cup of tea or coffee for an afternoon snack.
- Spread with jam or jelly for a sweet treat
What Type of Oil is Best for Frying Dumplings?
For frying Jamaican dumplings, you'll want an oil with a high smoke point and a neutral flavor to ensure they fry up crispy and golden without leaving any unwanted taste.
- Vegetable oil --- This is my fave due to its high smoke point and neutral flavor.
- Canola oil. Another good option with a high smoke point and a mild taste.
- Peanut oil. With its high smoke point and subtle nutty flavor, peanut oil adds a delicious touch to fried dumplings.
- Corn oil. Corn oil has a high smoke point and a neutral flavor!
- Sunflower oil. With its light, neutral flavor and high smoke point, sunflower oil is another good choice for frying Jamaican dumplings.
Jamaican Fried Dumplings Q + A's
Yes just use a GF 1:1 baking flour instead.
Jamaican fried dumplings can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a day. To keep them fresh longer, store them in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Yes, Jamaican fried dumplings can be frozen for longer storage. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 1-2 months. To reheat, simply warm them in the oven or microwave until heated through.
To ensure crispy Jamaican fried dumplings, make sure the oil is hot enough before frying and avoid overcrowding the pan. Fry the dumplings in batches, giving them enough space to cook evenly and develop a crispy exterior.
More Jamaican Recipes That You'll Love!
Do you love My Hubby’s Jamaican Fried Dumplings and want to try more Jamaican cuisine? Here are some reader faves!
- Plant-based Jamaican Oxtail
- Vegan Jamaican Power Bowl
- Creamy Jamaican Shrimp Pasta Skillet
- Jamaican-inspired Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal
- Jerk Salmon Tacos
- Jamaican Chicken Soup
- Baked Jamaican Jerk Chicken Salad
MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
If you tried this My Hubby’s Jamaican Fried Dumplings recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. And don't forget to tag @orchidsnsweettea_ on Instagram and hashtag it #orchidsandsweettea! I love hearing from you!
My Hubby’s Jamaican Fried Dumplings
Ingredients
FRIED DUMPLING:
- 2 cups organic all-purpose flour
- 4 Tbsps unsalted butter, cubed into small pieces
- 3 tsps baking powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon organic cane sugar
- ¾ cup water or milk, VERY COLD (You can use regular cow's milk or plant-based milk, if desired)
- vegetable oil, for cooking
Instructions
TO MAKE THE FRIED DUMPLING:
- Start by adding the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar to a bowl and whisk everything together. Add the small cubed pieces of butter and using a pastry blender (or 2 forks), blend together the butter into incorporated with the dry ingredients. Slowly add the COLD water (or milk) and gently knead together until a stiff dough is formed. NOTE: Do NOT ADD ALL THE LIQUID AT ONCE; DON'T MAKE THE DOUGH TOO MOIST!
- Pinch off a small/medium pieces of dough and gently roll dough into the palms of both of your hands together until a round-like dumpling is formed. Press lightly and repeat until all dumplings are made.
FRY THE DUMPLINGS:
- Heat a large 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until hot and add the vegetable oil to cover the bottom fully. Once hot, add a few of the formed dumplings (leaving a bit of space in between) and fry on the first side for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown and using a fork, turn them onto their opposite sides-------frying for another 3-4 minutes. Prepare a plate with paper towel on top and place fried dumplings atop paper towel to soak up all excess oil.
- Repeat frying until all dumplings are made.
- Let the dumplings rest for about 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy with this Vegan Ackee + Saltfish, Vegan oxtails, regular saltfish, steamed cabbage or callaloo, etc.
- Bon Appetit!
Tips & Tricks
- STORAGE: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. To serve warm/heat in the microwave or oven until warmed through.
- GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: To make these dumplings GF, simply substitute the flour with GF 1:1 Baking flour and ensure that the baking powder is GF-friendly.
Nutrition
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LET US KNOW!
I made them for the first time ever yesterday and they were delicious , crispy on the outside and fluffy inside, although I think I had the oil too hot as they were much darker in colour , I cut one when golden and was still doughy inside so had to cook for longer . Lesson learnt for next time, hopefully will be perfect.
Hi Liz! I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed these dumplings! It's definitely a science to getting the oil hot enough but not too hot, but once mastered---they really are perfect! Haha. Thanks so much for choosing to make these! 🙂
I’ve got to admit that as a Jamaican I was skeptical, but after making dumplings with this recipe, I absolutely loved how they turned out. Crunch on the outside, but light and fluffy on the inside. My family loved them. I’ll definitely be using this recipe again.
Hi Debra! I'm SO thrilled that you enjoyed these dumplings! They truly are a staple in our house! I prefer the buttery flavor of these than the standard Jamaican dumplings that I grew up eating. Haha. Thanks so much for giving them a try!