Home » Side Dish » Jamaican Fried Dumplings Recipe
Written by Lesa Updated on May 13, 2023 in Side Dish
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So you love Jamaican fried dumplings and want to learn how to make them? You’re in the right place because you’ll make the perfect dumplings today. You will be surprised how simple and easy fried dumpling is to make. Just three ingredients, or add butter and make it four.
The origin of Jamaican fried dumplings
Fried dumplings originated in Jamaica, but the person(s) and the exact time this recipe was created are unknown. Many popular Jamaican cuisines are rooted in the country’s diverse history, with influences from West Africa, India and Asia. The fried dumpling seems to be a reminiscence of West African and Asia cooking that has evolved into the dish it is today.
In Jamaican, fried dumplings are eaten at breakfast or as part of lunch. It’s usually served with callaloo, ackee and saltfish, steamed cabbage or scrambled eggs if you want a quick breakfast.
Jamaican fried dumplings ingredients
Jamaican fried dumplings are made of three simple ingredients, or four if you wish to add butter:
- Flour: The recipe below uses plain (all-purpose) flour. When making dumplings, you don’t need to sieve the flour.
- Baking powder: When using plain flour, you must use baking powder to help make the dumplings soft. The dumplings won’t swell without the baking powder, and they will turn out hard.
- Salt: The salt adds a slightly savoury flavour to the dumplings you know and love.
Butter and sugar are other ingredients that are often used. Butter also helps to soften the dumpling texture. Sugar adds a hint of sweetness to the dumpling, but the amount of sugar you use isn’t has much as you would in the Jamaican festival dumplings. If you want to add butter, see the notes in the recipe card below.
You can do without the baking powder when you use self-raising flour for the Jamaican fried dumplings recipe. If you need help gauging the amount of baking powder to the amount of flour you’re using, then it is better to use self-raising flour.
How To Make Jamaican Fried Dumplings
- The dough: Add all the dry ingredients to a mixing bowl and combine. Then you gradually add water and knead into a soft dough. Gradually adding the water will prevent you from adding too much to the mixture. You want a soft dough but not a wet dough.
- The oil: It’s best to add the oil to a deep pot. Use enough oil to cover or almost over the dumplings when frying. Make sure the oil is hot before adding the dumplings.
- The dumplings: Keep the heat low to medium because you don’t want the dumplings to brown before the inside cooks. The perfect dumpling is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
Dumpling varieties
The three main ingredients for fired dumplings are flour, baking powder and salt. You will often see sugar and butter added to the recipe and, more recently, plant-based milk. All three ingredients add something different to the flavour and texture.
Fried dumplings’ shapes vary too. You can make the fried dumplings round, long, flat, twirly and whatever shape you like.
What to eat with Jamaica fried dumplings
The great thing about fried dumplings is that they go with almost anything at any time of the day. The most popular dishes to serve fried dumpling with arecallaloo,ackeeorcabbage. I love fried dumpling with scrambled egg or eating it alone.
Jamaican fried dumplings recipe
Make Jamaican fried dumplings with three ingredients you already have in your cupboard.
4.48 from 68 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: Jamaican
Keyword: jamaican fried dumpling
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
Servings: 8 Dumplings
Calories: 658kcal
Author: Lesa
Ingredients
- 358 g (2.86 cups) Plain flour
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- ¾ tsp Salt I use pink himalayan salt
- 170 ml (0.72 cups) Water
- 473 ml (2 cups) Oil
Instructions
Combine the flour, salt and baking powder in a mixing bowl.
Gradually add water to the dry ingredients, and knead until you make a soft dough.
Divide the dough into equal small pieces, about 7 to 8 pieces. Divide the dough into equal small pieces, about 7 to 8 pieces. Roll each piece between the palms of your hands in a circular motion to form a round ball.
In a frying pan, pour the cooking oil and put it to heat on a medium fire.
Place the round dough into the heated oil. Turn the heat down to medium-low and let to dough fry on all sides.
Fry until the dumplings are golden brown on all sides and the flour inside is fully cooked.
Notes
- You may need more or less water than I use in the above recipe. Slowly stir the water into the flour until you make a soft dough. The dough should not be sticky.
- Butter gives the dumplings a softer texture. This recipe takes 30g of room-temperature butter if you wish to use it.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Jamaican fried dumplings recipe
Serving Size
69 g
Amount per Serving
Calories
658
% Daily Value*
Fat
56
g
86
%
Saturated Fat
4
g
25
%
Trans Fat
0.2
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
16
g
Monounsaturated Fat
35
g
Sodium
346
mg
15
%
Potassium
48
mg
Carbohydrates
34
g
11
%
Fiber
1
g
4
%
Sugar
0.1
g
%
Protein
5
g
10
%
Calcium
37
mg
4
%
Iron
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Related Recipes:
- Festival Dumpling
- Plantain Fritters
- Saltfish Fritter
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34 Comments
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Ashleigh
May 26, 2020 at 3:29 pm ·Reply
It’s been 10 years since I tried making dumplings and I followed this recipe and they came out perfectly!! Thank you!I had to half each ball in the end and ended up with 4 🙂
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Jamaican Foods and Recipes
June 9, 2020 at 9:30 pm ·Reply
You are welcome and thank for sharing.
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Rebecca
February 9, 2022 at 9:30 pm ·Reply
I’ve been using this recipe for a few years now and they turn out perfectly every single time! Thank you for a great recipe!-
Denise
December 15, 2023 at 9:54 pm ·Reply
My partner eats wheat free and gluten free, How can I adjust this for him. Would greatly appreciate the help.
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Tracy
July 3, 2020 at 5:48 pm ·Reply
I have never made these before, but eaten lots and they turned out perfect, thanks for the recipe.-
Donnovan
January 20, 2021 at 10:04 pm ·Reply
They came out perfect!
Thank you for creating this website and for sharing your recipe.
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Jamaican Foods and Recipes
July 6, 2020 at 12:54 pm ·Reply
You are welcome Tracy, that’s very good to hear.
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Barrington
July 22, 2020 at 1:42 pm ·Reply
I use milk instead of water -
Rebecca
August 18, 2020 at 12:08 am ·Reply
The fluffiest, soft dumplings I have ever made, I added a tablespoon of margarine to the mix. Thank you for a great recipe!-
Lesa
August 18, 2020 at 9:13 pm ·Reply
Margarine is great too.
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Simon
December 21, 2020 at 2:22 pm ·Reply
Can u use bumpling min out of a packet
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James
January 26, 2021 at 3:14 pm ·Reply
Hi,
Can you explain why my dumplings are hard once removed from the pan
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Sarah
June 6, 2021 at 1:09 pm ·Reply
Sounds like you may have overworked the dough
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Fiona Morgan
November 1, 2021 at 3:45 pm ·Reply
How long does the dough take ? Is it just bound together with a couple of mixes or am I really working it?
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Megan
December 20, 2021 at 6:24 am ·Reply
Turned out awesome! -
Kyla
January 18, 2022 at 7:43 pm ·Reply
Really good recipe ❤️ -
Dani
January 26, 2022 at 8:30 am ·Reply
Hi why are my dumpling oily on the inside please? Like you can see the oil a little
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Lesa
January 29, 2022 at 4:35 pm ·Reply
The dough was too soft or the oil wasn’t hot enough before you add the dumpling
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Si
April 13, 2022 at 5:05 pm ·Reply
Yum, yum, yum! Festival & dumplings turned out lovely! Thank you. -
Stevie
August 25, 2022 at 7:26 pm ·Reply
my first time cooking these and they came out great thanks to your recipe! can’t wait to cook them again❤️-
Lesa
August 26, 2022 at 7:32 pm ·Reply
Hi Stevie, I’m please to hear that you have don’t well on your first try.
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Wisdom Stanley
September 18, 2022 at 1:41 pm ·Reply
Thank you for this for these receipts I have just found your page I am cooking fried dumplings to go with jerk pork rice and peas for the first time wish me luck have a great day my name is Wisdom by the way -
Wisdom Stanley
September 18, 2022 at 1:42 pm ·Reply
Great recipe and so easy to follow -
István
November 15, 2022 at 4:32 pm ·Reply
How many grams of flour equals to a cup?
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Mina
January 14, 2023 at 11:26 am ·Reply
Around 250 grams is 2 cups
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Mina
January 14, 2023 at 11:25 am ·Reply
So easy and simple, thanks for the efforts of also putting how much more of the ingredients are required if wanting to increase the amount made perfect for mums who need to just get on with -
Chloe
January 22, 2023 at 9:11 pm ·Reply
Can I put in deep fat fryer and what temp should I put it on tried a few times in pan and always end up with the middle not cooked
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Shakira
January 23, 2023 at 11:13 am ·Reply
My colleague made these I tried it for the first time yesterday and just had to make my own they turned out great thankyou so much !! -
Shawna Peters-Francis
February 5, 2023 at 4:01 pm ·Reply
This recipe is delicious. I made this with my 5 year old Son. We added 1/4 cup cornmeal and 1 tsp of sugar to the recipe. Just perfect!! -
Michelle
March 24, 2023 at 1:38 am ·Reply
Amazing dumpling,crispy on outside but nice and fluffy on the inside,delicious 😘 -
Patrica Forbes
May 12, 2023 at 1:38 pm ·Reply
Can i cook dumplings in an air fryer x
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Maureen
July 8, 2023 at 12:13 pm ·Reply
The most easy dumpling I have every made, the second batch I added 2 teaspoons of Mirin and they were great. I serve dumplings with salt fish, ackee and plantain. Thank you-
Lesa
July 8, 2023 at 6:58 pm ·Reply
Hey Maureen, thanks for trying the recipe and commenting. Everything sounds so good!
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Tay
January 27, 2024 at 5:39 pm ·Reply
This recipe works perfectly