Newfoundland Dough Boys...Fluffy Dumplings for Soup or Stew

Newfoundland Dough Boys. . . Fluffy Dumplings for Soup or Stew

Fluffy, soft dumplings, floating atop a steaming bowl of soup or stew, make a satisfying and filling meal on a cold winter day.

We Newfoundlanders love our dumplings.  The fluffy, soft dumplings are often referred to as Dough Boys and are served with soups, stews or even with a cooked dinner.  Just the other day my daughter-in-law, Vicki, was telling me how much she liked Dough Boys with her soup but she didn't know how to make them.  Of course, I told her they were easy to make.  Easy to make right and just as easy to make wrong!  Dough Boys or dumplings can be wonderful soft pillows of steamed dough or heavy, tough globs of glue!  Ha, ha.  I've made them both ways but, fortunately these days, the globby glue days are far and few between.

The secret to fluffy dumplings is in the mixing and in the cooking.  Mix very gently, just enough to bring the ingredients together.  Over-mixing will produce a tough dumpling. When cooking make sure you keep the pot covered and never peek, not even once, while they are simmering.  Lifting the lid will produce a sticky, gluey dumpling.

I find making the Dough Boys about 20 minutes before the soup or stew is finished cooking ensures the vegetables will not become mushy.  I usually add them around the same time I add the potatoes or any frozen vegetables, if using.  

Printable recipe at bottom of post.

Dough Boys
  • 1 cup flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • ½ cup milk or water (+ 2 tablespoons for a softer dumpling)
How to make it:
Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together.  Rub in the butter using your fingers or the back of a spoon.  Make a well in the dry ingredients. Add the milk or water and gently mix until just combined.  Handle gently. The dough should be similar to biscuit dough--not sticky but not totally dry.   Drop the dough by spoonfuls into the simmering stew.  You should have about 6-8` portions.  Cover the pot and lower the heat so the mixture will keep simmering. Make sure the mixture is simmering because a rolling boil will break up the dumplings.  Simmer for 20 minutes. DO NOT lift the cover until the 20 minutes are up.  Remove the cover and let the dumplings sit about 5 minutes.  Serve 1 or 2 Dough Boys with each bowl of soup or stew

Makes 6-8 dumplings.


Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and butter together.  Rub the butter into the flour until it is mealy.

 Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the milk.

Mix all ingredients together to form a soft dough.  Do not over-mix the dough or your Dough Boys will be tough. 

Drop the Dough Boys onto the simmering stew or soup.  Cover tightly and cook for 20 minutes. DO NOT lift the cover during cooking. 

Newfoundland Dough Boys. . . Fluffy Dumplings for Soup or Stew
 Fluffy, soft Dough Boys are ready to be served.

I like two Dough Boys with my stew.

A hearty and satisfying meal of Vegetable Stew and Dough Boys.


print recipe

Dough Boys
Fluffy, soft dumplings for soups or stews.

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • ½ cup milk or water (+ 2 tablespoons for a softer dumpling)
How to make it:
Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together. Rub in the butter using your fingers or the back of a spoon. Make a well in the dry ingredients. Add the milk or water and gently mix until just combined. Handle gently. The dough should be similar to biscuit dough--not sticky but not totally dry. Drop the dough by spoonfuls into the simmering stew. You should have about 6-8` portions. Cover the pot and lower the heat so the mixture will keep simmering. Make sure the mixture is simmering because a rolling boil will break up the dumplings. Simmer for 20 minutes. DO NOT lift the cover until the 20 minutes are up. Remove the cover and let the dumplings sit about 5 minutes. Serve 1 or 2 Dough Boys with each bowl of soup or stew.

Details
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 6-8 dumplings

Comments

  1. Replies
    1. Tried this measuring carefully. Way too dry. Almost doubled the milk and they were perfect

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  2. Can you make ahead dough boys for later?

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    Replies
    1. I have eaten many leftover dough boys and while they are good they aren't as good as the ones made and eaten right out of the pot. My advice would be to try it and see how they are.

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    2. Hi ! Any leftover doughboys you can slice in circles and butter both sides and fry on hot pan !!! Yummmmmm. Serve with molasses or jam !!!

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  3. The best are made when roasting chicken in the oven ... mmmm so good ... my mom made those when she was alive - called it chicken & dumplings & it was always a treat to eat them ... Have to say it's my favorite!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for your comment. My mom was a great cook also.

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    2. How do you cook the dumplings with a roasted chicken?

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    3. I would guess cooking them with the potatoes and other vegetables to be served?

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    4. Yes, if you are doing a chicken you would put them on the vegetables while they are cooking. Or if you are stewing a chicken you would put them on top of the simmering chicken.

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  4. Great recipe! Always my go to for doughboys :)

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    1. I found this recipe a few years back. However, when I was in.the hospital for 62 days, my daughter sent me a text asking for my dumpling recipe. I told her to google newfoundland dumplings. My family members were able to make these without a problem. Bravo, for a no-fail recipe!

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    2. Glad the dumplings turned out well and hope you are feeling much better as well.

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  5. I will buy the ingredients and I am going to prepare it this weekend, well at least try it hahaha

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    Replies
    1. Hope they turn out wonderful!

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    2. Me too. Im going to try. I've made pea soup and for once it's not to heavy, so the dumplings should work, unless I muck them up lol. Good luck with your's everyone.

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  6. Really very informative, meaningful and useful article thank you for sharing this recipe will try to implement the same.
    Good for all age groups now a days to learn such innovative and motivational thoughts. we need to hunt and prepare for the spiritual food too! https://sdahymnalsongs.com/Hymnal/645-god-of-our-fathers/

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  7. Been looking for a dumpling recipe that'd taste like the ones my mom made growing up. Found it.

    Now I need to try blueberry dumplings like my nanny used to make ��

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    Replies
    1. So glad the dumplings turned out so good for you.

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  8. what type of flour

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  9. Perfect dough boys, this is my go to recipe everytime! Yum

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  10. Leftovers - Do not leave dumpling in stew overnight. Store separately and reheat in hot stew for about 5 minutes. This keeps them fluffy.

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  11. Started using this recipe about 4 years ago for my turkey stew. I use the leftover carcass of thanksgiving or Christmas turkey to make a broth. Add in almost all the leftovers once the bones are removed. Some celery, carrots, barley and potatoes. These dumplings really transformed my stew. I now call it turkey dumpling stew. My husband had recalled the dumplings his grandma used to make and this happens to be the recipe. Can never go wrong with these doughboys

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    Replies
    1. So glad you found this recipe so good. Dumplings in any stew really brings it up a notch for sure.

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    2. The perfect dough boys

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  12. This is my go-to recipe for dumplings. My ex BF used to flip if I'd make stew with these dumplings. I cut. him loose but kept the recipe. :D

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    Replies
    1. Ha, ha, ha! I guess the dumplings are more reliable!

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  13. Can this recipe be baked? Ive only ever done dough boys on the stove

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    Replies
    1. I'm sure you could bake them but I don't know how nice they'd be as they use a wet heat to steam on the soup or stew. I make tea buns or biscuits if I don't want dough boys.

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    2. They turned out wonderful !

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    3. Good to know.

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  14. Can you do these dough boys in the slow cooker

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    Replies
    1. That's a good question that I don't know the answer to. I know the dumplings must maintain a gentle simmer so if you do make them in a slow cooker the liquid would have to stay simmering when the dough is added. If you try making them in a slow cooker let us all know how they turn out.

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  15. This is my go-to recipe for dough bys! Thanks for sharing, my mother loves them :)

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    Replies
    1. I'm happy to be of service when it comes to dough boys!

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    2. Really great recipe, fry up any leftovers next morning. Just as good as a touton

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    3. When I was a kid, any leftover dough boys was eaten with molasses like a pudding.

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  16. Great standard recipe! I make mine in a steamer either with my turkey soup or just to have. These are my go to when I'm not feeling well with a bit of molasses. My Daughter loves leftovers right out of the fridge!

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  17. I loved them. I lost me girlfriends receipe for them so I’m so. Glad I found yours. They are amazing. Next time I’ll double the ingredients cause everyone wanted more. Love them❤️❤️❤️❤️

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    Replies
    1. Glad the dumplings turned out so good for you. I find I can eat more than one myself, lol.

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  18. My mother used to make wonderful doughboys. It was always my favorite part of the meal and I kicked myself for not learning how to make them, until I found this recipe. I do remember her telling me to put the cabbage or root vegetables on the top of the stew or boiled dinner so they kept the doughboys out of the water and just steamed them.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, your mother was right. Glad you can make your favourite part of the dinner again.

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