Copycat Cracker Barrel Dumplings Recipe

One of the most popular and delicious menu items at Cracker Barrel is undoubtedly their dumplings. Believe it or not, you don't need to go to the restaurant to get a taste of these incredible dumplings — you can make them at home. We know ... it's pretty awesome. This dumpling recipe is excellent for a family dinner, or it would also be a great way to please guests that you're having over. You can beef it up by adding chicken or beef, but it's also delicious just the way it is! Another fantastic part of this recipe is that it's way easier to make than you would think, requiring just 10 minutes of prep time and 15 minutes of cook time. Yep, just 25 minutes to make one of your all-time favorites at home.

Recipe developer Erin Johnson is the brains behind these fantastic copycat dumplings, and she loves the comfort factor of this recipe. "Dumplings are a family favorite comfort food, and these instantly take me back to family road trips with stops at Cracker Barrel," Johnson says.

Keep scrolling to find step-by-step instructions on how to make these delightful dumplings.

Let's start the process by gathering all of the items necessary to throw together this tasty dish. For starters, you will need chicken stock, which will give these dumplings a lot of flavor. You will also need to make a pit stop in the baking section to grab flour and baking powder. The next item on the list is salt, which you likely already have at home. Be sure to grab some shortening and milk as well. Most of the time, you can find shortening near the oils. 

Last but not least, you need pepper and onion powder. Once you have all of the items in your possession, you can begin cooking.

Grab either a large pot or a Dutch oven, and put it on your stove. Turn the heat to high, and wait for the liquid to come to a boil. If you don't want to use chicken stock or if you don't have any, there is an alternative. "You can easily substitute vegetable stock if you want to keep this vegetarian as well," says Johnson.

You can also add real chicken. "To easily make this a full meal, cook chicken breasts in the stock, and then remove and shred the chicken before cooking the dumplings," Johnson says. "When the dumplings are ready, put the chicken back in and store together. Easy chicken and dumplings!"

While you're waiting for your stock to boil, move onto the next step.

Take out a bowl and get ready to combine most of your ingredients. This is the most labor-intensive part of the process, but it's super easy. At this time, toss in the flour, half a teaspoon of the salt, a quarter of a teaspoon of the pepper, and the shortening. You can do this with the help of a pastry cutter. When the mixture becomes crumbly, slowly add in the milk a quarter of a cup at a time. If the dough is too dry to combine, simply add another tablespoon of milk.

It's time to rock and roll! Or maybe in this case, just roll. Be sure to clear and clean a space on your counter to roll the dough. This is important so you don't get any other little surprises from your counter in the dough. 

Then, sprinkle some flour on the surface and continue rolling the dough until it's about an eighth of an inch thick. Next, slice the dough into rectangles using either a knife or a pizza cutter. "Dumplings don't require perfect sizing or slicing, so don't feel like you have to spend extra time making them perfectly uniform," Johnson notes.

By now, your chicken stock should be at a boil. Go ahead and add in the remaining salt, pepper, and onion powder. You can give the pot a few good stirs at this time as well, but the boiling water should help mix everything well. Then, drop your dumpling dough into the boiling pot. Set your timer for about 15 to 20 minutes, checking the dumplings frequently until they are no longer doughy. Trust us, you will be able to easily tell when they're done. 

Once the time is up or the dumplings don't appear to be doughy any longer, turn off the heat and take the pot off the stove. Carefully remove the dumplings, and now they're ready to serve. "Dumplings as always best served right away but can be reheated the following day in the microwave or on the stove," Johnson shares.

"Dumplings go great with everything! Adding shredded cooked chicken or beef are the traditional go-tos," she notes. This makes an amazing snack or a great meal, whichever you are craving! Now the only other job that you have to do is get to eatin'.