Jamaican Spinners Recipe (2024)

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  • Latin American Food
  • Caribbean Food

By

Cynthia Nelson

Jamaican Spinners Recipe (1)

Cynthia Nelson

Food columnist and blogger Cynthia Nelson is the author of "Tastes Like Home: My Caribbean Cookbook." Living in Barbados, Cynthia shares her love of the diverse food of the islands.

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Updated on 02/28/24

Tested by

Colleen Graham

Jamaican Spinners Recipe (2)

Tested byColleen Graham

Freelance writer and co*cktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.

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Jamaican Spinners Recipe (3)

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 7 mins

Rest: 10 mins

Total: 27 mins

Servings: 4 servings

Yield: 12 dumplings

127 ratings

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Jamaican spinners are a type of dumpling, but they're different than what you might expect. While the goal for other types of dumplings is to make them light and fluffy so that they float on top of the broth, Jamaican spinners are dense and hearty. These dumplings are also known as "spinners and sinkers" becausetheir long, tapered shape causes them to sink and spin while they cook, whereas traditional dumplings bob and float.

Best of all, these Jamaican dumplings only require three ingredients to make. The dumplings are typically made of all-purpose flour, though sometimes cornmeal is added. Shaping them is a fun and quick project that kids can take part in too. Spinners are most often cooked in soups and stews, including this Caribbean beef soup recipe. You can also boil and eat them as a side dish.

What You'll Need to Make This Jamaican Spinners Recipe

A Nice Mixing Bowl
A Large Saucepan
A Great Slotted Spoon

"Quick to make, these tasty dumplings are as fun to shape as they are to eat. Adding small amounts of water is key so the dough doesn’t get too sticky. It’s a great recipe, and I will be making these more often when a slimmer dumpling sounds like a good alternative." —Colleen Graham

Jamaican Spinners Recipe (7)

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (120 grams) all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup water, as needed

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Jamaican Spinners Recipe (8)

  2. In a small bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add just enough water, one tablespoon at a time, to make astiff dough. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.

    Jamaican Spinners Recipe (9)

  3. Pinch off about 1/2 ounce of dough and roll it between the palms of your hands to form a softly tapered cylindrical shape. Repeat until all of the dough has been transformed into spinners.

    Jamaican Spinners Recipe (10)

  4. The spinners can be cooked in a pot of boiling salted water for about 5 to 7 minutes or added to a soup or stew 5 minutes before the dish is due to finish cooking. To test for doneness, cut one open to make sure the dough is fully cooked.

    Jamaican Spinners Recipe (11)

  5. Serve and enjoy!

    Jamaican Spinners Recipe (12)

Tips

  • When mixing the dough, use a measuring spoon to add the water because it provides more control than pouring it from a cup. If you do add too much water and the dough is sticky, add a tablespoon of flour and mix it in (add more if needed).
  • It's helpful to keep your hands floured while shaping the dumplings.
  • Play around with the size of the spinners. They're typically about three inches long and larger, thicker dumplings will take longer to cook.
  • The spinners can be made in advance and kept, uncooked, in the fridge for up to three days.

Recipe Variations

  • Cornmeal dumplings: Add 1/4 cup of cornmeal to the flour mixture.
  • Jamaican spiced spinners: Work the spices of Jamaican jerk seasoning into the dough by adding 1 teaspoon sweet paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and a dash of cayenne pepper (or more, depending on your heat tolerance).
  • Potato dumplings: Add 1 cup of mashed potatoes, 1 beaten egg, and 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder to the dough. These dumplings are more likely to sink than spin.

How to Store and Freeze

  • Freeze the uncooked spinners by placing them on a cookie sheet and putting them in the freezer until they're hard. Once solid, remove the spinners from the cookie sheet and put them in a freezer-grade plastic bag, and store them for up to three months.
  • Frozen spinners don't need to be thawed before cooking. Put them in boiling water or soup and check after 10 minutes to make sure they're cooked through.

Jamaican Beef Patties

  • Caribbean Food
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
109Calories
0g Fat
23g Carbs
3g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories109
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g0%
Saturated Fat 0g0%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 158mg7%
Total Carbohydrate 23g8%
Dietary Fiber 1g3%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 0mg0%
Calcium 5mg0%
Iron 1mg8%
Potassium 32mg1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

  • Dumplings
  • side dish
  • african
  • family dinner

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Jamaican Spinners Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are Jamaican dumplings made of? ›

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.

How many calories are in a Jamaican boiled dumpling? ›

How to Store and Freeze
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories109
% Daily Value*
13 more rows
Feb 28, 2024

Why do Jamaicans not eat pork? ›

Seventh Day Adventists and some other Sabbath keepers don't eat it. They say it is forbidden by God, which they say is in the Bible. Rastafarians also have this belief. Some ministers of religion interpret it that because the law is in the Old Testament it is meant only for Jews so therefore Christians can eat it.

What are the 3 components of dumplings? ›

What are dumplings made of? The dumpling dough is made of three main ingredients: flour, water and salt.

Do you boil dumplings with lid on or off? ›

Fill your pan or pot with water that is about 1 inch deep and bring to a boil. Place the steaming vessel over the boiling water, cover, and steam for about 10–15 minutes (this depends upon what you have inside—if you have raw ingredients like meat, steam for longer, whereas cooked ingredients will take less time).

Do dumplings float when done? ›

Cover and bring to a vigorous boil. Add roughly one cup of cold water and return to boil while covered. Repeat this step again. The dumplings will be completely cooked and ready when they float on the surface of the boiling water.

Can you boil dumplings in just water? ›

Whether you make your dumplings fresh or get them frozen, you can cook them quickly by boiling them. Raw dumplings are often boiled in water, but southern drop dumplings can be simmered in stock or broth for additional flavor. Chinese dumplings can also be boiled briefly in a pan to become potstickers.

Are boiled dumplings unhealthy? ›

Steamed or boiled dumplings are healthy options, but do not forget about your fillings and serving sizes as well. One of the more popular options when it comes to dumplings are meat filled ones. Now there are many options of dumplings especially when it comes to fillings and how they are cooked.

How much protein is in Jamaican dumplings? ›

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
472Calories
20gFat
64gCarbs
9gProtein
Jun 1, 2022

How long should dumplings steam? ›

Pour water into a wok until one-quarter full. Bring to the boil over high heat. Place steamer over wok, ensuring base doesn't touch water. Steam dumplings for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender and cooked through.

Can you overcook dumplings? ›

Overcooking is also a problem, so make sure you're cooking at a low or medium-low heat, and that the liquid from the stew isn't bubbling too vigorously.

What are the two methods of cooking dumplings? ›

The Two Easiest Ways to Cook: Boiling and Steaming

Add as many dumplings as can fit comfortably in a single layer in the pot and cook them until they float. Let them cook an additional two to three minutes. Fish them out with a strainer, drain them, and serve.

How long to boil raw dumplings? ›

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook dumplings in batches of about eight until they are cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the dumplings to a serving platter. Serve warm with the dipping sauce.

What are dumplings usually made of? ›

Dumplings are most commonly formed from flour or meal bound with egg and then simmered in water or gravy stock until they take on a light cakey texture. Many recipes call for herbs, onions, grated cheese, or chopped meat to be rolled into the dough before cooking.

Why do Jamaicans eat dumplings? ›

Fried dumplings have their origins in Jamaican colonization and slavery, where workers would pack fried biscuits to take with them on long journeys. Sometimes called “journey cake” or “Johnny Cake”, today's islanders often enjoy fried dumplings with other breakfast dishes like ackee and saltfish, callaloo, or kidney.

What dough are dumplings made of? ›

From-scratch dumpling dough requires only two ingredients — flour and water — and the water temperature yields different types of wrappers. Cold water is best for boiled dumplings because it causes the flour's proteins to form the gluten that makes dough chewy and able to withstand vigorously boiling water.

What is dumpling mix made of? ›

Ingredients. Wheat Flour, (Wheat Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Vegetable Oil (Palm), Raising Agents: Disodium Diphosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate; Salt. For allergens including cereals containing gluten, see ingredients in bold. Also, may contain milk, oats & egg.

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