Grape dumplings are a soft, sweet Osage delicacy that tell a much deeper story. The rich, purple dish is prepared for gatherings such as namings, dances, honor dinners, and funerals. In June, it is especially popular at family camps, where traditional ceremonies and shared meals take place alongside the I’n-Lon-Schka dances.

How the Dish Came to Be

Unlike bison, squash, and blue corn hominy, grape dumplings are a relatively newer addition to Osage tradition. Like frybread, these velvety dumplings were the result of a lifestyle shift. Before the Treaties and the Indian Removal Act forced Native Americans to cede their traditional lands, the Osage had buffalo trails that followed the seasons. In the summers, the Osage would hunt bison across the Kansas and Oklahoma prairie, moving from Oklahoma’s panhandle to the Salt Plains, where they would use the salt crystals to preserve the bison. During the winter, they would move to the Ozarks to hunt small game. The forced relocation of the Osage in 1810 disrupted these long-established buffalo trails. Decades later, the Great American Buffalo Slaughter—when millions of bison were intentionally killed with support from the U.S. government—further destroyed a vital source of food, materials, and stability.

During the late 19th century, the U.S. government began issuing rations to Native Americans during and after relocation. When the Osage were forced into Northern Oklahoma—into what is now Osage County—the United States government forced them to rely on government supplied rations for survival. This system functioned as a way for the government to control and assimilate Native Americans. The federal government would use rations as leverage, most notably when they withheld food from the Big Hill Band (one of the multiple clusters of families that make up the Grayhorse district of the Osage Nation) after they resisted the U.S. cavalry during their forced relocation to the Osage Reservation in the 1870s.

These government rations consisted of high-calorie staples like white flour, white sugar, lard, canned meat, canned fruits and vegetables, juices, and other items that are high in sodium, fat, and sugar. Because of the near extinction of bison, many tribes had to depend on these commodities, which created a plethora of new dishes that became ingrained in Native American culture, including grape dumplings.

Grape dumplings are one of my personal favorite dishes, sweet and filling. They go perfectly with a fluffy piece of frybread and a cup of iced tea.

I love helping at Osage dinners. You can learn so much sitting with your aunties and elders, talking about the importance of culture and how food can play a huge role in that. Grape dumplings tell the story of how resilient we are as Native people.

This truly Osage dessert is commonly served in small portions at Osage dinners and can be the perfect sweet treat at your dinner table. The side dish is very simple, and you only need four ingredients to make it: grape juice, flour, sugar, and butter.

You also need a large pot, a large bowl, a baking sheet, a rolling pin, a pizza cutter, a cooking spoon, and a spatula. Grape dumplings taste better when made with family or friends, so make sure you have a trusted adult to help.

How to Make Grape Dumplings

The first step in making grape dumplings is forming the dough. For this, you will need one 64-ounce bottle of grape juice and 2 ½ lbs. of flour. This is where you will also need the large bowl, baking sheet, rolling pin, pizza cutter, and spatula.

Measure out 2 ½ lbs. of flour and place that into your large bowl. Next, you will have to trust your instincts and pour some juice into the plain white flour. You are aiming for a dough-like texture, bouncy, and not too sticky. You will mix the dough by hand, making sure to feel for that doughy feeling. It’s okay if your dough is too stretchy. If it is, you will need to add more flour. Once the dough is at a supple consistency, let it rest for a few minutes. I would be more specific with times, but when Osages cook these recipes, they cook them with the soul, not by numbers.

While your dough is resting, you will pour the full container of grape juice into your large pot. Place the juice on medium to high heat. Once you do this step, you might have to move a little quicker (so an adult can watch the pot while the kids are rolling and cutting out the dumplings).

Now that you have the grape juice on the stove, you need to start rolling out the dumplings. The easiest way to do this step is: first, sprinkling flour over a clean surface (this could be a table, countertop, or large sheet pan), next dump the dough on the surface and divide it into smaller sections. Then, you want to sprinkle more flour on top of the dough as well as on your rolling pin, pizza cutter, and spatula.

Now you need to roll out the dough until it is stretched to a sturdy, thin layer, a bit thicker than pie crust, almost like a hand-tossed pizza. You don’t want the dough to be too thick because when it cooks, it will rise. Then, with the pizza cutter, you will cut the dough into about 1×1-inch squares.

Once the squares are all cut out and placed on a baking sheet, the juice should be at a rolling boil and ready for the dumplings to be dropped in. This is when you will need an adult to gently drop the dumplings in by hand. At this point, you might be wondering if the juice will thicken up; it will, all of the flour on the dumplings will give the juice more density. While you are doing this step, you will need to constantly stir, making sure none of the dumplings are sticking to the bottom of the pot.

You are now constantly stirring, and all the dumplings should be in and moving to the top, so you are ready to add about 1 ½ – 2 lbs. of white sugar into the juice. You will need to taste to see if it needs more. Remember, this is a dessert.

The last step is to add 1 stick of butter. This is very important because it will add a glossy and velvety finish to your dumplings. Once you stir that all in, take the dumplings off the heat, and you’re ready to serve! Make sure you use a ladle or a big spoon to get a good helping of dumplings and the thick grape juice!

As an Osage, I am very proud that we are able to continue sharing our way of life through our clothing, art, ceremonies, and food. It means a lot to me to be able to share this recipe with you, and I am grateful for the opportunity to pass along a small part of our culture.

Printable Grape Dumplings Recipe:

Ingredients

• 2 x 64 fl. oz bottles of grape juice (includes the extra juice that will be used as needed for the dough)
• 2 ½ lb. flour
• 1 ½ to 2 lb. white sugar
• 1 stick of butter
• Supplies
• Large pot
• Large bowl
• Baking sheet
• Rolling pin
• Pizza cutter
• Cooking spoon
• Spatula

Instructions

1. Make the dough: Place the flour in a large bowl. Slowly pour in some grape juice and mix by hand until a dough forms. The dough should feel bouncy and soft, not too sticky. If it gets too stretchy, add a little more flour.
2. Let the dough rest: Once the dough comes together, let it rest for a few minutes while you prepare the pot.
3. Heat the grape juice: Pour the bottle of grape juice into a large pot and place it over medium-high heat.
4. Prepare your work surface: Lightly flour a clean surface, along with your rolling pin, pizza cutter, and spatula.
5. Roll out the dough: Take a portion of the dough and roll it out into a thin, sturdy layer. It should be slightly thicker than pie crust, similar to hand-tossed pizza dough.
6. Cut the dumplings: Use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into about 1-inch squares.
7. Set the dumplings aside: Place the cut squares on a baking sheet until the grape juice reaches a rolling boil.
8. Drop the dumplings into the boiling juice: Carefully add the dumplings by hand into the pot once the juice is boiling.
9. Stir constantly: Keep stirring so the dumplings do not stick to the bottom of the pot. As they cook, they will begin to rise, and the juice will start to thicken.
10. Add the sugar: Once all the dumplings are in and cooking, stir in 1 ½ to 2 lbs. of white sugar. Taste and add more if needed.
11. Add the butter: Stir in one stick of butter for a glossy, velvety finish.
12. Remove from heat and serve: Once everything is well mixed and the dumplings are cooked through, take the pot off the heat and serve.

Notes:

• The flour on the dumplings helps thicken the juice as they cook.
• The dough should not be rolled too thick, since it will rise in the pot.
• This recipe is often made by feel, so small adjustments are part of the process.