In a 9" or 10" cast iron skillet or a cooking skillet, combine the blackberries, sugar, water, lemon juice, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine.

Turn the heat to medium, and allow fruit mixture to come to a simmer while you make the dumpling dough.

In a medium size bowl, whisk together the sifted flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, salt, and sugar.

Add the butter to the flour mixture, then, using a pastry blender, work the butter into the mixture until it becomes coarse, uneven crumbs.

Pour the vanilla extract into the buttermilk, stir to mix well, and then pour the buttermilk/vanilla mixture evenly over the flour/butter mixture. Stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened and create a shaggy dough.

Drop the dumpling dough by Tablespoonfuls into the simmering blackberry mixture, spreading them out evenly over the whole skillet.

When you have scooped all the dough into the blackberries, cover the skillet with its lid or foil and reduce the heat to low.

Allow the dumplings to simmer for about 12-14 minutes, until the dumpling balls are cooked all the way through.

When dumplings are cooked all the way through and blackberry mixture has thickened, remove from the heat and allow to cool a few minutes before serving.

To serve, spoon the hot dumplings and blackberries into bowls, then serve with ice cream, whipped cream, or as is.