Apple Dumplings
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These incredibly delicious Apple Dumplings are sweet, flaky and drizzled with a tasty syrup. Serve them with a scoop of ice cream for a true comforting experience.
Apple Dumplings Recipe
These apple dumplings are the bomb! I could barely contain myself as the irresistible aroma filled the kitchen—waiting to take them out of the oven was sheer torture. And don’t even get me started on having to snap a few photos before diving in! Pure agony, I tell you.
But now that I’ve indulged in one (okay, maybe two) with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream, all is right in the world again. What can I say? I have a serious sweet tooth, and apple dumplings are my ultimate weakness. It’s probably a good thing I don’t make them too often, but when I do, it’s pure bliss!
Before You Start
- Pick the Right Apples: Use firm apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp. They hold up well during baking and offer a nice balance of sweet and tart flavors.
- Keep Ingredients Cold: When making the crust, make sure your butter and shortening are cold. Cold fats create a flakier pastry.
- Don’t Overmix the Dough: Mix the crust ingredients just until they come together. Overmixing can make the dough tough.
- Prep Everything First: Measure out all your ingredients before you start.
- Use Ice Water: When adding water to the dough, use ice-cold water. This helps keep the fats solid until baking time.
- Flour Your Surface: Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin to prevent the dough from sticking.
- Seal the Dumplings Well: When wrapping the dough around the apples, make sure to seal the edges tightly. This will prevent them from opening during baking.
- Adjust Sweetness to Taste: Feel free to tweak the amount of sugar and cinnamon based on how sweet you like your desserts.
- Let Them Cool a Bit: After baking, let the dumplings cool for about 5 minutes. This helps the syrup thicken slightly and makes them easier to handle.
What You’ll Need
- Dry ingredients – All purpose flour and salt.
- Wet ingredients – Ice water, shortening, and cold unsalted butter cut into cubes.
- Sugar – Brown sugar to give us those lovely caramel notes.
- Cinnamon – To boost that all familiar apple pie flavor in our dumplings and create dimension and complexity.
- Lemon juice – Just a tablespoon will prevent your apples from oxidizing and browning before they find their way into the oven. Lemon juice will also add a bit of tartness, it will be good to keep on hand if using sweeter apples.
- Apples – Peeled, cut in half and cored. Use firm varieties like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp so they hold up well during baking.
- Butter – Unsalted so as to control the sodium content of our dish.
- Cinnamon – To boost that all familiar apple pie flavor in our dumplings and create dimension and complexity.
- Sugar – Brown sugar to give us those lovely caramel notes.
In the bowl of your mixer, combine 3 cups of all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon of salt, 10 tablespoons of cold unsalted butter (cut into cubes), and 8 tablespoons of cold shortening (cut into cubes). Mix until the ingredients are incorporated. Gradually add 6 tablespoons of ice water, a little at a time, mixing just until the dough starts to come together. You can also do this in your food processor.
Turn the dough out onto your work surface and divide it into two equal pieces. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
In a 1-quart saucepan, combine 1 cup of water, 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 cup of packed brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Then, reduce the heat to a simmer and let the syrup reduce by about half, which should take around 8 to 10 minutes.
While the syrup is simmering, peel 4 medium apples, cut them in half, and remove the cores. In a small bowl, mix together 3 tablespoons of packed brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Cut 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter into 8 small pieces. Roll each butter piece in the sugar-cinnamon mixture until well coated. Place one butter piece into the hollow center of each apple half.
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). On a floured surface, take one piece of chilled dough and roll it out to about ⅛-inch thickness. Cut the dough into 4 pieces, each large enough to wrap around an apple half. Place an apple half, buttered side up, onto a piece of dough. Bring the edges of the dough up and over the apple, stretching gently if needed, and seal it at the top. If necessary, dab a little water on the edges to help them stick. Pinch off any excess dough and smooth the seams.
Pour a ladleful of the brown sugar syrup into the bottom of a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Place the wrapped apple dumplings into the dish. Repeat the rolling and wrapping process with the second piece of dough and remaining apples. Once all dumplings are in the dish, pour the remaining syrup evenly over them.
Place the casserole dish in the preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes, or until the dumplings are golden brown and the apples are tender. Remove the dumplings from the oven and let them cool for about 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm, optionally with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of extra syrup.
How To Serve
Now of course if you can eat them just on their own, still pretty yummy, and I’m not here to judge you. Just make sure you take some of that extra syrup from the bottom and pour some over the dumpling.
But if you want to walk on the wild side and you want something that’s orgasmically delicious, then you must eat this with a scoop or two of the best vanilla ice cream you can afford, then drizzle some of that caramel sauce from the bottom of the pan all over the ice cream and enjoy! That’s all I’ve got to say.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare the dough in advance. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. When you’re ready to use it, let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes to make it easier to roll out.
What types of apples are best for apple dumplings?
Firm apples like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Braeburn are ideal. They hold their shape well during baking and offer a nice balance of sweet and tart flavors.
Can I use store-bought pastry instead of making my own crust?
Absolutely! If you’re short on time or prefer convenience, you can use pre-made pie crust or puff pastry.
How do I store leftover apple dumplings?
Let the dumplings cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, place them in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10-15 minutes or microwave them briefly until warmed through.
Can I freeze apple dumplings?
Yes, you can freeze them. After baking and cooling the dumplings, wrap each one individually in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. They can be frozen for up to 2 months. To reheat, bake them from frozen at 350°F (175°C) for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.
My dough is too crumbly or too sticky. How can I fix it?
If the dough is too crumbly and won’t come together, add a little more ice water, one tablespoon at a time, until it holds together. If it’s too sticky, sprinkle in a bit more flour until it’s manageable.
I’d Love to Hear From You
Thank you for joining me in making these delightful Apple Dumplings! How did your batch turn out? Did you add any special twists or personal touches? Share your photos, tips, and experiences in the comments below—I love seeing your mouthwatering creations and hearing your stories.
More Delicious Apple Recipes
- Apple and Pecan Cinnamon Rolls
- Chocolate Apple Pie Monkey Bread
- Salted Caramel Apple Pie Cheesecake Bars
- Apple Pie Taquitos
- Churro Apple Pie Cookies
- Apple Cider Donuts
- Caramel Apple Cake
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Apple Dumplings
Ingredients
For The Crust
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 10 tablespoons butter (unsalted, cold and cut into cubes)
- 8 tablespoons shortening (cold and cut into cubes)
- 6 tablespoons ice water (or more as needed)
For Brown Sugar Syrup
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
For Dumplings
- 4 medium apples (peeled, cut half in and cored)
- 2 tablespoon butter (unsalted, cut into 8 pieces)
- 3 tablespoon brown sugar (packed)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
Crust
- Start by making the crust. Add the flour, salt, butter, shortening to the bowl of your mixer and mix to incorporate. Start adding a little bit of water at a time, and keep adding until the dough starts to come together. You can also do this in your food processor.
- Dump the dough onto your work surface and divide it into 2 pieces. Wrap each piece of dough in plastic wrap then refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Syrup
- Add all the syrup ingredients together in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn the heat down to a simmer and let the syrup reduce to about half, should take about 8 to 10 minutes.
Assemble and Bake
- Peel the apples, cut them in half and remove the core. In a small bowl mix together the 3 tablespoons of brown sugar with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Take 2 tablespoons of butter, cut it into 8 small pieces and roll each piece in the sugar cinnamon mixture. Place each butter piece in the center of each apple.
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
- On a floured surface, roll out one of the pieces of crust and cut it out into 4 pieces. Each piece of has to be big enough to folder over the apple completely. Fold the crust over the apples, use a bit of water if necessary to wet your finger and run it along the edge of the crust. Pinch off any excess dough.
- Pour about a ladle of the brown sugar syrup into the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Place the apple dumplings in the baking dish and pour the remaining syrup over the apples.
- Bake for about 40 minutes or until the apple dumplings are golden brown. Let the dumplings cool for about 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Choose Firm Apples: I recommend using apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp; they hold their shape well during baking and provide a nice balance of sweet and tart flavors.
- Chill the Dough: Don’t skip chilling the dough—it makes it easier to roll out and results in a flakier crust.
- Customize the Spices: Feel free to add a pinch of nutmeg or allspice to the cinnamon for extra warmth and flavor.
- Leftover Syrup: If you have leftover brown sugar syrup, drizzle it over the dumplings when serving or save it to top pancakes or waffles.
- Serving Suggestion: These dumplings are best warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a dollop of whipped cream.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
Originally shared Oct 20 2015.
