Apple Dumplings

4.52 from 35 votes

These incredibly delicious Apple Dumplings are delightful pastries where tender apple halves are wrapped in a flaky homemade crust and baked in a sweet brown sugar syrup. Serve them with a scoop of ice cream for a true comforting experience.

Prep Time30

Cook Time40

Chilling time30

Total Time1 40

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: apple dumpling recipe, apple dumplings, how to make apple dumplings

Servings:

Calories: 605kcal

Author: Joanna Cismaru

Equipment

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

US Customary - Metric

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 9x13 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