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Apple Dumplings are a simple apple dessert recipe takes just a handful of simple ingredients. The soft dumplings are full of sliced apples and the caramel sauce is gooey and sweet and tastes like fall. These are made easy by using Crescent Rolls but have a homemade sauce that is SO good and they’re a family favorite recipe!
I have such fond memories of apple dumplings growing up and I couldn’t wait to share my old-fashioned apple dumplings recipe with you. While the crescent roll dough might not be homemade, the sauce is from scratch, so no one will know this is a semi-homemade recipe. The sweet sauce is almost like a caramel sauce and paired with the fresh apples and crescent dough they make one of the best apple recipes ever.
How to make Apple Dumplings
- Apples (any kind) – you can use sweet or tart apples! I’ve made this with Granny Smith apples and Gala apples.
- It’s important to peel the apples; the skin will cause a texture issue once the apples are cooked.
- Crescent roll dough – you’ll need two cans for this recipe. I also use these for my peach dumplings. I have a homemade crescent roll recipe if you want to make them from scratch!
- Apple cider – adds even more apple flavoring, better than just using water. You can also use apple juice.
- Unsalted butter – unsalted works best but if you do have to use salted butter, omit adding in any extra salt.
- I love adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of the dumplings for serving, but you can also use whipped cream.
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Storing
How to store leftover apple dumplings: store in refrigerator in an airtight container. I do not recommend freezing these.
Dorothy’s Expert Tips
- You can use any kind of apples for these, but I love using Granny Smith or Gala/Fuji or even pink lady apples.
- It’s important that the size of your apples aren’t too big or too small – but make sure they are all the same size so they cook at the same rate.
- You know dumplings are done baking because the crescent rolls will be golden brown on top and the liquid will be bubbly.
- The mixture will still be wet when you remove it from the oven but the sauce will thicken as it cools.
- I have not tried biscuit dough or pie crust in this recipe, but they should work just fine.
- You can also do this same method to make peach dumplings!
Apple Dumplings Recipe
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 2 medium apples any kind
- 2 cans crescent rolls 8 rolls each
- 1 cup apple cider
- 2 cups (400g) packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Peel apples. Core apples and cut each into 8 pieces.
- Unroll crescent rolls. Place one apple slice on each crescent roll and sprinkle with a pinch of brown sugar (rest of brown sugar will go in sauce). Wrap up the apple slice in the crescent roll. Place in prepared pan.
- Heat apple cider with remaining brown sugar and butter until butter melts and mixture just comes to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in cinnamon, vanilla and salt.
- Pour mixture over crescent rolls in pan. Bake until golden and bubbly, approximately 20-30 minutes. Mixture will be still wet when you remove from the oven but will thicken as it cools.
- Serve warm or room temperature, plain or with ice cream. Store leftovers in refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Recipe Nutrition
Step by Step Photos
- Peer and core apples and cut each into 8 apple slices. Unroll crescent rolls. Place one apple slice on center of the dough and sprinkle with a pinch of brown sugar.
- Wrap up the apple slice in the crescent roll. Place in the prepared pan.
- Heat apple cider with more brown sugar and butter in a small saucepan until mixture just comes to a boil. Remove the brown sugar mixture from the heat and stir in cinnamon, vanilla and salt.
- Pour sauce over crescent rolls in baking dish. Bake until golden and bubbly, approximately 20-30 minutes in an oven preheated to 350°F. Serve with a scoop of ice cream.
FAQs
Yes, it’s important to peel the apples before adding them to the dumpling mixture. Leaving on the apple peel will make for a texture that doesn’t bode well with the rest of the ingredients.
I don’t recommend using frozen fruit. Frozen fruit may give you a lot of yummy flavors, but the frozen fruit thaws and ends up releasing a ton of extra juice and liquid into the dumplings, making them a soggy mess.
I know many recipes online use Mountain Dew but I prefer cooking the sauce with sugar and cider because I always have apple juice or cider in the fall. Plus I don’t like the taste of that soda!
This is so good!! My husband and I love this treat. I definitely have to use apple cidar. I tried it with apple juice..but was just not right. Follow this recipe to the T, and it’s gets perfect every time.
So glad you and your husband love the recipe! Thanks for taking the time to rate and comment 🙂
Loved this recipe but I added about 1/4 cup of diced pecans at the end! I let it sit on the counter for 10 minutes on a rack, served it with vanilla ice cream! So good!!
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