Description
A nostalgic dessert featuring whole apples wrapped in flaky pastry and baked in a cinnamon-spiced syrup. Perfect for fall, these apple dumplings are rich, buttery, and full of comforting flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pastry:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 6 tablespoons cold water
For the Apple Filling:
- 4 medium apples (Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Jonagold)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
For the Syrup:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Prepare the Pastry Dough
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour and salt.
- Cut in cold butter using a pastry cutter or fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Gradually add cold water, stirring until the dough forms a ball.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Prepare the Apples
- Peel and core each apple, keeping them whole.
- In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Fill the core of each apple with 1 tablespoon of the sugar-spice mixture and top with a small pat of butter.
- Assemble the Dumplings
- Roll out the chilled dough on a floured surface and cut into four equal squares.
- Wrap each apple in a dough square, bringing the edges up and pinching them together to seal.
- Place the dumplings in a greased baking dish.
- Make the Syrup
- In a saucepan, combine sugar, water, butter, cinnamon, and vanilla extract.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce and simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Pour the syrup over the apple dumplings.
- Bake the Dumplings
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, basting occasionally with syrup, until the pastry is golden brown and apples are tender.
- Let cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- Pecan-Stuffed Dumplings – Add chopped pecans to the apple filling.
- Maple Syrup Glaze – Replace some sugar in the syrup with maple syrup.
- Raisin or Cranberry Twist – Mix dried fruit into the apple filling.
- Cheddar Crust – Add shredded sharp cheddar to the pastry for a sweet-savory contrast.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40-45 minutes
- Category: dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: apple dumplings, baked apples, fall dessert, cinnamon apples, homemade pastry