This apple dumpling recipe is easy to put together and makes a stunning, extra-special dish to impress your guests. You can use apples fresh from the orchard in the fall or the supermarket any time of year. Perfect for a fancy breakfast or as a tasty dessert.
The Pennsylvania Dutch apple dumpling was introduced to me by my husband years ago when we were first dating. While visiting his family in central PA, near Amish country, we picked up some chicken pot pie and a few apple dumplings in the fabulous market in the center of town. He would heat the dumpling and add milk to eat any time of day, mostly breakfast.
I've since learned how to make them at home, and though you can make them any time of year with the availability of all kinds of apples, I love making them in the fall.
Ingredients
- 4 large baking apples
- one pie crust
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Apples to Use for the Dumplings
I like to go to our local farm and check out the apple selection. Many say that Granny Smith apples are the best apples for pies, but they are usually not at the farm. Often I'll buy Ginger Gold apples as they state that they are good for using in pies. Personally, any crisp apple that's firm and tart has my approval. Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Pink Lady are good choices.
I made my standard pie crust dough for the pastry. It tasted great, but I noticed it wasn't as dry as the ones I'd had before. I think that's why my husband likes to pour milk over his apple dumplings.
Easy Apple Dumpling Tips:
- You could use frozen or refrigerated pie dough for this recipe.
- This recipe has a little brown sugar and cinnamon in the core, but if you are trying to cut back on sugar, I think you could leave that step out.
- You could also add a few raisins or walnuts in the center.
Apple Dumpling Sauce
This recipe includes a syrup made from brown sugar, water, vanilla, butter, and cinnamon to pour over the apples. I think this makes them extra delicious, but you could cut back here too.
Possibly consider just a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar. Make your own cinnamon sugar by whisking together regular granulated sugar with cinnamon. I'd start with a 4:1 ratio. Four tablespoons of sugar to one tablespoon of cinnamon, and then go from there as you wish.
Either way, I think you will be in for a fabulous treat.
More Tasty Apple Desserts
Apple Dumpling Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 large baking apples
- one pie crust
Filling
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Peel the apples and remove the core
- Roll out pie dough on a lightly floured surface into a rectangular shape
- Cut into four even pieces of dough.
- Mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon for the filling.
- Place an apple in the center of one piece of dough
- Fill with 1/4 of the filling.
- Bring up the sides of the dough and pinch the edges together to wrap the apple, and then place it in a baking pan.
- Repeat for the remaining 3 apples.
- In a saucepan, combine the ingredients for the sauce.
- Cook over medium heat and stir until combined and the butter is melted.
- Remove from the heat and pour the mixture over the apples.
- Place the baking dish into the oven and bake for 45-60 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and the apple feels fork tender.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although attempts have been made to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
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