Crescent Roll Apple Dumplings

Enjoy these Crescent Roll Apple Dumplings for a simple dessert recipe with soft crescent roll dough, baked apples, and a delicious sauce made with butter, warming spices, and lemon-lime soda.

If you're craving more easy apple desserts, then be sure to also try making a batch of tasty Apple Dump Cake. For another dumpling recipe, make some Sweet Potato Dumplings.

These apple dumplings have been around for a while and I first shared them back in 2013, so they seriously needed an update to see if the recipe still works.

And I'm here to tell you that it does and is perfect to make during the peak apple-picking and Fall season. We're keeping the recipe simple by using crescent roll dough and creating a simple sauce with melted butter, brown sugar, a few spices, and a little vanilla extract for good measure.

Then before placing them into the oven, add a little lemon-lime or citrus soda to poach the dumplings in as they bake to make them soft, fluffy, and tender. So much sweet and delicious flavor in each tasty little bite.

Let's get started!

Apple Dumpling Recipe Ingredients

1. Apples - The main ingredient in this apple dumpling recipe! Use any apple that you prefer or have on hand. For this recipe, I love using Granny Smith apples because they hold up really well during baking. They're also tart and hold their structure without breaking down into mush. Plus the tart flavor balances well with the sweetness in this dessert recipe. You may also use golden delicious, honeycrisp, braeburn, or gala apples as well.
2. Crescent Rolls - This recipe requires two cans of refrigerated crescent rolls. I love using Pillsbury crescents. You may use classic or big and buttery, either will work. This ingredient serves as the dough that wraps around the apple slices to create soft and buttery dumplings.
3. Butter - Helps to create the sauce/syrup the dumplings will bake in. You may use any butter that you prefer, salted or unsalted. Try to select the highest quality available.
4. Sugar - Use brown sugar, light or dark will work. If you prefer to substitute cane or granulated sugar, then you may.
5. Vanilla Extract - Helps to add vanilla flavor to the dessert. Be sure to use pure vanilla extract and not imitation.
6. Ground Cinnamon - Adds a bit of warm spice flavor to the recipe and pairs well with the apples.
7. Ground Nutmeg - Adds a slightly nutty flavor to the recipe. Only a small amount is needed.
8. Soda - Tops the dumplings before baking to provide acid to the recipe as well as sweetness. Use lemon-lime soda, ginger ale, or any citrus-flavored soda.

See the recipe card below for exact ingredient quantities and instructions.

How to Make Crescent Roll Apple Dumplings

Begin the recipe by preparing the apples. This recipe requires two apples. Clean, peel the outer skin, and core the apples to create eight even slices per apple for a total of sixteen apple slices/wedges.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and grab a 9x13-inch baking dish. Set aside.

Remove the crescent dough from the two tubes and roll out the dough. Separate the dough along the perforated edge to create sixteen triangles. Place an apple slice into the center of each triangle and then roll the crescent dough around it.

An easy way to do this is to begin at the widest end and place the apple slice there before rolling to the narrowest point. Place into the baking dish, seam side down. Repeat the process with the rest of the dough and apple slices.

In a medium-sized saucepan over low heat, add the butter. Once melted and bubbly, add the brown sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg. Stir to combine, the mixture may be slightly grainy due to the sugar not fully dissolving. Pour the mixture evenly over the prepared dumplings in the baking dish.

Evenly pour the soda over the top of the dumplings before placing them into the oven to bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the dumplings are golden brown and some of the liquid has been absorbed.

Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven and serve warm with the sauce from the bottom of the pan spooned over the top or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!

Recipe Tips & Tricks

• Use an apple slicer to help slice the apples evenly and remove the core.
• For the soda, try to select lemon-lime, citrus, or ginger ale (Sprite, 7-Up, Mountain Dew, etc.). No diet sodas though, as this will alter the sauce.
• Peel the apples for a soft and tender dumpling texture.
• Serve the dumplings warm straight from the oven or reheat them as needed. Try topping them with a scoop of ice cream.

Storage Tips

Storage. If you have any leftovers, store them covered or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Reheating. When you're ready to serve the apple dumplings again, allow them to come to room temperature or reheat them inside the oven on low heat until warm or in the microwave for a few minutes.

Freezing. Baked apple dumplings can be frozen in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag for up to 1 month. Allow them to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

Want More Delicious Apple Recipes? Try These:

• Apple Dump Cake
• Homemade Fried Apples
• Apple Ginger Margarita

Have any comments, questions, or other delicious ideas for this Easy Apple Dumpling Recipe? Please share them in the comments below!

📖 Recipe

Original post date 04/10/2013. Updated 10/13/2022 and 08/29/2024.