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Enjoy these Apple Dumplings for a simple dessert recipe with soft crescent rolls, baked apples, and a delicious sauce made with butter, warming spices, and lemon-lime soda.
If you're craving more delicious apple dessert recipes, then be sure to also try making a batch of Apple Crumble Bars or a tasty Apple Dump Cake.
These apple dumplings have been around for a while and I first shared my version of them back in 2013, so they seriously needed an update and to see if the recipe still works.
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 making a simple sauce with butter, brown sugar, a few spices, plus 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!
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Ingredients You'll Need
- 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 or gala apples as well.
- Crescent Rolls - This recipe requires two cans of refrigerated crescent rolls. 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.
- 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.
- Sugar - Use brown sugar, light or dark will work. If you prefer to substitute cane or granulated sugar, then you may.
- Vanilla Extract - Helps to add vanilla flavor to the dessert. Be sure to use pure vanilla extract and not imitation.
- Ground Cinnamon - Adds a bit of warm spice flavor to the recipe and pairs well with the apples.
- Ground Nutmeg - Adds a little nutty flavor to the recipe. Only a small amount is needed.
- 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.
Step By Step Instructions
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.
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 have lightly browned and some of the liquid has 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 your favorite 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 they 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
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. When ready to serve, allow them to come to room temperature or reheat inside the oven on low heat or in the microwave for a few minutes.
Recipe
Apple Dumplings
Ingredients
- 2 whole granny smith apples,
- 2 (16 ounces) tubes refrigerated crescent rolls (Classic or Big & Buttery)
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 12 ounces soda
Instructions
- Begin the recipe by preparing the apples. This recipe requires 2 apples. Clean, peel the outer skin, and core the apples to create 8 even slices per apple for a total of 16 apple slices.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and grab a 9x13-inch baking dish. Set aside.
- Remove the crescent dough from the 2 tubes and roll out the dough. Separate the dough along the perforated edge to create 16 triangles. Place 1 apple slice into the center of each triangle and then roll 1 crescent dough triangle 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 1 cup butter. Once melted and bubbly, add the 1 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon 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 12 ounces of soda over the top of the dumplings before placing them into the oven to bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the dumplings have lightly browned and some of the liquid has absorbed.
- Carefully remove the dumplings from the oven and serve warm with the sauce from the bottome of the pan spooned over the top or with a scoop of your favorite ice cream. Enjoy!
Notes
- 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 they 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.
Nutrition
*All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
Original post date 04/10/2013. Updated 10/13/2022.
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Have any comments, questions, or other delicious ideas for this Easy Apple Dumpling Recipe? Please share them in the comments below!
Pam
Those look SO GOOD. I have to admit, when I saw that one of the ingredients was a can of Mountain Dew, I said, "WHAAAT?" But they look really really good. Stopped by from the Saturday Sharefest. Have a great weekend.
admin
That is exactly what I thought and it had me a little worried at first, but you cannot taste the Mountain Dew flavor at all.
Kristin
Wow! These look so easy and delicious! Definitely will give it a try.
admin
Please do...they are really easy to make.