Description
Old-Fashioned Apple Dumplings are a delightful classic American dessert featuring tender apples wrapped in flaky pie crust, baked to golden perfection and glazed with a buttery cinnamon-sugar sauce. Perfectly spiced with nutmeg and cinnamon, these warm dumplings make a comforting treat especially during fall and are great served with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruit and Filling
- 2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored
- 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, divided
Dough
- 1 sheet of refrigerated pie crust (or homemade, enough for 2 crusts)
Sauce and Finishing
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg (for egg wash)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Dish: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a baking dish to prevent sticking, then set it aside for use later.
- Prepare Pie Crust: Roll out the pie crust and cut it into 4 equal squares to form the base for each dumpling.
- Prepare Apples and Filling: Slice each peeled and cored apple in half, ensuring the core is completely removed. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup of sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to make the spiced sugar mixture.
- Assemble Dumplings: Place one apple half in the center of each pie crust square. Fill the hollowed core area of each apple half with the spiced sugar mixture. Dot each filled apple with a small cube of butter, approximately 1/2 tablespoon.
- Wrap Apples in Dough: Fold the corners of the dough up around the apple halves, carefully pinching to seal the dough at the top so the filling is enclosed securely.
- Place Dumplings in Dish: Position the assembled dumplings seam-side up in the prepared baking dish, spacing them evenly to allow heat circulation.
- Prepare Sauce: In a small saucepan, combine the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, remaining butter, water, and vanilla extract. Heat gently until the butter melts completely and the mixture is well combined to form a syrupy sauce.
- Add Sauce and Egg Wash: Pour the warm sauce evenly over the dumplings. Then, brush the tops of the dumplings with the beaten egg to encourage browning and a glossy finish.
- Bake: Bake the dumplings in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the apples are tender and the crust has turned a beautiful golden brown color.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the dumplings to cool slightly after baking. Serve them warm, optionally with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for an extra indulgent experience.
Notes
- Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for a classic pairing.
- Substitute puff pastry for the pie crust if you prefer a flakier texture.
- Experiment with different apple varieties like Honeycrisp or Fuji for varying sweetness and flavor.
