Description
Grandma’s old-fashioned apple dumplings recipe brings nostalgic comfort from Midwestern kitchens. Sweet cinnamon-spiced apples wrapped in flaky pastry create a classic dessert that warms hearts and memories.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 medium-sized apples (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith)
- 1 double-crust pie dough (9-inch)
- 6 tbsps granulated sugar
- 3 tbsps unsalted butter (cut into 6 equal portions)
- 1 tsp apple pie spice blend
- 1 cup apple juice or cider (unfiltered)
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar (lightly packed)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and prepare a 13×9-inch baking dish with a light coating of grease.
- Carefully peel and core the apples, immediately submerging them in cold water mixed with lemon juice to prevent browning.
- Roll out the pie dough into a 21×14-inch rectangle, then divide it into 6 equal 7×7-inch segments.
- Create a sugar-spice mixture by thoroughly blending granulated sugar with apple pie spice.
- Center a cored apple on each dough segment, filling its core with butter and a tablespoon of the sugar-spice mixture.
- Gently fold the dough edges over each apple, meticulously sealing the edges to completely encase the fruit.
- Arrange the wrapped apples in the prepared baking dish, ensuring they are evenly spaced.
- Craft the sauce by combining ingredients in a saucepan, heating to a rolling boil while whisking until sugar dissolves completely.
- Pour the hot sauce evenly over the wrapped apples, sprinkle any remaining sugar-spice mixture on top.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes until the dumplings turn golden brown and the apples become tender when pierced with a knife.
- Remove from the oven and allow a brief cooling period before serving warm, drizzling additional sauce over each dumpling.
Notes
- Prevent apple browning by adding a splash of lemon juice to cold water, keeping sliced apples crisp and fresh during preparation.
- Choose firm, tart apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp for best texture and flavor balance in the dumplings.
- Create gluten-free version by substituting regular pie dough with almond flour or gluten-free pastry dough for sensitive diets.
- Enhance dumpling richness by experimenting with different spice blends like cardamom or adding a pinch of nutmeg for deeper warmth.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 32 g
- Sodium: 40 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 54 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg