Homemade apple dumplings are so easy to make with this simple recipe! These apple dumplings are wrapped in pastry and filling with a buttery brown sugar spice filling and are topped with a homemade caramel sauce.
Apple dumplings are a classic fall dessert! This traditional recipe combines buttery, spiced apples wrapped in flaky pastry dough with a homemade caramel sauce for a decadent, comfort food dessert.
There are notes above the recipe to help you make as much, or as little, of the recipe from scratch as you like.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Pie crust: You can make your own homemade pie crust if you prefer.
- Apples: Any baking apples will work in this recipe. Granny Smith will give you tarter apple dumplings, while using a sweeter apple, like a Honeycrisp, will give you sweeter dumplings.
- Butter: I use salted butter. If you use unsalted butter, you will need to add a couple of pinches of salt.
- Spices: You can substitute 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of apple pie spice for the spices.
How to make apple dumplings
Here you’ll find step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe, including instructions, is given below.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9×9 inch baking dish. Set aside.
Step 2: Combine both pie crusts and roll them out into a large rectangle. Cut into four 7×7-inch squares. You may need to combine the dough and roll it out a few times to get 4 squares.
Step 3: In a small bowl, add brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice. Stir to combine.
Step 4: Peel and core each apple.
Step 5: Place 1 apple in the center of each dough. In the center of each apple, place one of the butter pieces and 1 tablespoon of the spiced sugar mixture.
Step 6: Pull the corners of the dough up around each apple and use your fingers to pinch the edges together to completely seal the apple in the dough.
Step 7: Place all dough-wrapped apples in the greased baking dish.
Step 8: To make the caramel sauce, pour the sugar into a large saucepan. Place over medium-high heat, whisking frequently until the sugar completely melts.
Step 9: Once the sugar melts, stop whisking. Cook until the sugar turns a dark amber color – watch carefully so it does not overcook!
Step 10: Add the butter and whisk until it is fully incorporated. The mixture will bubble up, so be careful.
Step 11: Remove the pan from the stove, slowly stream the cream into the caramel mixture while whisking until combined. The mixture will bubble up again, so be careful.
Step 12: Once the cream is incorporated, mix in the vanilla and salt.
Step 13: Carefully pour the caramel sauce over the apples in the baking dish.
Step 14: Sprinkle any remaining spiced sugar mixture on top of the apples.
Step 15: Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until golden and a paring knife can be easily inserted into the apples. Let cool slightly.
Serve warm with some of the sauce.
Recipe Tips!
- Caramel sauce: This recipe is a half batch of my homemade caramel sauce. If you prefer not to make your own caramel sauce, use a thick jarred caramel sauce, not a thin caramel syrup.
- Serving suggestions: You can serve the apple dumplings as-is, or you can top them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or cinnamon ice cream or a dollop of homemade whipped cream.
Storage
The apple dumplings are best eaten while fresh and warm. They can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
I recommend storing the sauce and the dumplings separately in the fridge to keep the dumplings from getting too soggy.
More apple dessert recipes!
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Apple Dumplings
Ingredients
Apple Dumplings
- 2 refrigerated pie crusts
- 4 medium apples Honeycrisp or Granny Smith
- 2 tablespoons butter cut into 4 equal pieces
- 5 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon allspice
Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9×9 inch baking dish. Set aside.
- Combine both pie crusts and roll them out into a large rectangle. Cut into four 7×7-inch squares. You may need to combine the dough and roll it out a few times to get 4 squares.
- In a small bowl, add brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice. Stir to combine.
- Peel and core each apple.
- Place 1 apple in the center of each dough. In the center of each apple, place one of the butter pieces and 1 tablespoon of the spiced sugar mixture.
- Pull the corners of the dough up around each apple and use your fingers to pinch the edges together to completely seal the apple in the dough.
- Place all dough-wrapped apples in the greased baking dish.
- To make the caramel sauce, pour the sugar into a large saucepan. Place over medium-high heat, whisking frequently until the sugar completely melts.
- Once the sugar melts, stop whisking. Cook until the sugar turns a dark amber color – watch carefully so it does not overcook!
- Add the butter and whisk until it is fully incorporated. The mixture will bubble up, so be careful.
- Remove the pan from the stove, slowly stream the cream into the caramel mixture while whisking until combined. The mixture will bubble up again, so be careful.
- Once the cream is incorporated, mix in the vanilla and salt.
- Carefully pour the caramel sauce over the apples in the baking dish. Sprinkle any remaining spiced sugar mixture on top of the apples.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until golden and a paring knife can be easily inserted into the apples. Let cool slightly.
- Serve warm with some of the sauce.
Notes
- Pie crust: You can make your own homemade pie crust if you prefer.
- Apples: Any baking apples will work in this recipe. Granny Smith will give you tarter apple dumplings, while using a sweeter apple, like a Honeycrisp, will give you sweeter dumplings.
- Butter: I use salted butter. If you use unsalted butter, you will need to add a couple of pinches of salt.
- Spices: You can substitute 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of apple pie spice for the spices.
- Nutrition values are estimates.Â
Nutrition
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