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Apple Dumplings: A Cozy, Easy-to-Make Classic

Apple Dumplings: A Cozy, Easy-to-Make Classic

Tart Granny Smith apples are wrapped in crescent dough, covered with a thick butter and sugar sauce, and baked with lemon-lime soda until golden and bubbling. This classic recipe makes 16 warm apple dumplings for about 8 servings.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 minute
Servings: 16 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 2 large Large Granny Smith apples
  • 2 8-ounce cans Refrigerated crescent-roll dough
Sauce
  • 1 cup Unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 cups Granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon, or more to taste Ground cinnamon
  • 12 ounces Lemon-lime soda, such as Mountain Dew

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
  2. Peel and core the apples, then cut each apple into 8 wedges for 16 pieces total.
  3. Separate the crescent dough into triangles. Place one apple wedge at the wide end of each triangle and roll the dough around the apple, sealing it in place.
  4. Arrange the wrapped apples in the prepared baking dish.
  5. Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add the sugar and stir briefly until combined, keeping the mixture thick and slightly grainy rather than cooking until the sugar dissolves completely. Stir in the vanilla.
  6. Spoon or pour the butter mixture over the dumplings.
  7. Pour the lemon-lime soda around the sides of the dumplings, not directly over the tops.
  8. Sprinkle the dumplings with cinnamon, using more if desired.
  9. Bake for 40–45 minutes, until the dumplings are golden brown and the sauce is bubbling. Serve warm, preferably with vanilla ice cream.

Notes

Use firm Granny Smith apples because they hold their shape and balance the very sweet sauce. Keep the soda around the dumplings rather than pouring it over the tops so the crescent dough can brown properly. Refrigerate leftovers and reheat gently until warm.