Growing up on a farm, I can remember my mother and grandmother making apple dumplings every fall during apple harvest season! They were soooo good. Sometimes we would have an apple dumpling as an evening meal, and I can even remember my grandfather having a warm apple dumpling with milk for breakfast! Not the healthiest thing to have for breakfast, but as a hard-working farmer, those calories were easily burned! Apple dumplings are definitely a Pennsylvania Dutch favorite and are a staple here in Lancaster County. The Historic Ephrata Cloister even has an apple dumpling festival every fall. If you’ve never had an apple dumpling, you are missing out!!!
easy apple dumplings
Apple Dumplings
This recipe creates a shortcut for traditional Pennsylvania Dutch Apple Dumplings by using refrigerated pie crusts! It's a real time saver! But, if you prefer to make your own crust, simply follow the remaining recipe ingredients for this traditional Lancaster County dessert!
Ingredients
- 8 Medium Granny Smith Apples
- Two 15 oz. packages refrigerated pie crusts
- APPLE FILLING INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 C brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 2 TBS butter, softened
- SYRUP INGREDIENTS
- 1 1/2 C sugar
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 2 C water
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 C butter
Instructions
- Combine sugar, water, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat and add 1/4 cup butter. Set syrup aside.
- Combine apple filling ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Mix with a fork until you have a crumb consistency.
- Cut each pie crust in half. Form each half into a ball and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll into 8 inch circles.
- Place each apple onto the center of each circle and fill the empty core with the crumb filling.
- Fold the dough over the apples, pinching at the top to seal.
- Place each apple in a lightly greased 13″ x 9″ baking dish. Drizzle with the syrup.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 40 – 45 minutes until crust is golden brown. Tent with foil if crust is browning too much.
Notes
Delicious served warm with vanilla ice cream.
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If you like this recipe, you may also enjoy these yummy cupcakes that are another fall treat in our home!
Pumpkin Cupcakes with Sea Salt Carmel Buttercream Frosting
Doreen, I have been finding so many wonderful varieties of apples at our farmer's market and I just can't gather enough apple recipes. Your pictures sold me on your apple dumplings. I definitely will try them! Thank you! 🙂
XO,
Jane
These look warm and comforting!
Looks YUMMY! Thanks so much for the recipe and so happy to have you share at AMAZE ME MONDAY!!!
Blessings,
Cindy
Oh yum!! I have a bunch of apples I need to use up and this would be perfect. Thanks so much for the recipe Doreen! 🙂
Vanessa
It's so funny, I have memories of my Mom and Grandmother making a whole bunch of apple dumplings in the fall – several pans were prepared for the freezer. Grandma would open the oven and baste that delicious cinnamon sauce over the cooking dumplings to keep them moist! Oh the smell of them! We didn't eat them for dinner, but we sure did eat them for breakfast warm with milk poured over them! We come from good German descent farmers in the midwest! — Min
We have a tree right outside our dining room slider that yields over 100 apples a year. My family would definitely love these. Thanks for posting!
Wow – what a treat to have your own apple tree! Enjoy the dumplings!!!
Thanks for all the uplifting posts.
Just saw little house gutted after 6 feet of river water and mud cascaded in Saturday morning. By God’s grace I made it out with the clothes on my back, grandma’s wedding rings, mu guitar and my little dog. Hallelujah! God is good! Even when we pas through the waters.
Going with French Country Cottage theme with restoration. Ideas/suggestions for a small house will be appreciated. Jeremiah 29:11
Maggie, I’m so sorry. I’m so glad you are safe and that you got the things out that are most important to you! I will be praying for you that you will feel God’s presence as you go through this difficult time. I assume you in Louisiana?
I’m wondering if these could be made ahead of time & maybe reheated for a brunch addition???? I like to have everything made ahead of time so I can just enjoy the get together with family & friends.
Yes, you could!
I had a wonderful neighbor once who came from Pennsylvania. She taught me to make apple dumplings that are almost identical to these. My recipe calls for homemade pie crust. They are delicious!!
I cheated with the pie crust! But, my mother or grandmother would never have done such a thing!!! Enjoy fall!
Did you peal the apples?
Yes, I did peal them! Enjoy!
Im looking for a recipe for dumplings with the apples sliced.
How do you core the apple? I end up destroying the apple.. Blessings, Cathy
Hi, Cathy. I used an apple corer – it’s just a small kitchen tool that removes just the apple core.
Amazing !! I doubled the filling for more flavor…to make sure I had enough .. first time I made it I didn’t have enough… I bought already peeled apples and and sprinkled the filling on apples.. then I wrapped it! Yum my favorite dessert! Super easy !
I’m so glad you liked it! Double the filling sounds amazing!
Have you ever frozen the dumplings if so, how’d you rewarm?
I haven’t, but I do remember my mother freezing them years ago. I think she just thawed them in the fridge and warmed them in the oven or microwave. She also froze apple pie.
Recipe says 1 pkg pie crusts, cut in half. That would be 4 pieces. Why does it have 8 apples in the ingredients list? I’m confused. Did i miss something?
You are right! I package pie crusts would only make four apples. I’m correcting it now. I can’t believe no one has ever pointed this out to me before! Thanks so much!!!
Not sure what i dod wronng. They all opened and fell apart. Maybe too much sauce? How much do you drizzle pn. I had alot of syrup left over. Tasted good but looked nothing like picture as they fell apart. Cooked 45 minutes
This is the 2nd time I’ve made these apple dumplings (they’re in the oven now). The 1st batch was delicious.
Now for a confession; I forgot to add the butter to the syrup. Knock on wood that they’ll still taste good.
Anyway, this recipe is a winner.
Oh, I’m so glad you stopped by to share that with me! They are such a treat this time of year too! I’d be so appreciative if you’d leave a comment on the Pinterest pin for this recipe too! Here’s a link that will help: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/34621490866143795/ Thanks a bunch!!!
I have never heard or seen such a thing and I’m excited to try this recipe. Looks really yummy.
So glad you are willing to give it a try! Really delicious!!!
I tried to make this and the crust fell off the apples while they were baking. Do you have any suggestions? I was really excited to try this!
Thank you.
Just make sure you press the dough together firmly before baking.
Got everything ready to make these… cut the pie crusts and rolled them out.. in fridge on plate.
Apples peeled and cored.. can I prepare the apples (fill and wrap) and bake them later in day( will make the syrup later as well.
Yes, you can definitely do that!
Can this be made with the smaller bagged lunchbox sized apples?
Yes. You can use any apples!
I don’t have the proper tool to core my apples, do u have any suggestions on how to do this without cutting my apples in half? Thank you! Can’t wait to try these!
Is the syrup suppose to thicken up? Just put in oven and seemed pretty runny! We will see in 45 min!
Would this work with (phyllo) pastry?
I don’t think so.
CANNOT FIND MY APPLE CORER. I know I had one!! Can the apples be cut in half , take out the core then put back together? My Great Grandparents were Pennsylvania Dutch, Grandma Tillie even wore the bonnet etc. They were from Lancaster County. Asked her once to teach me to quilt, but she said “No, I spent all my summers as a child quilting-I am done with it🤣🤣”
Yes, you could cut the apples in half! And, so funny about the quilting!!!
I used peaches with this recipe and they were amazing!
Thanks so much for sharing! It sounds delicious!!!