Old Fashioned Apple Dumplings

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Deliciously spicy and perfect with vanilla ice cream, these old-fashioned apple dumplings smothered in brown sugar syrup are the perfect apple dessert.

For more tasty apple recipes, why not try this Classic Apple Pie or my extremely popular recipe for Apple Scones?

Old Fashioned Apple Dumplings

Apple dumplings have a reputation as being a bit old-fashioned, but that doesn’t mean they can’t still be super delicious. Filled with warming, autumnal spices and topped with a homemade caramel sauce imbued with the flavor of the apples, this is the perfect dessert after a light dinner and a real crowd-pleaser.

Old Fashioned Apple Dumplings Ingredients

Make sure you look at the recipe card at the very bottom for the exact amounts, as there are a few fiddly ingredients here.

• Pie pastry

• Granny smith apples

• Salted butter

• Brown sugar

• Ground cinnamon

• Ground nutmeg

Brown Sugar Syrup

• Packed brown sugar

• Salted butter

• Water

• Cornstarch

How To Make Old Fashioned Apple Dumplings

• Grease a 9×9 pan

• Roll out your pastry dough on a lightly floured surface, about 14 inches by 14 inches

• Cut the dough into 4 pieces

• Place one prepared apple on each pie crust square, with the cored opening facing upward

• Place one tablespoon of butter onto the opening of each apple

• Combine together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg

• Divide this sugar mixture between all of your apples, spooning some inside each of the openings and then sprinkling the rest around the pie dough

• To seal, wet the corners of the dough slightly, and then grab two opposite corners of the pie square

• Lift and bring together the edges, pressing together firmly to seal and repeat with the two remaining corners

• Seal the seams at the side, wetting your fingers as you pinch them closed. If desired, cut out pretty shapes from the remaining pie dough and place on top of the seams to help them stay together.

• Mix together the brown sugar syrup ingredients and bring to a boil on medium heat

• Pour this syrup mixture over the dumplings in the greased pan

• Bake your apple dumplings for 45 minutes at 375 Fahrenheit or until the pastry is golden brown and the apples inside are soft

• Cool for 5 minutes, and then serve with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce from the bottom of the pan

How To Fold Your Pastry Just Right

The trick with making these apple dumplings is getting the pastry folded just right. Trying to carefully primp and fold pastry can be a real bother, but there is a secret: wet fingers.

Don’t ever try and do this with dry fingers – water will make everything easier. Just dip the tips of your finger into some cool water, shake off the excess and constantly redo that as you are folding your dumplings. This stops the pastry from sticking to you, making it really easy to fold them however you want them.

When crimping the edges and trying to seal them, make sure your fingers aren’t too wet, though, as otherwise, you risk leaving behind a noticeable amount of water on the dough, leading to a sticky and tacky edge that might split in the oven.

Don’t Skimp on the Brown Sugar Syrup

The apple dumplings themselves are obviously going to be delicious, but the real star of the show here is the brown sugar syrup. Not only does it keep everything from drying out, but it also cooks down on the pastry and underneath them, turning into a delicate and delicious caramel sauce.

Make sure you use this sugar syrup sauce and spoon it all over every single inch of your dumplings, as it will amplfy the flavor of the apples with its intense sweetness!

Looking for more delicious Dessert recipes? Try these out:

• Crazy Cake or Wacky Cake Recipe

• Cinnamon Spice Upside Down Apple Cake

• Homemade Lemon Pudding Cake

Enjoy! Make sure to keep this one for fall, its perfect!

Love,

Karlynn

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