Apple Dumplings Recipe

Old fashioned apple dumplings from scratch.  Made with pie crust and sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar! 👏

There are few desserts that I absolutely cannot live without, and my mom’s apple dumplings recipe is one such thing.  You just cannot beat the homemade flaky pie crust sweetened with cinnamon and sugar contrasted with the tartness of the apples.  It is just heaven.  Heaven.  And while my mom always makes me a pumpkin pie for my birthday each year, this recipe is a very, very close second.

Have you ever made real apple dumplings?  I’m not talking about the crescent roll, pour the mountain dew over it recipe (which is good) but the real deal?  If not, let me show you just how easy it really is to make them from scratch.  You will not regret it my friends, oh, no.  You will not regret it.

What are Apple Dumplings?

Apple dumplings are all that is right with the world. 👌 In actuality they are tart apples baked in a sea of butter, cinnamon and sugar while nestled in homemade pie crust.  They have the flakiness of a pie but there is more crust per bite which is what I personally love about them.

How to make Apple Dumplings from scratch?

A good apple dumplings scratch recipe like this one I’m sharing today, starts with a good pie crust.  My mom’s is the best.  And I don’t just mean that because she’s my mom.  It’s the pie crust recipe that was passed down to her – and it won my sister an award at the county fair.  And you know how competitive that is. With any pie crust recipe you’ll want to make sure your shortening is very cold before starting.  In this recipe, we used Crisco so I made sure to put it in the refrigerator a few hours before making the crust.

You can also ensure a more flaky crust by using half pastry flour and half all-purpose flour.  If you don’t have pastry flour, that’s okay as I didn’t the day I made this recipe.  However, for those flaky crust loving people – it’s worth the investment.

Start by rolling out the dough until it’s thin and even.  Remember to roll from the middle to the edges.  Cut the dough into 6.5 inch squares.  I used a measuring tape.  It’s probably not the most sanitary way to do it – but you use what you have.

What Kind of Apples Should You Use in Apple Dumplings?

This is really a matter of preference but I’ve always found that a more tart apple tastes delicious within a sweet dessert.  For this recipe I used Granny Smith because that’s what our grocery store had.  Jonagold is also a great apple for this recipe but they are more seasonal and harder to find at certain times of the year.

Add about a handful of apples that have the skin removed and have been chopped into 1/2 inch sizes to the middle of the pie crust square.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugars and 1/4 of a pat of butter.

Wrap the apples with the square, pinching it at the top.  If it’s too full just a remove a few apples.  I pinch the corners a bit too, just to give it a little more strength.

With this recipe you can fit four apple dumplings in a square baking pan.  They support each other.  Top the apple dumplings in the square baking dish with cinnamon, sugar and a 1/4 of a pat of butter on each.

How Long Do You Bake Apple Dumplings?

Here’s my secret friends – you bake and microwave!  Oh, yes.  You do.  I do not like a crispy apple – I want the crunch to come from the pie crust.  Because of that I microwave them for a bit and then pop them into a preheated oven.  The microwave makes sure that the apples are perfectly cooked and then the oven crisps up the crust.  Win.  Win.

Can I Make Apple Dumplings Ahead of Time?

Yes and no. The best way to devour an apple dumpling is the day you’ve baked them.  However, they are more time consuming then a simple dessert recipe.  If you’re making them for a crowd or want to break up the steps you can make the pie crust the day before and cut it into squares.  The squares can be separated by wax paper or parchment paper and then stored in the refrigerator.  You can also make this pie crust recipe weeks in advance and freeze the squares.  Just make sure to put them in a ziploc bag once they are separated by wax paper.  Thaw before using them in this recipe.  By making the pie crust ahead of time, you can then just cut up the apples and follow the rest of the instructions the day of to quickly have them in the oven.

Seriously, you all.  If you have time this weekend and want a treat – these apple dumplings are the best! Crispy, tart and with the sweetness of sugar — soooooooo good.  There’s no caramel sauce or anything else to add because they don’t need it!  It’s a party in your mouth.  If it’s any indication, my brother’s face lit up when I told him out in the field (it’s harvest time) that I had made apple dumplings for dessert (so that I could share with you) – and he was soooo excited!  We all leap for joy when apple dumplings are on the menu.

How do you enjoy your apple dumplings?  I like them straight up, my husband likes them with ice cream and my mom pours milk over hers.

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