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This easy apple dumpling recipe wraps whole, tender apples in flaky homemade pastry and bakes them in a warm cinnamon brown sugar sauce. The food processor crust makes this classic fall dessert surprisingly approachable, with less fuss than making an entire apple pie.

Each apple is filled with brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg before being wrapped and baked until the pastry is crisp and golden. Serve the dumplings warm with vanilla ice cream and plenty of the buttery sauce from the baking dish.

Apple Dumpling on a blue and white plate with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a white spoon.

Table of Contents

Looks a lot like the apple dumplings my mom used to make. I am 81 years old and this brought back so many wonderful memories. Love all your recipes. Keep them coming and hope your life is blessed with all good things.

– Sharon Von Rader
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Kellie’s Note
Seriously Apple-tizing

I bring to you my absolute favorite dessert, this Easy Apple Dumpling Recipe will soon be your’s, as well.

This apple dumpling recipe is one of the fall desserts I grew up making with my family. I helped fill the apples with brown sugar, warm spices, and butter before wrapping each one in homemade pie crust.

The dumplings bake in a cinnamon brown sugar sauce until the apples are tender enough to eat with a spoon and the pastry is crisp and golden. They are especially delicious served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and extra sauce spooned over the top.

This is the recipe I turn to after apple picking, for Sunday dinners, and whenever I want a comforting dessert that feels special without requiring a full apple pie.

Why You’ll Love This Apple Dumpling Recipe

  • Classic fall flavor with whole apples, warm spices, buttery pastry, and brown sugar sauce.
  • Easier to assemble and serve than a full apple pie.
  • Homemade food processor pastry that bakes up rich and flaky.
  • An individual dessert for holidays, Sunday dinners, and fall entertaining.
  • Make-ahead friendly, so the dumplings can be assembled before guests arrive.
  • Delicious served warm with vanilla ice cream or cinnamon whipped cream.

Ingredients for Apple Dumplings

For the Pastry

  • All-purpose flour gives the pastry its structure.
  • Granulated sugar adds a small amount of sweetness to the crust.
  • Kosher salt balances the sweet filling and sauce.
  • Cold salted butter creates rich, flaky layers.
  • Ice water brings the dough together while keeping the butter cold.

For the Apples

  • Firm baking apples become tender without falling apart.
  • Brown sugar melts into a rich filling inside each apple.
  • Warm Spices like cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg add warm fall flavor.
  • Butter melts into the apple cavity and keeps the filling moist.

For the Brown Sugar Sauce

  • Brown sugar creates the base of the syrup.
  • Cinnamon adds warmth and spice.
  • Water dissolves the sugar and gives the sauce a pourable consistency.
  • Butter adds richness and a glossy finish.

See the recipe card below for the complete ingredient quantities.

hands with a vegetable peeler removing the skin from an apple into a bowl.

How to Make Apple Dumplings

  1. Make the pastry. Pulse the flour, granulated sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add the chilled butter and pulse until pea-sized crumbs form. Stream in the ice water just until the dough comes together.
  2. Chill the dough. Divide the dough into two disks, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  3. Mix the filling. Combine part of the brown sugar with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
  4. Cook the sauce. Simmer the remaining brown sugar, cinnamon, and water until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the butter.
  5. Roll the pastry. Divide the chilled dough into four portions and roll each one into an 8- to 9-inch square.
  6. Fill the apples. Place an apple in the center of each pastry square. Fill the cavity with the brown sugar spice mixture and top with butter.
  7. Wrap and seal. Bring the pastry corners over the apple and firmly pinch all the edges and seams closed.
  8. Begin baking. Place the dumplings in the baking dish and bake until the pastry begins to turn lightly golden.
  9. Add the sauce. Carefully pour the warm brown sugar sauce over and around the dumplings.
  10. Finish baking. Continue baking until the pastry is deeply golden and the apples are tender.
  11. Cool and serve. Let the dumplings cool for 10 minutes before serving with ice cream, whipped cream, and sauce from the pan.

Tips for the Best Apple Dumplings

  • Choose apples that are similar in size so they finish baking at the same time.
  • Keep the pastry cold. If it becomes soft or sticky while rolling, refrigerate it for 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Remove the core without cutting through the bottom of the apple so the filling stays inside.
  • Make sure each pastry square is large enough to cover the apple without stretching or tearing.
  • Lightly moisten the pastry edges with water before sealing.
  • Firmly pinch every seam closed. An opening can allow steam to loosen the pastry while the apple cooks.
  • If the crust browns before the apples are tender, cover the dumplings loosely with foil.
  • Test the apples with a thin knife or skewer. The knife should slide into the apple with little resistance.
  • Let the dumplings rest for 10 minutes before serving so the sauce can cool and thicken slightly.
Apple Dumplings baked in a green and white baking dish.

What are Apple Dumplings?

Apple dumplings are peeled and cored apples wrapped in pastry and baked until the crust is golden and the fruit is tender. The apples are usually filled with butter, sugar, and warm spices before being baked in or served with a sweet sauce.

This recipe is similar to a traditional Pennsylvania Dutch or Amish apple dumpling. It uses whole apples, homemade pastry, and a cinnamon brown sugar sauce rather than apple wedges wrapped in crescent-roll dough.

You can substitute puff pastry or crescent dough when you need a shortcut, but homemade pie pastry gives the dumplings their classic buttery, flaky texture.

How to Prepare Apples for Dumplings

  • Peel the apples so the filling and pastry are easy to cut and eat.
  • Remove the stem and core while keeping the apple whole.
  • Avoid cutting through the bottom of the apple.
  • Trim the bottom slightly only when necessary to help an apple stand upright.
  • Keep the prepared apples covered while you roll the pastry.
  • If the apples will sit for an extended period, lightly brush them with lemon juice to limit browning.
Apple Dumpling being cut into with a spoon.

What Are the Best Apples for Apple Dumplings?

Firm baking apples work best because they become tender without collapsing before the pastry is fully baked.

  • Granny Smith: Tart, firm, and an excellent choice for balancing the sweet brown sugar sauce.
  • Honeycrisp: Sweet-tart, juicy, and firm enough to hold its shape. This is my personal favorite.
  • Pink Lady: Bright, slightly tart, and sturdy when baked.
  • Braeburn: Firm with a balanced sweet-tart flavor.
  • Jonagold: Juicy and flavorful with enough structure for baking.
  • Winesap: Firm, aromatic, and slightly tangy.
  • Fuji: Sweeter than Granny Smith but still suitable for baking.
  • Gala: A sweeter option that will soften more as it bakes.

Avoid overripe apples and naturally soft varieties because they may turn mushy before the pastry is finished.

Use medium apples that are close to the same size. Very large apples may require more pastry and a longer baking time.

What to Serve with Apple Dumplings

Serve apple dumplings warm with:

Spoon the warm cinnamon brown sugar sauce from the bottom of the baking dish over each dumpling before serving.

Apple dumplings are best served shortly after baking, when the pastry is still crisp and the apple is warm and tender.

Apple dumpling topped with a sprig of mint on a blue and white plate with whipped cream and a gold fork with a white handle.

Apple Dumpling Variations

  • Smaller dumplings: Use half an apple per dumpling, roll the pastry slightly thinner, and reduce the baking time as needed.
  • Nut-filled apple dumplings: Add finely chopped pecans or walnuts to the brown sugar filling.
  • Dried-fruit apple dumplings: Add raisins or dried cranberries to the apple cavity.
  • Apple pie spice: Replace the cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg with your favorite apple pie spice.
  • Puff pastry apple dumplings: Wrap the apples in thawed puff pastry for a lighter, crisper shell.
  • Crescent-roll apple dumplings: Use apple wedges or smaller apple portions instead of whole apples and begin checking them earlier.
  • Caramel apple dumplings: Drizzle salted caramel sauce over the finished dumplings.
  • Extra-spiced dumplings: Add a small pinch of cardamom, cloves, or allspice to the filling.

Make-Ahead, Storage, Freezing, and Reheating

Can Apple Dumplings Be Made Ahead?

Assemble the apple dumplings and arrange them in the baking dish. Cover the dish tightly and refrigerate until you are ready to bake.

Keep the brown sugar sauce separate and add it at the stage directed in the recipe. The assembled dumplings can be prepared up to 3 days in advance, although they will have the best color and texture when baked sooner.

How to Store Apple Dumplings

Allow leftover dumplings to cool before transferring them to an airtight container. Store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Do not store baked apple dumplings at room temperature for an extended period.

Can You Freeze Apple Dumplings?

Apple dumplings can be frozen before baking.

  • Assemble and completely seal each dumpling.
  • Arrange the dumplings on a parchment-lined tray or in a freezer-safe baking dish.
  • Freeze until firm.
  • Wrap tightly or transfer to an airtight freezer container.
  • Freeze the sauce separately.
  • Bake the dumplings from frozen rather than thawing them first.
  • Allow additional baking time and use the pastry color and apple tenderness to determine when they are done.

How to Reheat Apple Dumplings

For the best pastry texture, reheat apple dumplings in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes, or until warmed through.

Individual dumplings can also be reheated in an air fryer at 350°F until warm.

The microwave will work when you are short on time, but it will make the pastry softer.

Easy Apple Dumpling Recipe

5 from 4 votes
By Kellie
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Total: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 4
Apple dumpling topped with a sprig of mint on a blue and white plate with whipped cream and a gold fork with a white handle.
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Whole apples filled with brown sugar, butter, and warm spices are wrapped in flaky homemade pastry and baked in a cinnamon brown sugar sauce. Serve these classic apple dumplings warm with vanilla ice cream for the perfect fall dessert.

Equipment

  • Equipment
  • food processor
  • Rolling Pin
  • small mixing bowl
  • Small saucepan
  • Apple corer or paring knife
  • 9×9 baking dish
  • Aluminum foil, if needed

Ingredients 

For the Pastry

  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1¼ teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2½ sticks unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes and chilled
  • ¼ cup ice water

For the Apples

  • 4 firm, medium baking apples, peeled and cored
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 4 tablespoons butter

For the Brown Sugar Sauce

  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons butter

Instructions 

  • Make the pastry. Add the flour, granulated sugar, and salt to a food processor. Pulse 4 to 5 times to combine.
  • Add the butter. Add the chilled pastry butter and pulse until pea-sized crumbs form.
  • Add the water. Slowly stream in the ice water and process just until the dough comes together, about 30 seconds.
  • Form the dough. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently bring it together. Divide it into two equal disks and wrap each disk tightly.
  • Chill. Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour or for up to 3 days.
  • Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  • Mix the apple filling. In a small bowl, combine ½ cup brown sugar, ½ tablespoon cinnamon, the ginger, and nutmeg.
  • Make the sauce. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the remaining 1 cup brown sugar, remaining ½ tablespoon cinnamon, and water.
  • Simmer. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the sugar dissolves.
  • Finish the sauce. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and remove the saucepan from the heat.
  • Roll the dough. Divide the chilled dough into four equal portions. Roll each portion into an 8 to 9-inch square.
  • Fill the apples. Place one apple in the center of each pastry square. Fill each apple with 1 tablespoon of the brown sugar spice mixture and top with 1 tablespoon butter.
  • Wrap the apples. Lightly moisten the pastry edges with water. Bring the corners over the apple and firmly pinch all edges and seams closed.
  • Arrange the dumplings. Place the wrapped apples in an ungreased 9×9 baking dish.
  • Begin baking. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the pastry begins to turn lightly golden.
  • Add the sauce. Carefully pour the warm brown sugar sauce over and around the dumplings.
  • Finish baking. Continue baking for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the pastry is deeply golden and a thin knife inserted into an apple meets little resistance.
  • Cool. Remove the dumplings from the oven and allow them to cool for 10 minutes.
  • Serve. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream and spoon the sauce from the baking dish over each dumpling.

Video

Notes

  • Use firm, similarly sized baking apples so the dumplings cook evenly. Granny Smith apples provide a tart flavor and hold their shape well. Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Braeburn, and Jonagold are also good choices.
  • Keep the pastry cold. Refrigerate it briefly if it becomes soft or sticky while rolling.
  • Do not cut through the bottom of the apples when removing the cores.
  • Firmly seal every pastry seam so steam does not cause the dough to loosen or slide off. Cover the dumplings loosely with foil if the pastry is browning before the apples are tender.
  • Test the apples for doneness with a thin knife or skewer rather than relying only on baking time.
  • Assemble the dumplings in advance and refrigerate them, covered, until ready to bake. Freeze the dumplings before baking. Bake them directly from frozen and allow additional time.
  • Store baked leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  • Reheat in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes, or until warmed through.
  • Apple dumplings are best served warm shortly after baking.

Nutrition

Calories: 585kcal, Carbohydrates: 115g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 30mg, Sodium: 607mg, Potassium: 258mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 70g, Vitamin A: 415IU, Vitamin C: 5.6mg, Calcium: 77mg, Iron: 3.1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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13 Comments

  1. Sharon Van Raden says:

    Looks a lot like the apple dumplings my mom used to make. I am 81 years old and this brought back so many wonderful memories. Love all your recipes. Keep them coming and hope your life is blessed with all good things.

    Reply
  2. Pam clark says:

    Can you freeze them before baking them and bake later

    Reply
    1. Kellie says:

      Yes! You can definitely freeze them before baking.

      Reply
      1. Beth Snyder says:

        Do you pre bake them before freezing?

        Reply
        1. Kellie says:

          I do not, I freeze them and then bake. Bake from frozen, it will take longer but you’ll get the best texture.

          Reply
  3. Nancy says:

    I was so excited to make these. They were beautiful when I put them in the oven. The dough took longer to brown, and the dough started sliding off of the apples. I was heartbroken. Only thing I could think to do was use a spoon to moosh it back up onto the apple. Left them in too long waiting for them to brown up. Ended up with applesauce bombs. They tasted great though. My oven was set ar prop temp so what do you think went wrong?

    Reply
    1. Kellie says:

      Oh no! That’s so disappointing! My only suggestion is that the pie dough wasn’t pinched enough to seal the apples inside. If there’s any opening, the steam from the apples cooking will cause all the dough to come undone. I’m so sorry you had a bad experience.

      Reply
  4. Toni | Boulder Locavore says:

    This is calling my name!

    Reply
    1. Kellie says:

      It does that to me, too. 🙂

      Reply
  5. Vicki Bensinger says:

    I love baked apples and even though we are in spring here I’d stop I’ll  like to make them. THe aroma alone is heavenly!

    Reply
  6. Megan @ MegUnprocessed says:

    This looks amazing! I love me an apple dessert! 

    Reply
  7. Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says:

    These apple dumplings look great!!

    Reply
  8. Megan says:

    So pretty!

    Reply