Apple Dumplings with Spiced Brown Sugar Filling and Apple Cider Sauce Recipe
Apple Dumplings are delightful individual-sized desserts featuring Granny Smith apples wrapped in a flaky pie crust. Each apple is filled with spiced butter and brown sugar, then baked and topped with a sweet apple cider sauce, offering a perfect blend of tart and sweet flavors reminiscent of classic apple pie.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Sauce
- 2 cups apple cider
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Apples
- 1 recipe homemade pie crust, or 1 box (14.1 ounces) store-bought pie crust
- 6 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, divided
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the Sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the apple cider, granulated sugar, and butter. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla extract, and set aside.
- Preheat the Oven and Prepare Baking Dish: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- Roll Out the Dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pie dough into a large rectangle approximately 24×16 inches and about ¼-inch thick. Cut the dough into six even squares, about 8×8 inches each.
- Prepare the Apples: Place a peeled and cored apple in the center of each dough square. Fill the hollow core of each apple with 1 tablespoon of softened butter.
- Add the Spiced Sugar: In a small bowl, combine the light brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the apples.
- Wrap the Apples: Lightly moisten the edges of each dough square with water. Carefully fold the dough around the apples, pinching the edges to seal them completely.
- Arrange and Pour Sauce: Place the wrapped apples into the prepared baking dish. Pour the prepared apple cider sauce over the dumplings.
- Bake Covered: Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes to allow the apples to cook through and the crust to set gently.
- Bake Uncovered: Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 25-30 minutes, or until the dumplings are golden brown and crisp on top.
- Serve: Serve the warm apple dumplings with vanilla ice cream and spoon extra sauce from the baking dish over the top for a delicious finish.
Notes
- Use Granny Smith apples for the best tart flavor that balances the sweetness.
- If homemade pie crust is not available, store-bought pie crust works perfectly.
- Be sure to seal the dough edges well to prevent the sauce from leaking during baking.
- Serve immediately for best texture, especially with melting ice cream.
- The sauce can be made ahead and warmed before serving.
