Apple Dumpling Recipe

5 from 1 review

Apple Dumplings can easily be made from scratch. Wrap apple halves in flaky dough then bake them in a simple brown sugar syrup for built-in sauce.

Prep Time45

Bake Time40

Total Time1 25

Servings:8 servings

Ingredients

2 oz granulated sugar (¼ cup, divided)
1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (divided)
12 oz light brown sugar (1 ½ cups, see note)
4 teaspoons unsalted butter
6 oz water (¾ cup)
1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)
4 apples (peeled, cored, halved )
1 recipe cream cheese dough (made at least 2 hours ahead and chilled)
1 large egg (for egg wash)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 °F. Combine 2 oz granulated sugar with 1 teaspoon of the ground cinnamon in a small bowl.
Set aside 4 teaspoons of brown sugar. Combine the rest of the brown sugar with 6 oz water in a small sauce pan. Bring the syrup to a full boil. Remove from the heat and add the remaining half teaspoon cinnamon and the optional 1 tablespoon bourbon. Cover the pan to keep the syrup warm while you prepare the apples. The syrup can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated.
Line the apple halves in a 13"x 9" baking pan. Use half of the cinnamon sugar to sprinkle both sides of the apples. Reserve the remaining cinnamon sugar for topping the dumplings. Flip the apples cut side up. Put a ½ teaspoon of brown sugar and a ½ teaspoon of butter into each apple cavity.
Roll 1 recipe cream cheese dough to a 24"x 12" rectangle. Trim the sides of the dough straight and save the scraps. Cut the dough into eight 6" squares. Brush the edges of each dough square with egg wash.
Set an apple half, cut side down, in the middle of each dough square. Lift one side of the dough over to the top of the apple. Continue lifting and pleating the dough over the apple and have it come together at the top to enclose the apple half to form a dumpling. Pinch the edges to glue them closed. Repeat with the other apples.
Line the dumplings into the 13"x 9" pan. Brush the tops of the dumplings with egg wash. If you'd like, you can cut "leaves" from the dough scraps and attach two leaves to the top of each dumpling. Sprinkle the dumplings with the reserved cinnamon sugar. Pour the syrup between the dumplings, making sure not to get the syrup on the tops of the dumplings.
Bake until the dumplings are well browned and the apples are tender, about 40 minutes. To check if the apples are done use a toothpick to poke through the dumpling into the apple. Cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes. Serve each dumping with a drizzle of sauce and some whipped cream or ice cream.

Notes

A firm apple that doesn't fall apart when baked works best. Granny Smith is a good option that is widely available.

In place of light brown sugar you can use half granulated and half dark brown sugar.

Nutrition