World’s Best Apple Dumplings

Last Updated on January 3, 2024 by Michele Tripple

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Apple dumplings are some of the best fall foods around! You can’t go wrong with sweet cinnamon spiced apples covered in flaky dough and baked to perfection. 

World’s Best Apple Dumplings Recipe

apple dumpling in 9x13 pan with green linen

Leaves are falling and there is starting to be a bit of a chill in the air. You know what that means! Time to break out all my fall recipes and these apple dumplings are at the top of the list! 

Apple dumplings are essentially just apples with a sugary-sweet sauce covered in a sweet pastry dough. The sauce is spiced with cinnamon and other fall flavors, but you could easily substitute my apple pie spice to make it even easier!

They’re like a personal little apple pie and I just can’t resist!

Where Do Apple Dumplings Come From? 

Apple dumplings date back to Pennsylvania in the 1700s. They’re traditionally served as both dessert and breakfast. Can you imagine waking up to the smell of cinnamon and apples in the morning?! Yum!

Apple Dumplings Recipe

apple dumpling with glass of milk

Serves: 7

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Rest time: 15 minutes

Total time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Ingredients for Apple Dumplings

ingredient shot of apple dumplings in glass bowls

For Dumplings

  • 4 – 9-inch refrigerated pie crusts (usually 2 boxes)
  • 7 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored
  • 6 tbsp butter, softened
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • ¾ tsp cinnamon spice
  • ⅛ tsp nutmeg spice
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 large egg white, beaten

For Lemon Sauce

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 8 tsp cornstarch
  • 2 c water, cold
  • 6 tbsp butter
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest

Peeler

Apple corer

Glass baking dish 

Mixing bowls

How to Make this Apple Dumplings Recipe

  • To get started, you can preheat your oven to 375°.
  • Grease a 13×9 inch glass baking dish with a non-stick cooking spray or butter.
  • Next, you can prepare your apples by peeling and coring them.
  • In a mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, spices, lemon zest, and butter. 
  • To each apple, add the sugar mixture to the cavity and press some around the outside of the apple. Set the apples aside.
  • Remove the pie crusts from the packaging and roll out each on a lightly floured surface. 
  • Measure and cut a 7-inch square from each crust. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just close. Do this with each pie crust. Re-roll your leftover dough and repeat until you have your seven squares.
  • Next, place a filled apple in the center of one of the squares. Lightly brush the edges of the square with the egg white and fold the sides up over the apples, pleating and sealing the dough.
  • Repeat this process with the remaining apples and dough squares. 
process image of apple dumplings
  • Place the apple dumplings in the prepared baking dish, making sure that they don’t touch each other. 
  • Bake on the center rack of your oven for about 40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
  • When the apples are done cooking, remove them from the oven and let them cool while you make your lemon sauce.
  • To make the sauce, combine the water, cornstarch, and sugar in a small saucepan. Stir the mixture and continue to cook over medium heat until it comes to a boil.
  • Let the sauce continue to bowl as it thickens, making sure to keep stirring.
  • Once the sauce is thickened, remove it from heat and add the butter, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Stir to combine. 
  • Serve the dumplings warm with the sauce drizzled right over the top. 
apple dumplings right out of the oven in glass dish

Tips Tricks and FAQs

  • Premade dough makes this recipe easy and fast, but don’t be afraid to use a family favorite pie crust recipe if that suits you.
  • Apple dumplings are delicious hot or cold. My family’s favorite way to serve them is nice and warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. You could also top them with whipped cream or eat them all by themselves. 
  • You’ll want to make sure that the squares of dough fit over your apples before you cut them all out. Seven-inch squares are usually perfect for granny smith apples, but I have had my occasional big apple that needs a bit of extra dough!

What apples are the best for baking?

Apples come in so many delicious varieties! 

Granny smiths are the best choice for baking because they have a great smooth texture when cooked and add the perfect amount of tart flavor. 

You could use other apple varieties, but make sure that you test to make sure your apples are perfectly soft before removing them from the oven!

Should I reheat my apple dumplings before serving?

I personally love to eat these apple dumplings warm, but I will admit to taking little bites of them right out of the fridge on occasion. 

To reheat the apple dumplings without losing the perfect flaky crust, you can turn your oven to 350 degrees and bake the apple for about 10 minutes.

Storage

Fridge

Keep these apple dumpling in the fridge in an airtight container and they will last for about 4 days

Room Temperature

You can keep these sweet treats on the counter, but they will only last about 2 days. 

Check out these other great apple recipes:

Love what you see? Leave a comment and don’t forget to rate it below! We always love knowing how your recipe turns out! Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @micheletripple to show me your finished product!

Yield: 7

Apple Dumplings

apple dumpling with glass of milk

Apple dumplings are some of the best fall foods around! You can’t go wrong with sweet cinnamon spiced apples covered in flaky dough and baked to perfection. 

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Additional Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • For Dumplings
  • 4 – 9-inch refrigerated pie crusts (usually 2 boxes)
  • 7 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored
  • 6 tbsp butter, softened
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • ¾ tsp cinnamon spice
  • ⅛ tsp nutmeg spice
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 large egg white, beaten
  • For Lemon Sauce
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 8 tsp cornstarch
  • 2 c water, cold
  • 6 tbsp butter
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest

Instructions

    1. To get started, you can preheat your oven to 375°.
    2. Grease a 13x9 inch glass baking dish with a non-stick cooking spray or butter.
    3. Next, you can prepare your apples by peeling and coring them.
    4. In a mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, spices, lemon zest, and butter. 
    5. To each apple, add the sugar mixture to the cavity and press some around the outside of the apple. Set the apples aside.
    6. Remove the pie crusts from the packaging and roll out each on a lightly floured surface. 
    7. Measure and cut a 7-inch square from each crust. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just close. Do this with each pie crust. Re-roll your leftover dough and repeat until you have your seven squares.
    8. Next, place a filled apple in the center of one of the squares. Lightly brush the edges of the square with the egg white and fold the sides up over the apples, pleating and sealing the dough.
    9. Repeat this process with the remaining apples and dough squares. 
    10. Place the apple dumplings in the prepared baking dish, making sure that they don’t touch each other. 
    11. Bake on the center rack of your oven for about 40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
    12. When the apples are done cooking, remove them from the oven and let them cool while you make your lemon sauce.
    13. To make the sauce, combine the water, cornstarch, and sugar in a small saucepan. Stir the mixture and continue to cook over medium heat until it comes to a boil.
    14. Let the sauce continue to bowl as it thickens, making sure to keep stirring.
    15. Once the sauce is thickened, remove it from heat and add the butter, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Stir to combine. 
    16. Serve the dumplings warm with the sauce drizzled right over the top. 

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