Here’s a classic, comforting recipe for apple dumplings — tender pastry wrapped around sweet cinnamon apples, baked in a buttery syrup. Perfect for dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
🍎 Classic Apple Dumplings
Ingredients (Makes 6 dumplings)
For the apples
- 6 small to medium apples (Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or your favorite baking apple)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg (optional)
- ½ cup raisins (optional)
For the dough
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- ½ cup cold water (or a little more as needed)
For the syrup
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
⭐ Instructions
1. Prepare the dough
- In a large bowl, mix flour and salt.
- Cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Gradually add cold water, 1 tbsp at a time, mixing until dough comes together.
- Divide dough into 6 portions, wrap in plastic, and chill for 15–20 minutes.
2. Prepare the apples
- Peel, core, and quarter apples (or leave whole for small apples).
- Mix sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and raisins (if using) and stuff the apples with this mixture.
3. Wrap apples in dough
- Roll out each dough portion into a square large enough to wrap an apple.
- Place an apple in the center and fold edges over to seal.
- Pinch seams to close completely.
4. Make syrup
- In a saucepan, combine sugar, water, and butter.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer until butter melts and sugar dissolves.
5. Bake
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Place dumplings in a greased baking dish.
- Pour syrup over dumplings.
- Bake 40–50 minutes, basting occasionally with syrup, until dumplings are golden and apples are tender.
6. Serve
Serve warm with syrup spooned over the top. Add vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for extra indulgence.
⭐ Tips
- Use tart apples for balance against the sweet syrup.
- Make the dough slightly thicker for easier handling.
- You can prepare ahead and refrigerate before baking.
- For a richer syrup, add a splash of bourbon or rum.
If you want, I can also give a quick shortcut version using store-bought puff pastry, which makes apple dumplings even faster and flaky.
Do you want the shortcut version?
