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Apple Dumplings | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this is my favorite #dessert. It's absolutely melt-in-your-mouth delicious. #apples are filled with #cinnamon-sugar, rolled in pie crust & glazed with a cinnamon-sugar syrup. Terrific dessert for company or #holidays.

Apple Dumplings (Mimi's Version)

Teresa Ambra
Apple Dumplings are the most spectacular dessert ever! The apples are filled with cinnamon-sugar and nutmeg in a flaky pastry crust and cooked in a cinnamon-sugar-nutmeg syrup. This sensational apple dessert will cure any sweet tooth craving and is so swoon-worthy it will rock your world!
4.72 from 7 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 24

Equipment

  • 2 9x13" glass baking dishes
  • 1 apple corer and peeler
  • 1 mixing bowl
  • 1 small sauce pan
  • 1 wooden spoon
  • 1 Rolling Pin
  • 1 small bowl for cinnamon sugar mixture
  • 1 pastry blender
  • waxed paper

Ingredients
  

APPLE DUMPLINGS (MIMI'S VERSION):

  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter 1/2 stick
  • 6 apples see my note in the directions
  • 1/2 cup 2% milk
  • 1/4 tsp. cinnamon see my version—I like a lot more
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 3/4 cup Crisco shortening no substitutes
  • 2 cups UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • cinnamon-sugar-nutmeg mixture

APPLE DUMPLINGS (MY MODIFIED VERSION):

  • 2 cups UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour bleached flour toughens baked goods
  • 1/2 tsp. sea salt or kosher salt
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 cup Crisco shortening no substitutes
  • 1/2 cup Ice water
  • 12 whole apples peeled and cored, or 6-8 apples, sliced
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon or increase to 2 tsp. if you like cinnamon flavor
  • 1/2 stick unsalted butter (1/4 cup)
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 tbsp. cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1/2 stick unsalted butter (1/4 cup)

Instructions
 

APPLE DUMPLINGS (MIMI'S VERSION):

  • Make syrup using sugar, water, cinnamon, nutmeg and butter.
  • Bring to a boil for about a minute. Set aside.
  • Pare and core apples, cut in quarters; set aside.
  • Mix flour, salt and baking powder in a mixing bowl.
  • Cut in shortening with a pastry blender, add milk all at once and stir until moistened.
  • Roll ¼” thick.
  • Cut in 5 inch squares.
  • Arrange 4 pieces of apple on each square (I have never been able to fit this many pieces on each one! Therefore I have never used that many apples).
  • Sprinkle generously with additional sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
  • Dot with butter.
  • Fold diagonal corners to center.
  • Pinch edges together.
  • Place 1” apart in greased baking pan.
  • Pour syrup over it.
  • Bake at 375° for 35 minutes.
  • Serve hot with ice cream.

APPLE DUMPLINGS (MY MODIFIED VERSION):

  • Prepare two large 9x13” or 10x15” baking dishes by spraying with cooking spray.
  • Mix flour, salt, baking powder in a mixing bowl.
  • Cut in shortening with pastry blender.
  • Add water and mix with hands to combine. Set aside.
  • Bring water, 2 cups granulated sugar, ¼ tsp. nutmeg, 1-2 tsp. cinnamon and ½ stick butter to a boil.
  • Boil one minute and remove from heat. Set aside.
  • Mix remaining granulated sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.
  • Core and pare apples.
  • Either use whole apples or about 1/3 of each apple, sliced.
  • Spread waxed paper on counter top.
  • Cover generously with flour.
  • Take a golf-ball sized piece of pie dough (or a little larger) and place on top of flour.
  • Sprinkle generously with flour.
  • Place waxed paper over top and roll out a few times.
  • Check for sticking by removing the waxed paper and adding more flour on top if necessary.
  • Roll out in circle.
  • Remove top layer of waxed paper and set aside to reuse.
  • Place whole apple or apple slices in center of rolled dough.
  • Sprinkle with about 1 ½ heaping tablespoonfuls of the cinnamon sugar mixture.
  • Dab about a teaspoon or so of butter over top.
  • Fold diagonal corners to center.
  • Pinch edges together.
  • Place in prepared baking dishes.
  • Usually only about six will fit in each dish.
  • Don’t cram them together because the dough expands while baking.
  • Continue rolling out all the dough and adding the apples or apple slices, cinnamon sugar and butter.
  • Evenly divide the syrup and pour over each glass baking dish.
  • Bake at 375° for about 35 minutes. (Maybe a little longer for whole apples).
  • Serve warm with ice cream.

Notes

NOTE: Please note that this recipe is NOT an exact science! I make as many dumplings as I have pie dough for. If that means I need a little bit more cinnamon sugar mixture or butter I add it as necessary.
 
NOTE: This is a high maintenance recipe and the dough can tear easily. Don't attempt it unless you're willing to be patient and work with it.
 
NOTE: This recipe is a LOT of work, but tastes absolutely delicious when done. The syrup absorbs into the dumplings. It is really excellent. Don’t worry about being real exact with the dough or apple pieces. I have NEVER been able to form my dumplings so that they are pretty, instead I shape them into balls trying to seal the dough around the apple pieces as best I can so they don’t leak. No matter what they look like in the pan, they taste wonderful!
 
 
 
NOTE: Extra cinnamon sugar mixture = 1 ½ cups sugar, 1 ½ tbsp. cinnamon, 1/3 tsp. nutmeg, ½ stick unsalted butter.
 
 
NOTE: If you don't want to make homemade pie crust, you can use store-bought pie crust.
 
 
NOTE: Because of the way the recipe card works, each batch makes 12 servings. In order to get the correct calorie count I had to show 24 servings. But each batch (modified or otherwise) makes only 12.
 
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen
 
Keyword apple dessert, apples, dessert
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