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Baked Apple Dumplings
Golden, flaky pastry gives way to tender, cinnamon-spiced apples in this nostalgic dessert. You'll stuff each cored apple with a sweet mix of raisins and chopped nuts before wrapping them in dough. As they bake, a rich brown sugar and butter syrup bubbles around the dumplings, thickening into a warm caramel sauce that coats the pastry. Serve them straight from the baking dish with a generous pour of fresh cream for a comforting treat that never goes out of style.
Equipment
- Oven
- Rolling Pin
- Baking sheet
Ingredients
- 6 small cooking apples (Golden Delicious, Braeburn, Rome), about 3 inches in diameter*
- 3 tablespoons raisins, dried cranberries or dried cherries, if desired
- 3 tablespoons chopped nuts, if desired
- 2 ½ cups packed brown sugar
- 1 ⅓ cups water
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- 1Preheat the oven to 425°F. Roll two-thirds of your pastry dough into a 14-inch square, then cut it into four 7-inch squares. Roll the remaining dough into a 14x7-inch rectangle and cut it into two 7-inch squares.
- 2Peel and core the apples, placing one in the center of each pastry square. Combine the raisins and chopped nuts, then pack this mixture into the hollowed center of each apple. Lightly moisten the corners of the pastry dough with water.
- 3Lift two opposite corners of the pastry over the top of the apple and pinch them together. Bring the remaining two corners up to meet in the center. Pinch all the seams tightly to seal the apple completely inside the dough so the juices don't leak out during baking.
- 4Arrange the wrapped apples in an ungreased 13x9-inch glass baking dish.
- 5Combine the brown sugar, water, softened butter, and ground cinnamon in a 2-quart saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Carefully pour the hot syrup into the baking dish around the base of the dumplings.
- 6Bake for about 40 minutes, pausing two or three times to spoon the hot syrup over the pastry. The dumplings are ready when the crust turns golden brown and a small knife easily pierces the tender apples.
Notes
- Apple selection: Use small apples (about 3 inches in diameter). The 7-inch dough squares won't fully wrap and seal larger fruit.
- Best varieties: Golden Delicious, Braeburn, or Rome apples hold their shape well during baking.
- Pastry: You'll need enough double-crust pie pastry to roll out into the specified dimensions.
- Serving: These are best served warm or at room temperature with a generous pour of fresh cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.