Apple Dumplings are a cozy, homemade dessert made by wrapping whole apples in pastry and baking them until golden brown. Topped with salted caramel sauce, they're a treat that brings together tender apples and warm cinnamon sugar in every bite.
I fell in love with apple dumplings when my brother first made them for me during a visit, well over 30 years ago. Since then I've made them for special occasions, and for this batch I served them with a salted caramel sauce.
Quick Summary
- Whole apples baked in a pie crust wrap until golden brown, enough for 4.
- A walkthrough for wrapping and sealing each apple so it stays closed in the oven.
- Make them ahead: refrigerate up to a day or freeze up to 3 months, then bake straight from frozen.
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Key Ingredients
See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for a full list of ingredients and instructions.
- Refrigerated pie crust: Store-bought crust keeps this one easy.
- Apples: Go with firm apples like Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Cortland, or Granny Smith so they bake up tender, not mushy.
- Butter: Adds richness and moisture to the filling.
- Cinnamon sugar: Brings the sweet, warm spice.
- Salted caramel sauce: The finishing drizzle, and even better with a splash of dark rum.
How to Make Apple Dumplings
Start with peeled and cored apples, keeping them whole. Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a small baking dish, then stir the cinnamon and sugar together in a small bowl.
Roll out the pie crust and cut it into quarters, rolling each piece a little more if it needs to be bigger. Set an apple in the center of each piece and add the butter and cinnamon sugar to each one.
Brush the dough edges with a little cold water, wrap the dough up around the apple, and press the seams to seal. If you have scraps, cut out a few dough leaves for the tops.
Set the dumplings in the baking dish, sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon sugar over the top, and bake for about an hour, until golden brown. While they bake, warm the salted caramel sauce following the jar's instructions and stir in the rum if you're using it. Drizzle it over the dumplings and serve.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Dough: use Mom's Oil Pie Crust recipe.
- Sauce: replace caramel sauce with homemade butterscotch sauce for a slightly different flavor.
- Apples: use pear halves for a softer, sweeter variation.
Variations on Apple Dumplings
- Crescent roll apple dumplings: wrap apple halves in crescent rolls for a different texture.
- Nut-stuffed dumplings: add chopped pecans or walnuts inside the apple before wrapping.
- Spiced apple dumplings: use nutmeg, ginger, or cardamom in place of cinnamon for a more aromatic filling.
Tips for The Best Apple Dumplings
- Room temp dough: let refrigerated pie dough warm slightly before rolling to avoid cracking.
- Seal well: press dough edges firmly so the apples stay wrapped as they bake.
- Core carefully: use an apple corer or paring knife to remove the center while keeping apples intact.
How to Store and Reheat
- Refrigerate: store leftover apple dumplings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: warm in the oven or air fryer at 350°F until heated through. Avoid the microwave since it softens the pastry.
You May Be Wondering
Yes. Assemble them and refrigerate for up to 24 hours, or freeze for up to 3 months. Bake them straight from frozen without thawing, and add 15 minutes to the baking time.
350°F for about 1 hour, until the pastry is golden brown.
More Easy Apple Recipes You'll Love
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📖 Recipe
Easy Apple Dumplings with Salted Caramel Sauce
Equipment
- Small baking dish
- Apple corer
- Apple peeler or knife
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Ingredients
- 1 refrigerated pie crust sheet
- 4 medium apples
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons butter , cut into smaller cubes
- 4 tablespoons Salted Caramel Sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark rum , optional
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a small baking dish with non stick cooking spray and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine cinnamon and sugar. Set aside.
- Roll out pie dough and cut the circle in quarters. You may need to roll the dough out a little more depending on the size of your apple. Place whole apples in the center of each section of dough.
- Place ½ tablespoon butter in center of each apple and top it off with 1 tablespoon of the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Moisten the edges of the pie crust by dipping your fingers in a little cold water and spreading it around the dough round. Wrap apple in the pie crust, being careful to seal any seams. If you have enough dough left over you can also cut out some cute little leaves and add a stem to the apple.
- Place apple dumplings in prepared dish. Sprinkle remaining cinnamon sugar mixture on top of the dough.
- Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until pie crust becomes golden brown.
- Microwave salted caramel sauce in jar according to package instructions. Stir in 1 tablespoon rum (if using).
- Drizzle caramel sauce over top of each dumpling and serve.
Sarah Reid says
This is right up my alley!
Julie @ Texan New Yorker says
Oh wow, these look and sound fabulous!
Shaina Wizov says
Salted caramel rum sauce sounds amazing!! I would eat this with a spoon!
Life Tastes Good says
You know me - anything with salted caramel gets my attention! I love fall too! It is so comforting in so many ways - the food, the colors, the weather, the clothes... it's my fave! This recipe looks amazing!
Cindy Kerschner says
salted caramel is perfect for fall. A great choice for these apple dumplings!
Shannon says
Um, yes? That's all I can say here. This post had me almost licking the screen. SO yummy looking.
Liz Berg says
Shelby, you sure look like you've been baking these for years! Such a spectacular fall dessert!!!
Christie Campbell says
I love the idea of the caramel rum sauce. I bet it's delicious over the dumplings.
The Ninja Baker says
Funny how food is attached to people and good times. Looks like you did a splendid job replicating the apple dumpling, Shelby =) ...I may very well be replicating the recipe soon, too!
Carla says
Ohhh I have both apples and rum in my kitchen right now! May need to make these soon.
KC the Kitchen Chopper says
Hi Shelby, I got some dough in my freezer calling for an Apple Dumpling. I've not made them before but I think it'll be worth a try! Pinned!