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Homemade old-fashioned apple dumplings baked in a white enamel dish with cinnamon syrup, with one dumpling opened to reveal tender spiced apple slices inside flaky golden pastry.
Jana Rae

Old-Fashioned Apple Dumplings

Old-Fashioned Apple Dumplings just like Grandma made. Flaky pastry, spiced apples, and a warm cinnamon syrup. Easy farmhouse fall dessert.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6 dumplings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 451
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Dumplings
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter cold, divided
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 pound Granny Smith apples about 4 medium, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
For the Syrup
  • 2 cups granulated sugar or brown sugar
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter cut into pats
  • 1 pinch ground cinnamon
  • 1 pinch ground nutmeg
For Serving
  • 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half, or vanilla ice cream

Equipment

  • 9×13-inch baking dish
  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Rolling pin
  • Saucepan

Method
 

Make the Dumplings:
  1. Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly butter a 9x13-inch baking dish.
  2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in 10 tablespoons of cold butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
  3. Gradually add milk, stirring just until a soft dough forms.
  4. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a rectangle about 1/8-inch thick. Cut into 5-inch squares.
  5. Place several apple slices on each dough square. Sprinkle with a little sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Dot with a small piece of the remaining butter.
  6. Moisten the edges of the dough with water. Bring the corners to the center and pinch to seal. Place dumplings in the prepared baking dish.
Make the Syrup and Bake:
  1. In a saucepan, combine sugar, water, butter, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
  2. Pour the hot syrup over the dumplings. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the dumplings are golden brown and the syrup has thickened.
Serve:
  1. Spoon some of the syrup from the pan over each dumpling. Top with a drizzle of cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Notes

Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store them in the syrup so they stay moist.
Reheating: Warm individual dumplings in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds, or reheat the whole dish in a 350F oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
Make Ahead: The dough can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated. Assembled dumplings can be refrigerated unbaked; add the syrup right before baking.
Best Apples: Granny Smith, Braeburn, or Rome Beauty. Avoid soft apples like McIntosh.
Serving: Serve warm with heavy cream, vanilla ice cream, or a drizzle of caramel.
Allergy Note: Contains gluten, dairy, and eggs.
If you want the syrup to thicken up nice and glossy, spoon it over the dumplings once or twice while they bake. That's the secret to that old-fashioned caramel color.