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Cozy Apple Dumplings with Cinnamon Sugar Sauce: Best Fall Dessert

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These cozy apple dumplings feature whole apples wrapped in flaky pastry and baked in a rich cinnamon sugar sauce. Perfect for fall, this easy dessert comes together in under an hour and is sure to become a seasonal favorite.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 medium apples (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith recommended)
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), cold and cubed
  • 6–8 tablespoons ice water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream (optional, for serving)
  • Powdered sugar (optional, for dusting)

Instructions

  1. Make the pastry: In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add 1 cup cold cubed butter. Using a pastry cutter or two forks, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal with pea-sized butter pieces. Drizzle in 6-8 tablespoons ice water, one tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork until the dough just comes together. Form into a disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
  3. Prepare the apples: Peel 4 medium apples. Using a paring knife or apple corer, remove the cores from the top, leaving the bottom intact.
  4. Make the cinnamon sugar sauce: In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/2 cup butter, and 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
  5. Roll out the pastry: On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a 16×16-inch square (about 1/8-inch thick). Cut into four 8-inch squares.
  6. Assemble the dumplings: Place one apple in the center of each pastry square. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the cinnamon sugar sauce into the hollowed center of each apple. Fold the corners of the pastry over the apple, pinching the seams to seal. Place the dumplings seam-side down in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
  7. Pour the remaining cinnamon sugar sauce over and around the dumplings.
  8. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and the apples are tender when pierced with a fork. Halfway through, spoon some of the sauce from the bottom over the dumplings to keep them moist.
  9. Let the dumplings rest for 5-10 minutes. Serve warm, with a drizzle of heavy cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired.

Notes

Keep the butter cold for flaky pastry. Don’t overwork the dough. Honeycrisp or Granny Smith apples hold up best. Baste halfway through baking for even browning. For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour. For a vegan option, use plant-based butter.

Nutrition

Keywords: apple dumplings, cinnamon sugar sauce, fall dessert, baked apples, easy dessert, apple recipe

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