These apple dumplings combine tart apples with buttery pastry and a secret ingredient of Mountain Dew to make a melt-in-your-mouth bite. They are simple to make and perfect for those crisp fall apples!
Would it really be fall if you didn’t make an apple dessert? These apple dumplings take everything you love about the fall and stuff them into one tasty treat. It’s one of those seasonal treats that you are going to want to make all year round — it’s that good.
Seasonal Apple Dumplings
Apples are one of my favorite ingredients to cook and bake with in the fall. The apples are at their peak freshness and taste out of this world. The apples taste even better if you can go and pick them yourselves. If apple picking is on your list of activities this fall, you will want to save a few of those apples to make these apple dumplings. It’s a great treat to make with the kids since it is so easy and quick to make.
The buttery crescent dough is the perfect pairing with the tart apples. It is the perfect vehicle to hold in all of the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. As it bakes, the dough expands, letting all of those excellent fall flavors spread into each layer of the dough.
Now I know Mountain Dew might seem like a weird ingredient to add to this fall dessert, but don’t knock it until you try it. The lemon-lime soda brings a nice citrus flavor to the apples and caramelizes right in with the sugar. It’s definitely the ingredient you never knew you needed.
(Can’t get enough apples? Try my Caramel Apple Monkey Bread too!)
Ingredients to make Apple Dumplings
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Granny Smith apples – will give the dish a nice tart flavor
- Crescent dough – any store-bought kind will work
- Unsalted butter
- Brown sugar – both light and brown sugar will be okay.
- Vanilla extract
- Cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- Mountain Dew – any lemon-lime soda will be fine as well.
How to make Apple Dumplings
1. PREP
Preheat the oven to 350F and lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish. Set aside.
2. ROLL APPLES
Cut the apples into eights and roll each slice into the crescent roll, starting at the wide end. Place the rolled apples into the baking dish and set to the side.
3. ADD SPICES AND BUTTER
In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Once the butter is fully melted, add in the sugar and stir until combined. Then, add in the vanilla, cinnamon, salt and fully mix to combine. Once everything is fully combined, remove the mixture from the heat and pour it on top of the apple rolls. Finally, add in the soda all around the edges of the baking dish. Do not pour it directly on top.
4. BAKE
Bake the apples for 30-40 minutes, or until the apple tools start to look crispy and golden brown on top.
5. SERVE
Serve while still warm and top with vanilla ice cream and extra sauce from the baking dish.
How to Store Apple Dumplings
Once baked, the apple dumplings will last about 3-5 days in an airtight container. Keep the baked goods in the refrigerator and warm them up when you want to eat the treats. You can warm them up in the microwave or the oven at a low temperature.
FAQ
Granny Smith apples will give you the best flavor when making apple dumplings. They are best for baking with as they don’t have an overwhelmingly sweet flavor. The tart flavor combines perfectly with all of the flavors. However, if you don’t have Granny Smith apples you can use other varieties as well. It will subtly change the flavor.
Yes! Make sure to core the apple before slicing and rolling the pieces into the dough. Coring the apple is more important for apple dumplings that are served whole.
The lemon-lime soda is a surprising ingredient to cook with but it adds a ton of flavor to this recipe. It adds notes of citrus and caramelizes the sauce to be extra sweet and gives it a thick texture.
MORE APPLE DESSERTS FOR THE FALL
- Apple Dump Cake
- Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
- Caramel Apple Nachos
- Caramel Apple Tart
- Dutch Apple Pie
Apple Dumplings
Equipment
- 9×13 baking dish
- Small Saucepan
Ingredients
- 2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored
- 2 cans crescent dough
- 2 sticks unsalted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- 1 can Mountain Dew (or lemon-lime soda)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish.
- Cut each apple into eighths. Roll each apple slice into a crescent roll, rolling from the wide end. Place the rolled apples into the prepared baking dish.2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored, 2 cans crescent dough
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the sugar and stir. Add the vanilla, cinnamon, and salt, stir to combine, and remove from the heat. Pour the mixture over the apple rolls.2 sticks unsalted butter, 1 cup brown sugar, packed, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp cinnamon, Pinch of salt
- Pour the soda around the edge of the baking dish, not directly on top.1 can Mountain Dew (or lemon-lime soda)
- Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown and crispy and the sauce is bubbly.
- Serve warm with vanilla ice cream and some sauce from the dish.
Can I use this recipe with peaches instead of apples?
Can you put them together earlier and the bake in evening?
Could this be made with diet soda?
Wouldn’t this make 16 servings, not 12? 2 apples each cut into 8 wedges would make 16 apple wedges. I believe that crescent rolls come in 8 to a package, so 8X2=16.
Yes this recipe is pretty much the same as peach dumplings from the pioneer woman except she uses sprite and it’s delicious but now I’m gonna try it this way with Granny Smith apples mmmm
Question — Can I use ready made pie crust for this recipe instead of crescent rolls?
You could try it! Puff pastry might work better, though. Of course, adjust the baking time as needed as well.
We’d love to know how it turns out if you give it a try!
Oh. My. Stars!!!! This is the best dessert ever!!! Easy, fast, and delicious. Thanks for sharing!
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed it!