Description
Craving a warm, comforting dessert that’s quick and crowd-pleasing? What if you could bake eight golden apple dumplings wrapped in flaky crescent rolls, topped with a sweet cinnamon-sugar crust and a unique soda glaze, in just 50 minutes? Apple Dumplings with Crescent Rolls, with 35 reviews, is your answer—perfect for family dinners, potlucks, or cozy fall evenings
Ingredients
Here’s the lineup for 8 servings (8 dumplings). Each ingredient plays a key role, with swaps for flexibility.
- Granny Smith apples (2 medium): Add tart, juicy flavor that holds up during baking. Sub: Honeycrisp or other firm, tart apples like Braeburn; pears for variety.
- Refrigerated crescent rolls (2 tubes, 8 oz each, 16 triangles total): Create a flaky, golden wrap. Sub: Gluten-free crescent dough or puff pastry (cut into triangles).
- Sugar (1 cup): Sweetens and forms a crusty topping. Sub: Coconut sugar or 3/4 cup sugar + 2 tablespoons maple syrup.
- Butter (1/3 cup, softened): Adds richness to topping. Sub: Vegan butter or coconut oil.
- Ground cinnamon (1/2 teaspoon): Provides warm, spiced flavor. Sub: Pumpkin pie spice or nutmeg.
- Mountain Dew soda (3/4 cup): Creates a sticky, caramel-like glaze. Sub: Sprite, 7UP, or ginger ale for similar effect; apple juice for less sweetness.
- Vanilla ice cream: Enhances serving with creamy contrast. Sub: Vegan ice cream, whipped cream, or omit.
These ingredients are pantry-friendly and accessible, creating a wholesome, indulgent dessert
Instructions
- Preheat oven and prep pan: Preheat to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 13×9-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter. Tip: Greasing prevents sticking; a glass dish lets you check the glaze.
- Prepare apples: Peel, core, and cut 2 Granny Smith apples into 8 wedges each (16 wedges total). Tip: Use an apple corer or slice carefully around the core; keep wedges uniform for even baking.
- Wrap dumplings: Unroll 2 tubes of crescent dough; separate into 16 triangles. Wrap one triangle around each apple wedge, starting at the wide end and rolling to the point. Pinch edges to seal if needed. Place dumplings in the greased baking dish, spacing evenly. Tip: Press dough gently to cover apple; don’t worry if small gaps remain—they’ll bake closed.
- Make topping: In a small bowl, mix 1 cup sugar, 1/3 cup softened butter, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon until blended (mixture will be crumbly). Sprinkle evenly over dumplings. Tip: Use your fingers or a fork to distribute topping; ensure even coverage.
- Add soda glaze: Slowly pour 3/4 cup Mountain Dew around the dumplings in the dish (do not pour over or stir). Tip: Pour near edges to avoid washing off topping; soda will bubble and create a glaze during baking.
- Bake: Bake, uncovered, for 35-40 minutes until dumplings are golden brown and apples are tender when pierced with a fork. Tip: Check at 35 minutes; cover with foil if tops brown too quickly.
- Serve: Let cool for 5 minutes in the dish. Serve warm, spooning glaze from the pan over each dumpling, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Tip: Use a spatula to transfer dumplings to plates, capturing extra glaze for drizzling.