Apple Dumplings Recipe
These apple dumplings are the bomb! I could barely contain myself as the irresistible aroma filled the kitchen—waiting to take them out of the oven was sheer torture. And don’t even get me started on having to snap a few photos before diving in! Pure agony, I tell you. But now that I’ve indulged in one (okay, maybe two) with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream, all is right in the world again. What can I say? I have a serious sweet tooth, and apple dumplings are my ultimate weakness. It’s probably a good thing I don’t make them too often, but when I do, it’s pure bliss!
Sugar – Brown sugar to give us those lovely caramel notes. Cinnamon – To boost that all familiar apple pie flavor in our dumplings and create dimension and complexity. Lemon juice – Just a tablespoon will prevent your apples from oxidizing and browning before they find their way into the oven. Lemon juice will also add a bit of tartness, it will be good to keep on hand if using sweeter apples.
Apples – Peeled, cut in half and cored. Use firm varieties like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp so they hold up well during baking. Butter – Unsalted so as to control the sodium content of our dish. Cinnamon – To boost that all familiar apple pie flavor in our dumplings and create dimension and complexity. Sugar – Brown sugar to give us those lovely caramel notes.
In the bowl of your mixer, combine 3 cups of all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon of salt, 10 tablespoons of cold unsalted butter (cut into cubes), and 8 tablespoons of cold shortening (cut into cubes). Mix until the ingredients are incorporated. Gradually add 6 tablespoons of ice water, a little at a time, mixing just until the dough starts to come together. You can also do this in your food processor.
Dry ingredients – All purpose flour and salt. Wet ingredients – Ice water, shortening, and cold unsalted butter cut into cubes.
Turn the dough out onto your work surface and divide it into two equal pieces. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. In a 1-quart saucepan, combine 1 cup of water, 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 cup of packed brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Then, reduce the heat to a simmer and let the syrup reduce by about half, which should take around 8 to 10 minutes. While the syrup is simmering, peel 4 medium apples, cut them in half, and remove the cores. In a small bowl, mix together 3 tablespoons of packed brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Cut 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter into 8 small pieces. Roll each butter piece in the sugar-cinnamon mixture until well coated. Place one butter piece into the hollow center of each apple half. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). On a floured surface, take one piece of chilled dough and roll it out to about ⅛-inch thickness. Cut the dough into 4 pieces, each large enough to wrap around an apple half. Place an apple half, buttered side up, onto a piece of dough. Bring the edges of the dough up and over the apple, stretching gently if needed, and seal it at the top. If necessary, dab a little water on the edges to help them stick. Pinch off any excess dough and smooth the seams. Pour a ladleful of the brown sugar syrup into the bottom of a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Place the wrapped apple dumplings into the dish. Repeat the rolling and wrapping process with the second piece of dough and remaining apples. Once all dumplings are in the dish, pour the remaining syrup evenly over them. Place the casserole dish in the preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes, or until the dumplings are golden brown and the apples are tender. Remove the dumplings from the oven and let them cool for about 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm, optionally with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of extra syrup.
More Delicious Apple Recipes
Apple and Pecan Cinnamon Rolls Chocolate Apple Pie Monkey Bread Salted Caramel Apple Pie Cheesecake Bars Apple Pie Taquitos Churro Apple Pie Cookies Apple Cider Donuts Caramel Apple Cake
Originally shared Oct 20 2015. Now of course if you can eat them just on their own, still pretty yummy, and I’m not here to judge you. Just make sure you take some of that extra syrup from the bottom and pour some over the dumpling.
But if you want to walk on the wild side and you want something that’s orgasmically delicious, then you must eat this with a scoop or two of the best vanilla ice cream you can afford, then drizzle some of that caramel sauce from the bottom of the pan all over the ice cream and enjoy! That’s all I’ve got to say.
