Easy Apple Dumplings (with Crescent Rolls)
These Easy Apple Dumplings with crescent rolls use less than 10 ingredients and are so delicious. Every bite is cozy and comforting with a sweet apple cider sauce that’s perfect to pair with vanilla ice cream.
If you are looking for an easy fall dessert, these Easy Apple Dumplings with crescent rolls will become your new favorite recipe. With just 10 minutes of prep time, they are ready to go into the oven where all the magic happens.
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Believe it or not, there’s a special secret ingredient in these dumplings, lemon lime soda! It makes the most addicting apple cider-style sauce that makes every bite so addicting. My daughter adores these apple dumplings with vanilla ice cream served on top.
If you are an apple lover, my Apple Roll and Apple Dapple Cake are two others you should definitely try.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- 10 minute prep time. This is the best dessert for beginner bakers or kids to help out with. Just wrap apple slices with crescent rolls and cinnamon sugar and bake with the lemon lime soda for the perfect bite.
- Easy to serve to a crowd. Assemble the dumplings in advance, then bake while you are serving dinner for a stress-free treat.
- Customize to your liking. Add nuts, other spices, and serve with ice cream or whipped cream. Your tastebuds will swoon.
ingredients
Scroll Down for Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Recipe Card Below
- Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apples: Our favorite varieties for these apple dumplings since they are tart in flavor to compliment the sweetness of the cinnamon sugar and sauce.
- Refrigerated crescent roll dough: Buy the canned kind in refrigerated section.
- Salted butter: Adds richness to every bite.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the dumplings perfectly.
- Ground cinnamon: Warming spice that’s signature to any apple dessert.
- Ground nutmeg: A second spice that compliments the cinnamon perfectly.
- Vanilla extract: Make sure it’s pure and not imitation for the best flavor.
- Ale-8 One, Mountain Dew, Sprite or 7-Up: The secret ingredient, creates that delicious sweet sauce we love.
- Garnish options: Ice cream, whipped cream, caramel, salted caramel are all options we love to pair with these dumplings.
Tools You’ll Need
- Medium Pot
- Whisk (I used a Pampered Chef Mix ‘N Masher)
- 2-Quart Baking Dish
- Apple Corer Wedger
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Liquid Measuring Cups
- Cutting Board
how to make apple dumplings with crescent rolls
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Butter a 2 quart or 9×9-inch baking dish generously with butter or nonstick spray and set aside.
- Separate the crescent roll dough into 8 individual triangles. Place 2 apple wedges at the wide end of each triangle and roll it up snugly toward the pointed tip, tucking the sides in as you go and pinch the seams so the apple wedges are fully wrapped.
- Arrange the wrapped dumplings in the prepared baking dish in two even rows of four.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg and stir until combined. The mixture will be thick and grainy. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Pour the butter and sugar mixture evenly over all the dumplings, making sure every one is coated.
- Slowly pour the soda around the edges and in between the dumplings. Do not pour it directly on top.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the dumplings are deep golden brown on top and the sauce is bubbling up around the sides.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Spoon the caramel sauce from the bottom of the pan generously over each dumpling when plating. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, dollop of whipped cream, or salted caramel, if desired.
expert tips
- Cut all of the apples even sizes. This helps for even wrapping and baking time to make sure all the dumplings are finished in the same amount of time.
- Never pour the soda on top of the crescent roll dough. This will make the dough soggy and prevent them from browning as nicely.
- Add nuts if desired. This is also delicious with chopped walnuts or pecans to garnish on top.
- Always place the wrapped apples seam-side down in the baking dish. This will prevent the crescent roll dough from shrinking or unraveling from the apple slices.
storage
Store any leftover crescent roll apple dumplings in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven, toaster, or microwave until warmed through.
We don’t recommend freezing the dumplings since it will change the texture of the apples and sauce once thawed.
If you want to make these easy apple dumplings in advance, you can wrap all of the apple slices and assemble them in the baking dish. Cover and place in the fridge for up to a couple of hours. Pour the soda over top right before baking.
Frequently Asked Questions
When baked, it creates the most delicious spiced, syrupy sauce on the bottom for dipping them into.
Granny smith and honey crisp are my favorites since they are tart yet sweet with every bite.
Make sure you don’t pour the soda over the crescent rolls. If the dough becomes moist, then it won’t bake through to be golden brown.
More comforting apple recipes
Easy Apple Dumplings (with Crescent Rolls)
Ingredients
- 2 small Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apples peeled, cored, and each cut into 8 wedges each
- 1 can (8 count) refrigerated crescent roll dough
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 ounces Ale-8 One, Mountain Dew, Sprite or 7-Up
- Garnish options: ice cream, whipped cream, caramel, salted caramel
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Butter a 2-quart or 9×9-inch baking dish generously with butter or nonstick spray and set aside.
- Separate the crescent roll dough into 8 individual triangles. Place 2 apple wedges at the wide end of each triangle and roll it up snugly toward the pointed tip, tucking the sides in as you go and pinch the seams so the apple wedges are fully wrapped. Arrange the wrapped dumplings in the prepared baking dish in two even rows of four.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg and stir until combined. The mixture will be thick and grainy. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Pour the butter and sugar mixture evenly over all the dumplings, making sure every one is coated. Slowly pour the soda around the edges and in between the dumplings. Do not pour it directly on top.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the dumplings are deep golden brown on top and the sauce is bubbling up around the sides.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Spoon the caramel sauce from the bottom of the pan generously over each dumpling when plating. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, dollop of whipped cream, or salted caramel, if desired.
Notes
- Cut all of the apples even sizes. This helps for even wrapping and baking time to make sure all the dumplings are finished in the same amount of time.
- Never pour the soda on top of the crescent roll dough. This will make the dough soggy and prevent them from browning as nicely.
- Add nuts if desired. This is also delicious with chopped walnuts or pecans to garnish on top.
- Always place the wrapped apples seam-side down in the baking dish. This will prevent the crescent roll dough from shrinking or unraveling from the apple slices.
Nutrition
About Laura
Taught by some of the best, cooking and entertaining has always been my favorite hobby. Food is my love language! The conception of Dinner in 321 came from my family talks that sharing our dinners would help others learn new skills, tasty recipes, and make cooking fun! Read more…
