Description
Brown Sugar Apple Dumplings combine flaky, buttery dough with tender, cinnamon-spiced apples baked in a rich brown sugar sauce. This comforting dessert is perfect for cozy nights, featuring sweet, tender apples wrapped in a golden pastry and topped with a luscious buttery syrup.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 2/3 cup salted butter (room temperature)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur)
- 0.5 cup milk
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 2.5 tsp baking powder
Filling
- 6 apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp, peeled and sliced)
- 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon (freshly ground preferred)
Sauce
- 2 cups water
- 0.25 cup salted butter (melted)
- 2 cups brown sugar (packed)
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. Cut in the softened butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add milk and knead lightly to form a smooth dough. Chill if necessary to make handling easier.
- Prepare the Apples: Peel and slice the apples into wedges. Toss them with ground cinnamon to evenly coat each piece with spice.
- Assemble Dumplings: Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut into squares large enough to wrap around the apple slices (about 4-5 inch squares). Place a few apple slices in the center of each dough square and carefully fold the dough around the apples, pinching edges to seal the dumpling fully.
- Arrange Dumplings in Baking Dish: Place each assembled dumpling upright in a greased deep baking dish, leaving space between them for sauce to fill in.
- Make the Sauce: In a bowl, mix the brown sugar and melted butter. Pour the mixture evenly over the dumplings, then add the water slowly around them to create a bubbling syrup during baking.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the dumplings uncovered for about 40-45 minutes, until the dough is golden brown and the sauce is bubbly and thickened.
- Serve: Allow dumplings to cool slightly before serving. Spoon generous amounts of the brown sugar syrup over the dumplings for extra richness. These are delicious on their own or paired with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Notes
- Use tart apples like Granny Smith for a nice balance of sweet and tart flavors.
- Make sure to seal the dough well around the apples to prevent leakage during baking.
- You can substitute salted butter with unsalted; just add a pinch of additional salt to the dough.
- For a deeper flavor, sprinkle some nutmeg or allspice with the cinnamon.
- Serve warm for best taste, but leftovers can be reheated gently in the oven.
