Apple dumplings are the epitome of comfort food—a warm, gooey apple filling wrapped in buttery pastry, all baked in a sweet, caramel-like sauce. With just five simple ingredients, this 5-Ingredient Apple Dumplings recipe is a quick and easy way to enjoy a classic dessert that everyone will love. Whether you’re a novice baker or a seasoned pro, these apple dumplings come together with minimal effort and deliver maximum flavor.
Ingredients:
- 2 (8oz) cans refrigerated crescent rolls
- 1 (20oz) can apple pie filling
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 (12oz) can lemon-lime soda (such as Sprite or 7UP)
Instructions:
1. Preheat the Oven:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick spray or butter to prevent the dumplings from sticking.
2. Prepare the Crescent Rolls:
- Open the cans of crescent rolls and separate the dough into individual triangles along the perforated lines. You should have 16 triangles total (8 per can).
3. Add the Apple Pie Filling:
- Spoon apple pie filling into each crescent roll triangle. Depending on the size of the apple pieces in your pie filling, you may want to chop them into smaller chunks so they fit better inside the dough.
- Place a spoonful of apple pie filling (about 1-2 tablespoons) at the wider end of each crescent dough triangle.
4. Roll Up the Dumplings:
- Carefully roll up the crescent rolls, starting at the wide end and rolling towards the narrow tip. Once the apple filling is enclosed, pinch the edges to seal the dough as best you can.
- Place each rolled-up dumpling seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Arrange them in rows, making sure there is some space between each dumpling for the sauce to flow.
5. Make the Sauce:
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once the butter is fully melted, stir in the brown sugarand whisk until combined. The mixture will form a thick, caramel-like sauce.
6. Pour the Sauce Over the Dumplings:
- Once the sauce is smooth and well combined, pour it evenly over the dumplings in the baking dish, making sure each dumpling gets a nice coating of the sweet buttery mixture.
7. Add the Soda:
- Carefully pour the lemon-lime soda around the edges of the baking dish and in between the dumplings, being careful not to pour it directly over the top. The soda will bubble and combine with the brown sugar and butter sauce, helping to create a sweet, syrupy liquid that caramelizes while baking.
8. Bake the Dumplings:
- Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the crescent rolls are golden brown and the sauce is bubbly and thickened.
Serving Suggestions:
- Serve Warm: These apple dumplings are best enjoyed warm from the oven, when the dough is flaky and the filling is gooey and sweet.
- Add a Scoop of Ice Cream: For an extra indulgent treat, serve the dumplings with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. The cold ice cream pairs perfectly with the warm, caramel-soaked dumplings.
- Drizzle with Caramel Sauce: If you’re a caramel lover, drizzle extra caramel sauce over the dumplings for even more rich, buttery flavor.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- Minimal Ingredients: With just five pantry staples, this recipe is incredibly simple to whip up whenever you’re craving something sweet.
- No Fresh Apples Required: Using canned apple pie filling saves time and makes this dessert even easier to prepare. Plus, the filling already has spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, giving the dumplings a well-balanced flavor.
- Shortcut with Crescent Rolls: Crescent roll dough provides a flaky, buttery pastry without the hassle of making your own dough from scratch.
- Sweet Caramel Sauce: The combination of butter, brown sugar, and soda creates a magical, sweet sauce that caramelizes around the dumplings as they bake, making each bite irresistible.
- Perfect for Any Occasion: Whether you’re making these for a family dessert, a holiday gathering, or just a cozy night in, these apple dumplings are sure to be a hit with everyone.
Tips for Success:
- Seal the Dumplings Well: Try to pinch the edges of the crescent rolls together as much as possible to keep the apple filling from leaking out during baking. It’s okay if some of the filling spills out—it will still be delicious!
- Customize the Filling: If you’d like, you can add extra spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or cloves to the apple pie filling to enhance the flavor. You can also use peach or cherry pie filling as a fun variation!
- Watch the Baking Time: Keep an eye on the dumplings as they bake. You want them to be golden brown and cooked through, but not too dark. The sauce should be bubbling, and the tops of the dumplings should be nicely browned.
- Make-Ahead Option: If you want to prepare these dumplings in advance, you can assemble them ahead of time and refrigerate them until you’re ready to bake. Just add an extra 5-10 minutes to the baking time if baking straight from the fridge.
Variations:
- Peach Dumplings: Swap the apple pie filling for peach pie filling to make peach dumplings. This variation is perfect for summertime!
- Cherry Dumplings: Use cherry pie filling for a tart and sweet twist.
- Add Cinnamon: Sprinkle a little ground cinnamon over the dumplings before baking to enhance the warm, comforting flavors of the dish.
These 5-Ingredient Apple Dumplings are the ultimate comfort dessert, with a rich, buttery sauce and tender, flaky pastry wrapped around a sweet apple filling. They’re incredibly easy to make and come together in just a few simple steps, making them perfect for busy weeknights or last-minute dessert cravings. The combination of crescent roll dough, apple pie filling, and caramel-like sauce is simply irresistible, and once you taste them, you’ll understand why they disappear in 15 minutes or less!
Give this easy apple dumpling recipe a try—you won’t be disappointed