1800s-present - German-speaking Pennsylvania Dutch settlers

Apple Dumplings

Name: Apple Dumplings
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 6 small baking apples, peeled and cored; Pastry dough for a double-crust pie; 6 tablespoons brown sugar; 2 teaspoons cinnamon; 3 tablespoons butter, divided; 1 1/2 cups water; 1 cup brown sugar for syrup; 2 tablespoons butter for syrup; Pinch of nutmeg; Cream or vanilla ice cream, for serving

A Pennsylvania Dutch-style dessert of cored apples wrapped in dough and baked with brown sugar syrup.

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Difficulty

Moderate

Prep time

30 minutes

Cook time

50 minutes

Total time

1 hour 20 minutes

Servings

Region

Pennsylvania Dutch country and the Mid-Atlantic

Era introduced

1800s-present

Introduced by

German-speaking Pennsylvania Dutch settlers

Recipe tools

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The Story

Apple dumplings turn a whole apple into a personal pie. Pennsylvania Dutch and Mid-Atlantic versions often wrap peeled, cored apples in pastry, tuck butter and cinnamon sugar inside, and bake everything in a syrup until the fruit softens. The result is practical, generous, and especially good with cream.

Ingredients

6 small baking apples, peeled and cored
Pastry dough for a double-crust pie
6 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup brown sugar for syrup
2 tablespoons butter for syrup
Pinch of nutmeg
Cream or vanilla ice cream, for serving

Equipment

Baking dish
Large pot
Oven
Cutting board
Chef's knife
Measuring cups and spoons

Directions

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
Roll pastry and cut into 6 squares.
Place an apple on each square and fill the center with brown sugar, cinnamon, and a small piece of butter.
Bring pastry corners up around each apple and seal.
Set dumplings in a baking dish.
Simmer water, brown sugar, butter, and nutmeg for 5 minutes.
Pour syrup around dumplings and bake about 50 minutes, basting once or twice, until apples are tender.
Serve warm with cream or ice cream.

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Setting the table...

Apple Dumplings

Save to a Collection

The Story

Ingredients

Equipment

Directions

Community Recipes

Community Reviews

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