Chris’s Apple Dumplings
Recipe Courtesy of Chris Riley
Servings 8 Dumplings
Ingredients
For the Pastry:
Premade Pastry:
- 2 purchased pie crusts each cut into quarters
- Homemade Pastry:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup vegetable shortening chilled
- 1/3 cup ice water
For the Sauce:
- 1 ½ cups light brown sugar
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup salted butter cubed
For the Apples:
- 8 medium sized Granny Smith apples peeled and cored
- 8 teaspoons unsalted butter
- 8 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground Nutmeg should be about 3-4 dashes
Instructions
For Homemade Pastry:
- In a medium size bowl, combine pastry ingredients and mix just until dough forms. Divide the dough or the quartered purchased pie crusts into 8 balls.
- Roll out each ball of dough on a floured surface.
For the Apples:
- Mix together sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon. Peel and core apples.
- Place an apple in the center of each piece of dough; quarter apple if desired.
- Pour about a scant of cinnamon-sugar mixture into well of apples.
- Dot each apple with butter.
- Fold the dough around the apple and press it together at the top to form a ball.
- Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.
- Place the dumplings in the prepared pan.
For the Sauce:
- In a saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the brown sugar, butter and water. Heat it just until it barely starts to boil, stirring often.
- Pour this sauce over entire pan of apples.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes or until apples are soft and dough is golden brown. Serve warm.
Notes
I like to place a scoop of vanilla ice cream over the warm apple dumpling and drizzle it with caramel ice cream topping. Delicious!
To make Apple Dumplings ahead of time, place unbaked dumplings on parchment paper, cover with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate. To refrigerate, store in an airtight container and refrigerate for 4-5 days. Let the apple dumplings come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking to ensure the inside is fully warmed when the outside is golden.
To bake Frozen UNBAKED– place in a greased 13x9 inch pan; do not thaw. Make the sauce and pour over the frozen apple dumplings. Bake without thawing at 450 F, 15-20 minutes, then reduce heat to 375 degrees F for 20-30 minutes or until golden and warmed through.
To reheat Frozen BAKED Apple Dumplings in the oven: Defrost in the refrigerator. Place them on a rimmed baking sheet, loosely cover with foil (because the outside is already golden) and bake at 350 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes. (source: https://carlsbadcravings.com/peanut-butter-caramel-apple-dumplings/)
To bake Frozen UNBAKED– place in a greased 13x9 inch pan; do not thaw. Make the sauce and pour over the frozen apple dumplings. Bake without thawing at 450 F, 15-20 minutes, then reduce heat to 375 degrees F for 20-30 minutes or until golden and warmed through.
To reheat Frozen BAKED Apple Dumplings in the oven: Defrost in the refrigerator. Place them on a rimmed baking sheet, loosely cover with foil (because the outside is already golden) and bake at 350 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes. (source: https://carlsbadcravings.com/peanut-butter-caramel-apple-dumplings/)
