Description
Crescent Roll Apple Dumplings are a delightful dessert featuring tender apple wedges wrapped in flaky crescent roll dough, baked to golden perfection, and drenched in a buttery, cinnamon-sugar syrup enhanced with a splash of lemon-lime soda. Easy to prepare, this comforting treat is perfect for gatherings or cozy nights in.
Ingredients
Scale
Apple Dumplings
- 2 large Granny Smith apples (peeled, cored, sliced into 8 wedges each)
- 2 (8-ounce) cans refrigerated crescent roll dough
Syrup and Topping
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup lemon-lime soda (such as Sprite or 7UP)
- Pinch of salt
- Optional: additional cinnamon sugar for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish thoroughly to prevent sticking.
- Prepare Apples: Peel, core, and slice each apple into 8 wedges, then pat the wedges dry with a paper towel to help the dough adhere better.
- Wrap Apples with Dough: Unroll the crescent dough and carefully wrap each apple wedge starting from the wide end, sealing the dough tightly around the apple to prevent leakage during baking.
- Arrange Dumplings: Place each wrapped apple dumpling seam-side down in the prepared baking dish, spacing them evenly.
- Make Syrup: In a saucepan, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Stir in the granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg (if using), a pinch of salt, and vanilla extract until the mixture is well blended and smooth.
- Pour Syrup Over Dumplings: Carefully pour the butter-sugar mixture evenly over the arranged dumplings, ensuring each gets coated.
- Add Lemon-Lime Soda: Pour the lemon-lime soda around the dumplings in the baking dish—not directly on top—to create a syrup that will bubble and caramelize during baking.
- Bake: Bake the dumplings in the preheated oven for 35–40 minutes until they turn golden brown and the syrup is bubbly and thickened.
- Cool Slightly: Remove the dish from the oven and allow the dumplings to cool for about 10 minutes to let the syrup thicken further.
- Serve: Serve the apple dumplings warm, optionally with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of the pan syrup for an extra indulgent treat.
Notes
- Use Granny Smith apples for a tart contrast, but feel free to substitute with other firm apple varieties like Honeycrisp or Fuji.
- If you prefer a less sweet dessert, reduce the sugar by 1/4 cup.
- Adding nutmeg is optional, but it adds warm depth to the flavor profile.
- For extra crunch, sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top of the dumplings before baking.
- Make sure to seal the crescent dough tightly around the apples to prevent syrup leakage during baking.
- This dessert is best enjoyed warm but can be reheated gently before serving.
