These Apple Dumplings are like individual apple pies and they are very easy to make. Best when hot out of the oven with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Apple Dumplings
Which apples are best for apple dumplings?
My preference is to use Granny Smith apples in this recipe, but there are other apples that are just as good. When baking with apples, you want to make sure the apple variety you are using is firm. Some apples break down when baked and become mushy and mealy — not good! I like Granny Smith apples because they are firm and tart, especially in desserts that use sugar. This dessert is not overly sweet, so a firm and sweet apple will also work. Jonagold, Honey Crisp, Fuji, or Golden Delicious apples would all taste great in this recipe.
Recipe variations

They are the best when they are nice and warm out of the oven. Come to think of it, I have never had them cold, mainly because they don’t last even 5 minutes after being pulled out of the oven. I’m sure they are good cold, we just haven’t been able to reach that point yet. Serve these with vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream and they are over-the top!
More Apple Recipes
If you have an abundance of apples this year or are just looking to try some new apple recipes, we have TONS to share with you!
- Dutch Apple Pie: This is our favorite fall pie. It is filled with tart apples and baked with a sweet and buttery crumb topping.
- Disneyland Apple Pie Caramel Apples: These Apple Pie Caramel Apples from Disneyland are my new favorite treat! Can’t make it to Disney? Bring the magic to your kitchen with this easy recipe!
- Traditional Apple Crisp: This is a no-frills, easy, traditional apple crisp recipe that can’t be beat. Just like the apple crisp the lunch lady used to make back in the good ol’ days (but better)!
- Copycat Bluebird Turkey and Brie Sandwich: Our Bluebird’s Turkey and Brie Sandwich Copycat is the best sandwich ever. It’s unique flavors are so good, like deli turkey, crisp apples, and brie cheese.
- Apple, Ham, and Cheddar Melts: Apple, Ham, and Cheddar Melts are my favorite lunch in the fall. It takes grilled cheese to a whole new level.

Apple Dumplings
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel and core apples and cut into 8 slices each. Roll each apple slice in a crescent roll. Place in a 9 x 13 pan lined with cooking spray.
- Melt butter in a large bow. Add sugar and stir. Mix in vanilla and pour the entire mixture over the wrapped apples. Pour Sprite (or preferred soda) around the edges of the pan.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake for 40 minutes.
- Remove from oven. Spoon sauce from the pan over the dumplings when serving. Optional: Top with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Video
Nutrition Information
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I’m planning to make this for Thanksgiving next week. My husband loves any apple dessert, but especially with caramel. Other than to drizzle caramel ice cream sauce all over the top after it’s baked and cooled, what would be the best way to incorporate a caramel flavor in with this recipe? Thank you for any suggestions.
Ooh I love creative questions like this! If I were to add caramel to this recipe, I might try brushing some caramel sauce on each crescent roll before rolling up the apple slice. I might also try getting the little individually wrapped caramel squares and rolling one up with each apple. Let us know how it goes if you try something!
everyone who ate this loved it!
YUM! So so good. The step by step photos were helpful too, thank you!!
Yum! These apple dumplings are delicious. I loved the texture and sweet flavors. Paired with vanilla ice cream made for the perfect dessert! I can’t wait to make the dumplings again, they were gone too fast!
These are so delicious! Such a fantastic recipe that everyone enjoyed.
This recipe sounds and looks so so flavorful and delicious! I am going to make them!
I’ve never done these before. The recipe doesn’t say what to do with the soda?
The instructions just got separated, in the 2nd section of the instructions it says to pour Sprite around the edges of the pan. I will try to fix it so it is more clear. Thanks for pointing this out!
Wondering if I could make the day before Thanksgiving then reheat in the over. 😊
I haven’t tried that before, but I would worry about the consistency since it is such a moist dessert. Plus the apples might brown a bit. Let me know how it goes if you do try it!
These look amazing! Do you think it would be okay to prep everything, cover with foil, and bake later? I was thinking about trying this as dessert for a Friendsgiving where I could prep at home then bake during dinner. Alternatively, I could reheat in the oven. I just worry about it getting mushy or the texture being off. Any suggestions are appreciated!
You could prep the apples rolled in the crescent rolls beforehand, but I would bring the liquid parts (like the melted butter mixture and the sprite) and pour those on right before you bake it. Otherwise I think it would get too mushy. The apples also might brown a little, but it probably wouldn’t alter the texture too much. Hope this helps!
Made them. 40 min. they were doughy, 60 min. they were perfect. Ate first serving warm without ice cream, ate second cold with ice cream. Liked them both ways. Used Fuji apples. Next time will try Granny Smiths. 🙂
Ooh yes, ice cream is our favorite way to top these babies! Thank you for sharing your time adjustments, I know our readers will find this very helpful.
I used half white sugar and half brown sugar and added cinnamon. I also mixes the sliced apples in 1/4 cup of the sugar/cinnamon mixture before I rolled them in the crescent rolls. SO GOOD !
Could you use pie crust instead of crescent rolls?
I haven’t tried it, but I don’t see any reason why not. I would roll the dough out thin, and it may need to cook a little longer. Thanks for asking!
What a delicious and easy recipe. The addition of soda was quite interesting but really worked well.
What is Crescent roll dough? Is it puff pastry? We don’t. Have your dough in Australia.
It is very similar to puff pastry dough.
What would the recipe be if you was making about 80 apple dumplings for a get together
Each recipe makes 16 dumplings. At a minimum you would need to 5 times the recipe – 10 Granny Smith apples, 10 cans of crescent rolls, 10 sticks of butter, 5 cups sugar, 5 tsp vanilla and 5 cans of Sprite. Good luck! Everyone will love them!
Sorry to ask, but I have never heard of crescent rolls before, I am in Australia, is this the same as puff pastry here??
Cheers
They are really similar, you can definitely do puff pastry as a substitute.
Found you on Facebook,
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Little confused,,, Do you use the whole can of sprite???
Yes, the whole thing 🙂
Would love to try this, but since there are only two of us I’m wondering if they can be reheated. I’m guessing the best way to reheat would be in the oven and not the microwave? Reasonably sure they would be good cold also, just like apple pie.
They are so good cold! I’ve also reheated them in the microwave for just 15-20 seconds and they are almost as good as right out of the oven. I seriously have to limit how often I make these because I could eat them right out of the fridge for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Enjoy!
This recipe should be perfectly easy to halve since all of the ingredients are in equal portions easily divisible by 2.