Old-Fashioned Apple Dumplings Recipe
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You only need 5 ingredients to make this old-fashioned apple dumplings recipe. The cinnamon-spiced apples are baked in flaky biscuit dough and buttery sugar syrup and are ah-mazingly delicious.
I am so excited to bring you this homemade apple dumplings recipe today. The weather is starting to turn cooler here and has brought with it thoughts of beef stew and apple dumplings. Of course, I love apples cooked in any form; whether that’s in my apple dapple cake, fried apples, apple pie, or these delicious apple dumplings.
This is an old-fashioned apple dumpling recipe is very forgiving, so don’t be scared of adding or adjusting the ingredients to suit your taste. As mentioned, you only need 5 main ingredients: canned biscuit dough, apples, sugar, butter, and cinnamon. Many apple dumpling recipes use pie dough, but we’re keeping things simple with canned biscuits.
Now, the steps are as simple as the ingredients for these . Just peel and chop the apples, toss them in the cinnamon, and then add them to the biscuit dough pieces. Once you have that assembled in your baking dish, it’s time to make the syrup! This is the best part! We place pats of butter on the dumplings, sprinkle them with sugar, and then pour boiling water over the top before baking.
When it’s time to serve your apple dumplings, pour the sugar syrup over the flaky buttery dough with tender pieces of cinnamon apple inside. Can you think of a better fall dessert? Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream to complete the meal.
Recipe Ingredients
- Granulated sugar
- Ground cinnamon
- Canned biscuits
- Fresh apples
- Butter
Helpful Kitchen Tools
How to Make Old-Fashioned Apple Dumplings
Peel and slice your apples however you want.
Place your diced apples in a mixing bowl and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Stir to coat.
Take each biscuit and roll it out as best you can on waxed or parchment paper.
Don’t roll it too thin. Just roll it out enough to be able to put some apple filling in the center.
Put a heaping tablespoon of apple filling in the center of each one.
After you put the filling in each round of dough, fold up the sides and press them together so they look like little square packets.
Place all of your dumplings in a baking dish (I’m using a 9×13).
Top each with a small pat of butter.
Sprinkle the remaining apples over them.
If you don’t have apples left, don’t worry about it.
Sprinkle your white sugar over the dumplings.
Gently pour boiling water over the dumplings.
I know this seems strange pouring water over this but trust me, it will turn into a delicious syrup.
Bake at 350 for one hour.
They’ll look golden brown like this and smell amazing once done.
Now grab a big spoonful of apple dumplings…
Pop them on your plate…
And add a big scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Now sit back and enjoy fall and all the wonderful flavors that it brings!
Storage
Store leftover in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. I recommend reheating them in the oven before serving so they crisp up once more.
Recipe Notes
- While prepping the apples, I strongly recommend opening the biscuits, taking them apart, and laying them out on wax paper to come to room temperature. This makes the biscuits easier to roll out.
- If you don’t like cinnamon, the apple dumplings are just as good without it. I have had them both ways and love them either way.
- On the other hand, you can also add other spices, like 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg. You can also substitute the cinnamon for apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice.
- Something else you can add to the apple filling? 1/2 cup of brown sugar for even sweeter apple dumplings! You can also substitute the white sugar in the sugar syrup for brown sugar.
Recipe FAQs
How do you serve old-fashioned apple dumplings?
They taste great on their own, but I highly recommend serving them alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream or some whipped cream (here’s my homemade recipe). Some people also add a drizzle of caramel sauce, but I personally think the syrup is sweet enough.
Do you put milk on apple dumplings?
I’ve heard some people pour milk over the apple dumplings before serving. I’ve never done this but you can give it a go if you like.
What are the best apples for dumplings?
Granny Smith apples are always the best for baking. However, other crisp apple varieties that would work well include Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Jonagold, Macintosh, and Golden Delicious.
You may also like these appetizing apple recipes:
Apple Cobbler With Crescent Rolls
Apple Cake With Caramel Fudge Icing
Ingredients
- 2 10-count cans biscuits
- 3 Granny Smith apples
- ¾ stick butter or margarine
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Prep: Boil water (enough to completely cover the dumplings and then another 1/2 cup). Then let biscuits sit out while you peel and chop apples, as they're easier to roll out that way.2 10-count cans biscuits
- Peel and chop apples into small pieces. Place in a bowl and sprinkle with cinnamon, stirring to coat.3 Granny Smith apples, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Roll out biscuit dough and put a heaping tablespoon of apples in the center. Pull the biscuit around the apples and pinch to seal.2 10-count cans biscuits
- Place dumplings (pinched side down) in a 13x9 casserole dish. Repeat the process until all 20 dumplings are made and placed in the baking dish.
- Cut butter into pats and place on top of dumplings. Pour any remaining apple pieces on top of the dumplings.¾ stick butter or margarine
- Sprinkle sugar over the dumplings.1 cup granulated sugar
- Then pour boiling water gently over the dumplings. Pour water until it completely covers the dumplings, then add about another ½ cup. Trust me, the water will turn into delicious syrup.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
“A Man Cannot Have a Pure Mind If He Refuses Apple Dumplings”
~ Charles Lamb 1775-1834
Oh I just became so nostalgic reading this post, I am a great grandma now but this made me think fondly of my mama who was from North Carolina and think she and your grandmother were somewhat alike, she loved to cook mostly to bake and we always ate good when I was growing up, my mama made baked apples a lot you know the kind with the core taken out then you stuff it with butter, brown sugar , cinnamon and she liked raisins too . They always smelled so good these dumplings reminded me of them, my mouth is almost watering just thinking about how good your dumplings must be and how good my mam’s baked apples were, back then I do not think we had granny smith’s apples mama always used Winesap’s I think at any rate she said they were a baking apple , there were so many different apples when I was growing up that I do not see in the stores any more. And my memory is not so good as it used to be but this post brought back some wonderful memories thank you so much!
Oh what wonderful memories Patricia!! I can almost smell it, like I am standing there in your grandmother’s kitchen with you!!
These look and sound fantastic! I’ll have to wait till I’m going to a potluck or having loads of company to make these because my sweetie and I are both trying to lose weight. And I know that we’d eat every single one of them otherwise!!!
I love your little stories about your family. Thanks for sharing!
I hope you enjoy them when you get the chance Beverly!!
I love this recipe. It was one of the first ones I learned to make growing up. I make it similarly, but a little different. I’m sure it tastes just as delicious.
I use one of those slicer/corer gadgets and peel the skins. Then I take two layers of the golden layers whap biscuits. I pull them around the slices and pinch them closed. Line the same sized casserole dish with them, seam side down. In a stove pot, heat 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar, and 1 stick of butter. When it’s melted together I pour it up near, but not covering the top of the dumplings. Then I sprinkle cinnamon on top. I cook it at 350 for an hour or until the biscuits start browning. Then I get them out steaming hot an eat them with some ice cold vanilla ice cream. Preferably homemade, but bryers if I can’t get that.
I love how the lower part of the biscuit gets all sweet and doughy. This is a great recipe and I’ve seen a few others that I can’t wait to try.
Christy,
It was so good to read this post again, especially with your Grandmama in it. We do all miss her, but know she is sittin’ up there with Jesus and they are both saying–looky at our Christy—Isn’t she just shinin’? Anyway… I ‘ve heard those called whampum biscuits since listening to Jerry Clower with I was a girl… did you every listen to him? He and Marcel Ledbetter were quite a pair!
Hugs to you precious lady!
Felica
I did Felica!! HUGS back to you!!
I like the roller thing to roll out biscuits. Do you know where I can buy one? It would be great for fried pies. I can’t wait to try these recipes!
I do love the way you tell stories!
btw…my kiddos grew up on “whack” biscuits because when they were little I was a busy, working mom. One day, my oldest was visiting an elderly friend, who only ever made biscuits from scratch and he was helping her in the kitchen.
She still gets tickled telling the story of him remarking, “I’ve only ever made the biscuits you whack!” To which she had to inquire more….
LOL, out of the mouths of babes!!
Christie, I just wish you knew how similar our Southerness is by the things you say, cook and do….and how much my family is like yours. My children called my mama “Grandmama,” as well. We lost my mother early as she was only 69 to lung cancer (saddest thing that’s ever happened to me) and I’m so sad my little 7- year old will never hear conversations like the one you described between me and my mama. She was a character and such an awesome cook. She used to make apple dumplings….biscuits with homemade reconstituted dried apple filling and fried them up in an electric frying pan. Of course the apples were from the family apple tree! Not the grocery-tree. Boy I miss those, but I miss her more! I just know she’s dancing in Heaven waiting on the rest of us “an them.”
I can see her dancing now Sherry! Hugs and Blessings to you!!