Family Favorite Apple Dumpling Recipe (Amish Style)

Apple dumplings are a delicious treat no matter the season. They consist of whole apples wrapped in homemade dough, baked in a sweet sauce, and are delicious served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

This comforting dessert is often found in Amish kitchens because it uses simple, wholesome ingredients. 

In the fall season, when fresh apples are available at the farmers’ market, I like to make all the delicious apple recipes. A few of my family’s favorites are apple pie, apple dumplings, and apple butter hand pies. Apple desserts aren’t reserved just for fall, though, and when I get a craving for apple dumplings, I pick up a bag of whatever kind of apples I can find at the grocery store. This Amish recipe has my house smelling like Grandma’s kitchen in no time!

Why you’ll love this recipe for apple dumplings:

It’s comfort food – The buttery layers of dough paired with the delicious syrup complement the tart sweetness of the apples. 

Made from scratch – There’s something special about creating delicious food entirely from scratch.

It’s easy to make – While it might sound complicated, the recipe is straightforward and beginner-friendly. 

Since our family is small, I like to make a smaller batch of apple dumplings. However, this recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to suit your family’s needs. If you double this recipe, a 13×9 pan will work perfectly. 

I like making my pastry dough for the apple dumplings, but you could always grab some store-bought pie crust to save time.  The recipe for the homemade dough is very similar to pie dough. The only difference is that it calls for milk instead of water. Because of this, I have used leftover pie dough, which I stashed in the freezer for a quick and easy shortcut.  

Making apple dumplings requires only a few simple ingredients, most of which you probably already have in your kitchen or pantry. Let’s gather the ingredients before we start baking.

 Check the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full ingredient amounts and instructions. 

Ingredients:

Apples – I used Pink Lady apples.

Homemade dough

• Flour
• Salt 
• Baking powder
• Butter
• Milk

Buttery brown sugar sauce:

• Brown sugar
• Water
• Butter
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg (optional)

Make the dough:

Combine flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium-sized bowl.

Cut the chilled butter into small chunks and add to the flour mixture.

Combine with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Add the milk to the flour mixture. Stir to form a ball of dough. Set the dough aside while you prep the apples and the caramel sauce.

Make the caramel sauce:

Add all the ingredients to a small saucepan and bring to a boil over low heat, stirring frequently. Allow the sauce to boil for 2-3 minutes until it has thickened slightly and the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Prep the apples:

Once all the other ingredients are prepped, peel and core the apples. I like to do this step last so the apples don’t turn brown. 

There are several options for removing the apple peel and core. An apple peeler, slicer, and corer in one makes the process very quick and easy. And because it makes apple slices, the dumplings will bake faster in the oven. However, you can also use a potato peeler to remove the peel and an apple corer or knife to remove the core. 

Assemble the apple dumplings:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare an 8×8 baking dish by spraying it with cooking spray. 

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and divide into three equal pieces. Working on one dumpling at a time, roll each piece of dough into a rough square large enough to cover the apple completely. 

Place the apple in the center of the dough and fold the dough up over the top of the apple, pressing gently to seal the edges. Make sure the entire apple is covered with dough.

Place the apple dumpling into the prepared baking dish. 

Repeat until the remaining apples have been wrapped and transferred to the baking dish.

Pour the sauce over the top of the dumplings.

Bake uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes until the apples are soft and the tops are golden brown. If the apples aren’t soft but the tops of the dumplings are getting too brown, cover the baking dish with aluminum foil to prevent burning. Smaller dumplings will take less time to bake, while larger dumplings might need more time.

Serve the apple dumplings warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or some homemade whipped cream for an extra delicious treat!

Store in an airtight container for 4-5 days. 

What are the best apples to use?

Some of the best apples for baking are Pink Lady, Granny Smith, Fuji, and Honey Crisp. These apples will hold their shape well during baking and won’t turn mushy like Golden Delicious or Gala. 

Substitutions:

Dough – Store-bought or homemade pie crust works in a pinch.

Sugar – The molasses in brown sugar gives the caramel sauce a richer flavor, but if you’re out, use white sugar with a teaspoon or two of molasses. For a natural sweetener, swap out the sugar for real maple syrup or honey. 

Butter – Crisco is an excellent substitute for butter and can be used in a 1-1 ratio.

Did you try this recipe? Let me know in the comments below!