Julie Clark
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Amish Apple Dumplings: Foolproof From-Scratch Recipe
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Amish apple dumplings are whole baking apples wrapped in a soft homemade dough, drizzled with a cinnamon brown sugar syrup, and baked until the pastry turns golden brown and the apple is fork-tender.
This is the real Pennsylvania Dutch version, made from scratch with no crescent rolls and no soda. I have made this from my favorite Amish Cooking cookbook for years!
Two things make our apple dumpling recipe different: a dough soft enough to seal cleanly around a whole apple, and a syrup cooked to the right thickness so it sets up glossy instead of watery.
Serve them warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you have my favorite apple dessert, right alongside our caramel apple dump cake and apple turnovers.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Reader Kim says, “Hands down match to the real deal. Followed the recipe EXACTLY. I live in Lancaster county, pa and know Amish food. Do not change anything to the dough. I got six smaller Apple dumplings out of the recipe.”
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Reader Janet says, “I’ve made this recipe several times, with RAVE REVIEWS!! I sell my baked goodies, and Apple Dumplings are 1 of my best sellers. I use ½ an apple to make 6 Dumplings, since my apples were larger. They are fun to make too!!”
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Reader K Vernon says, “WOW and WOW! These are truly amazing. My 10 year old said this is one of the best desserts he’s ever had, and we eat a lot of dessert around here. Thank you for sharing!”
What are apple dumplings made of?
Apple dumplings are made from five core parts: baking apples, a homemade dough (flour, baking powder, salt, butter, milk), and a syrup (brown sugar, water, butter, cinnamon).
Shortcut versions swap the dough for crescent rolls and the syrup for lemon-lime soda like Sprite or Mountain Dew. Ours skips the shortcuts, because the from-scratch dough is what gives these that classic Amish texture you cannot get from a can.
What is the secret to good apple dumplings?
The secret to good apple dumplings is sealing the dough tightly around the apple and cooking the syrup until it just reaches a boil before you pour it.
A well-sealed seam keeps the dumpling from bursting open as it bakes, and a syrup that has come to a boil sets up glossy instead of soaking in and leaving a watery bottom.
Use a firm baking apple like Granny Smith so it holds its shape through the full bake. Other apple options are: Honeycrisp apples, Pink Lady, Braeburn, Jonathan and Gala.
Do you peel apples for apple dumplings?
I use a a peeler tool to quickly prepare the apples. It will peel, slice and core apples. I use a whole apple which makes 6 large dumplings. You can use half an apple and get 12 smaller dumplings if you’d like.
Do you have to peel apples for dumplings? You definitely want to get the core and stem out, but you may not have to peel them if you don’t mind the peel. I don’t like the peel in my apple baked goods, so I peel them.
Try our cranberry apple dumplings and upside down apple dumpling pie, too!
How do you make the sauce for apple dumplings?
The sauce is a simple cinnamon brown sugar syrup. Combine 2 cups brown sugar, 2 cups water, ¼ cup butter, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon in a saucepan and heat just until it barely comes to a boil, stirring often.
Pour it over the dumplings before baking so it thickens into a glossy syrup as they cook. For a thicker sauce, simmer it one to two minutes longer before pouring.
How to Make Amish Apple Dumplings
There are three main parts to this recipe. Your prepared apple (of course!), the pastry dough and the syrup.
- Start with the dough. In a medium size bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix in the butter, then add in the milk and mix just until a soft dough forms.
- Wrap the apples. Roll out the dough into 6 circles (or rectangles…either work) and put a cored and peeled apple in the middle. If you are using half an apple, place the apple slices in the center of the dough. Fold the sides of the dough around the apple and press to seal. Place them in a greased 9×13″ baking dish.
- Make the syrup. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the brown sugar, water, butter and cinnamon. Heat it just until it barely comes to a boil and stir often. Pour this mixture over the dumplings.
How long do you bake apple dumplings?
Bake at 350°F for 30 to 40 minutes, until the dough is golden brown and the apple is fork-tender.
Whole-apple dumplings need close to the full 40 minutes. Smaller half-apple dumplings are usually done around 20 to 25 minutes. If the tops brown before the apples soften, tent the pan loosely with foil.
Why are my apple dumplings watery on the bottom?
Watery apple dumplings usually mean the syrup was not cooked long enough before baking, or the apples released extra juice.
Bring the syrup to a full boil before pouring, and if your apples are very juicy, simmer the syrup an extra minute or two so it starts slightly thicker. It will finish glossy, not runny.
Some readers have mentioned they wait until half way through baking to pour the syrup over the dumplings. Read the reviews and choose which method you’d like. We pour it all on at the beginning of baking and love the results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use store bought pastry dough?
Yes, and it works well. Or make my grandma’s pie crust recipe.
Do you eat Amish apple dumplings cold or hot?
I recommend warm apple dumplings with vanilla ice cream on top.
How can I make apple dumplings quickly?
For a quicker recipe, try our crescent roll apple dumplings or Instant Pot apple dumplings with soda (like Mountain Dew) poured over the top.
How do you store apple dumplings?
- Room temperature: Do not store the amish apple dumplings at room temperature.
- Refrigerator: Apple dumplings will last in the fridge about 4 days. Be sure you store them in an airtight container. We also prefer to warm them in the microwave before eating them.
- Freezer: These freeze for up to two months in an airtight container. Allow them to defrost fully in the container before reheating. Once the apple dumplings are thawed, reheat them in the microwave.
Amish Apple Dumplings with Homemade Dough
Amish Apple Dumplings. Apples wrapped in a homemade dough and baked in a cinnamon-sugar syrup. The best way to eat an apple!
Servings 6
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 267 grams
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 2/3 cup salted butter softened
- 1/2 cup 2% milk 4 ounces
For the apples:
- 6 apples peeled and cored
*For the sauce:
- 2 cups brown sugar 400 grams
- 2 cups water 16 ounces
- 1/4 cup salted butter 2 ounces
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
Make the dough:
- In a medium size bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoons salt
- Mix in the butter, then add in the milk and mix just until a soft dough forms. Divide the dough into 6 balls. 2/3 cup salted butter, ½ cup 2% milk
Assemble the dumplings:
- Roll out each ball of dough on a floured surface. Place an apple in the center of each piece of dough. Fold the dough around the apple and press it together to form a ball. 6 apples
- Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray. Place the dumplings in the prepared pan. Preheat the oven to 350º Fahrenheit.
Make the sauce:
- In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the brown sugar, water, butter and cinnamon. Heat it just until it barely starts boiling, stirring often. 2 cups brown sugar, 2 cups water, ¼ cup salted butter, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pour this mixture over the dumplings.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the apples are soft and the dough is golden brown. You can baste the dumplings with the syrup several times during baking if you'd like.
- Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Video
Notes
*Want to add spices to the sauce? Try a dash of freshly grated nutmeg or apple pie spice.
*Try this recipe with peaches for peach dumplings.
You can make these dumplings any size you’d like. If you’d like smaller dumplings, use only half an apple and less dough. If you’d like a thinner layer of dough around the apples, peel and core two more apples, make 8 dough balls and roll the dough thinner.
Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.
The calories shown are based on the recipe making 6 large dumplings, with 1 serving being 1 apple dumpling. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**
Nutrition
Calories: 785kcal | Carbohydrates: 131g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 455mg | Potassium: 542mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 91g | Vitamin A: 985IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 186mg | Iron: 3mg
I made these last night. Followed the recipe and doubled it because my apples were large honeycrisp. Turned out amazing. Everyone went nuts! This is a keeper and will definitely make again. I used my apple slicer/peeler for apples and they were much easier to bite into.
Hafa Adai !! I live on the US Island Territory of Guam and Due to the pandemic, I’ve become a baker with my free time and this recipe is a big winner here!! I Love it! I have a question: is it possible to make the dough in advance ,stored in the freezer or refrigerator for at least 10hrs and not compromise the effectiveness of the baking powder? Thank You 😊
Turned into a soggy over sweet mess. I grew up in Central PA and these are NOT the apple dumplings I bought at Amish farm markets! Amish cookbook I have uses less butter and baking powder in the dough, bakes the apples alone (not swimming in syrup). And adds a little sauce later.
I had lost this recipe sometime ago and thanks to you I now have it. Its the same recipe my Mother use to make many years ago. I’ll be making these for Thanksgiving dinner. Thanks again..
This recipe is amazingly delicious… The crust is perfect. My apples were HUGE, so they took over an hour to cook. I had to make two batches of double crust. I had 12 extra large apples. They have held up in the fridge for 6 days and still wonderfully good. Great recipe…
I used to work at an ice cream shop where we served authentic Amish apple dumplings with a scoop of ice cream on top, and these are legit as delicious as those! I just made them for the first time and already can’t wait to make another batch!
Amazing!!! Thank you for this recipe. First time I made them, definitely not my last. I used gala apples and they were still firm. Loved the apple dumpling with side of vanilla ice cream. My sister and her daughter drove 25 minutes to do a front step pick up because they looked so good. (I sent them a picture.) They were not gone five minutes and they called to say how good they are. Definitely a five star recipe!
Making these for dessert for tomorrow! Wish I could post a photo- I did mini dumplings (not a whole apple) baking tonight, freezing and then by the time I get to family destination 1.5drive tomorrow they should be thawed and ready to bake again with the extra sauce! I only drizzled it on each and saved the rest!
I have a question for you. Can the dough be made a day ahead and stay in the refrigerator overnight?
I made these today, using this recipe for the first time. They were amazing. I was going to make a pie but these were so much better.
I grew up eating these hot out of the oven with sugar and milk on them for dinner. Soooooooooooo good! looks like the same recipe my Grandma used.
What kind of apples did you use in this photo of this recipe ?
I don’t like when they taste hard , the photo looks like they are not hard ,
What kind are best , Granny Smith sometimes are hard .
Thank you !,,
Can these be frozen and baked at a later time? If so, should they be thawed before baking or bake frozen?
Tried this recipe tonight and it was delish but the apples didn’t get soft they were slightly under cooked with that exception it was delish!!!! So do you think the apples were just too big??? Want to try it again,,we used large apples!
Tried this today. I used granny’s and next time I will use slightly smaller (these were quite large) apples. My butter was soft and I rubbed it into the dry ingredients. I didn’t use all of the milk and had a nice pliable dough. I had to roll it out quite thin on the pastry cloth to make enough to go around the apple, but the final product was gorgeous! Everyone decided this was a keeper. Thank you!