Mini Apple Dumplings Recipe

If you're craving a warm, fruity dessert with a buttery crust, these mini apple dumplings are calling your name. They're a spin-off on an old-fashioned apple pie, and perfect for an after-school snack, a breakfast treat, or an after-dinner dessert. 

Recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe and says, "This is a delicious dessert that only takes 10 minutes of prep time, and is a fun treat to get kids involved in the kitchen. You can do the slicing, and they can do the rolling. The refrigerated crescent roll dough is the time-saver here, and combined with a few other ingredients that you most likely have on hand, creates a delicious dessert that gives off apple pie vibes without the pie-making effort." There is even a national apple dumpling day on September 17^th — one bite and you'll see why this easy dessert deserves to be celebrated. 

It's only going to take 5 minutes at the store to grab what you need for this simple recipe. To start, you'll need some Granny Smith apples. "If you prefer, you can swap Granny Smith for Honeycrisp apples, and these bites will come out equally as good," Hahn says. Then, you'll need some refrigerated crescent rolls, butter, sugar, and cinnamon.

Start by preheating the oven to 350 F. Now, you'll want to core and peel the apples. It will be easier if you happen to have an apple corer tool, but if you don't have one of those, simply peel the whole apple, then cut it into 8 wedges, and remove the core in each wedge.

Separate the crescent dough into the perforated triangles. Position the pointed end facing you, place an apple wedge on the point, and roll up the apple, pinching the dough edges around the apple to seal it. Place each dumpling into a 9-x13-inch baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. 

Before baking, put the butter in a small pot over medium heat. Once the butter melts, add in the sugar and the cinnamon. Stir and cook on low for 5 minutes, or until the sugar has been dissolved.

Finally, pour the sauce over the crescent rolls, and bake for 30 minutes. Serve the apple dumplings warm. They are great on their own, dolled up with store-bought or homemade whipped cream, or ice cream. "I like this version so much better than the traditional, larger type because they're easier to eat, and sometimes, you just need a smidge of dessert versus committing to an entire apple." This may become your new go-to apple dessert!