5-Ingredient Apple Dumplings: A Simple and Comforting Fall Classic

🧺 Ingredients You’ll Need

1. 2 large apples (Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Fuji work best)
2. 1 can of crescent roll dough (8-count, refrigerated)
3. 1 cup of lemon-lime soda (like Sprite or 7-Up)
4. ½ cup (1 stick) of butter
5. ¾ cup of brown sugar (light or dark, depending on how rich you want the flavor)

(Optional but highly recommended: ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon or nutmeg for that warm, autumnal touch.)

🔪 Step-by-Step Method

Step 1: Preheat and Prepare

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish lightly with butter or cooking spray. This will ensure your dumplings don’t stick and your syrup forms beautifully.

Step 2: Slice the Apples

Peel the apples and remove the cores. Slice each apple into 8 even wedges—each one should be small enough to fit easily inside a crescent roll triangle. These slices will bake into soft, caramelized perfection later on.

Step 3: Wrap the Apples

Unroll your crescent roll dough. Place one apple wedge on the wider end of each triangle. Roll the dough around the apple slice, starting from the wide end and tucking in the edges as you go.
Arrange the rolled dumplings neatly in the prepared baking dish, seam side down.

Step 4: Make the Buttery Syrup

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Once melted, stir in the brown sugar (and cinnamon if using). Continue stirring until the sugar dissolves and you have a smooth, glossy mixture.
Pour this buttery mixture evenly over the dumplings. Don’t worry if it seems like too much—it will form a luscious caramel sauce as it bakes.

Step 5: Add the Secret Ingredient

Now, slowly pour the lemon-lime soda around (not on top of) the dumplings in the dish. The soda helps create that signature bubbling caramel sauce during baking—sweet, tangy, and utterly delicious.

Step 6: Bake Until Golden

Place the baking dish in your preheated oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and crisp, and the sauce is thick and syrupy at the bottom.

Step 7: Serve and Enjoy

Let the dumplings cool for about 5–10 minutes before serving. Spoon some of that caramel sauce over each serving and top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.

The result? Flaky, buttery pastry, soft baked apples, and a sweet caramel-like sauce that tastes like fall in every bite.

🍂 Tips for Perfect Apple Dumplings

• Choose tart apples like Granny Smith if you want a nice contrast to the sweetness.
• Don’t skip the soda—it’s the secret to that amazing sauce!
• For extra flavor, sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts over the top before baking.
• Serve warm, as the sauce thickens beautifully as it cools.

🧡 A Timeless Fall Dessert

These 5-Ingredient Apple Dumplings prove that comfort food doesn’t have to be complicated. Whether you’re serving them for a family dinner, a potluck, or a quiet evening at home, they never fail to impress. The flaky crust, tender apples, and buttery caramel sauce come together in perfect harmony—a true autumn classic that captures the spirit of the season in every spoonful.

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