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Pennsylvania Dutch Apple Dumplings

Pennsylvania Dutch apple dumplings are pastry-wrapped whole apples baked until golden, with a cinnamon-brown sugar syrup that pools in the baking dish. The wrapped dumplings stay tender as the apples soften during baking.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 560
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pastry
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 0.667 cup cold shortening or butter
  • 5 tbsp ice water
Filling
  • 6 small whole apples, peeled and cored
  • 6 tbsp brown sugar
  • 3 tsp cinnamon
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
Syrup
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 375F and grease a 9x13 baking dish with light coating so the dumplings don’t stick.
Make the pastry
  1. Combine all-purpose flour and salt in a bowl, then cut in cold shortening or butter until the mixture is crumbly with no large chunks.
  2. Add ice water a little at a time until the dough comes together, then divide it into 6 portions.
Assemble the apple dumplings
  1. Roll each dough portion into a circle large enough to wrap one apple.
  2. Place an apple on each circle and fill the core cavity with 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and a pat of butter.
  3. Wrap the pastry around each apple, pinching edges to seal, then place each dumpling seam-side down in the prepared dish.
Make the cinnamon-brown sugar syrup
  1. Combine water, granulated sugar, brown sugar, unsalted butter, and cinnamon in a saucepan and bring to a boil, then keep it at a boil briefly before using.
  2. Pour the hot syrup around the dumplings so the liquid pools in the dish rather than covering the tops.
Bake
  1. Bake 40-45 minutes at 375F until the pastry is golden and the apples are tender, with a glossy syrup sheen around each dumpling.

Notes

For the cleanest seal, pinch firmly and keep the pastry circles slightly thicker at the edges so they don’t split as the syrup boils. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; rewarm in a 300F oven or microwave. Freezing is not recommended because the pastry texture softens after thawing. For a lighter option, use all-butter pastry with a reduced-fat butter substitute (texture may be slightly less flaky).