Chef John's Apple Dumplings

A simple, three-ingredient brown sugar sauce is key to Chef John's version of classic American apple dumplings.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 60 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins
• Calories: 545 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup cold water
• 4 teaspoons butter
• 1 teaspoon butter, or as needed
• 4 small Honeycrisp apples
• 1 recipe prepared pie crust dough
• 1.5 cups packed light brown sugar

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a baking dish with 1 teaspoon butter.

Step 2

Combine brown sugar, water, and 3 tablespoons butter in a small pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally; boil until sugar is dissolved. Turn off heat; swirl pot gently to combine. Set sauce aside.

Step 3

Combine white sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl; set aside. Core unpeeled apples; set aside.

Step 4

Divide pie dough into 4 portions. Roll each dough portion out on a lightly floured surface into a circle large enough to fully wrap an apple, about 1/8-inch thick and 7 inches in diameter.

Step 5

Place apples in center of each dough round; spoon about 3 teaspoons cinnamon sugar into each apple core. Fill each hole with 1 teaspoon butter.

Step 6

Wrap apples up in pie dough; seal dough together at the top. Be careful not to pull and stretch dough too tightly around apples as you wrap, or it might break apart when it bakes; brush dough lightly with water if it won't stick together. Even out tops and trim any excess; shape into decorative leaves if desired.

Step 7

Place wrapped apples seam-sides up into the prepared baking dish. Ladle sauce to completely cover surface of each wrapped apple.

Step 8

Bake in the preheated oven, basting with sauce occasionally, until pastry is browned and cooked through and apples are tender, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven; baste with more sauce. Serve warm.