Crescent Roll Apple Dumplings
These flaky, buttery Crescent Roll Apple Dumplings transform simple ingredients into a decadent dessert. Sweet-tart apples wrapped in crescent dough, bathed in a cinnamon-vanilla butter sauce that caramelizes perfectly during baking.
Ingredients
- 2 large Granny Smith apples peeled, cored, and cut into 8 wedges each
- 2 cans 8 oz each refrigerated crescent roll dough
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ cup Mountain Dew or other citrus soda sounds strange, but trust me!
- Vanilla ice cream for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with non-stick spray or butter.
- Unroll the crescent roll dough and separate along the perforations to create 16 triangles. Place an apple wedge on the wide end of each dough triangle.
- Roll each apple wedge in the dough by starting at the wide end and rolling toward the point. Pinch the edges to seal and arrange the wrapped apples in the prepared baking dish, leaving a little space between each.
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, then stir in the sugar and cinnamon until well combined. Remove from heat and add the vanilla extract.
- Pour the butter mixture evenly over the dumplings, making sure each one gets coated. The sauce will seem very thin and abundant – this is exactly right!
- Pour the Mountain Dew around the edges of the baking dish, not directly over the dumplings. This creates the perfect caramelization during baking.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and the dough is completely cooked through. The sauce will thicken and bubble around the edges.
- Let cool for 10 minutes before serving to allow the caramel sauce to set slightly. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired.
Notes
- For best results, use tart apples like Granny Smith that hold their shape during baking.
- Make-ahead option: Prepare the dumplings up to the baking stage, cover, and refrigerate for up to 8 hours. Add an extra 5 minutes to the baking time when cooking from cold.
- The Mountain Dew can be substituted with ginger ale, Sprite, or even apple juice if preferred.
- These dumplings reheat beautifully in the microwave for 20-30 seconds or in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes.
- For a more caramel-like sauce, try using brown sugar instead of white sugar.