These Easy Caramel Apple Dumplings are everything I want in a fall dessert: warm cinnamon apples, buttery golden pastry, and plenty of gooey caramel sauce. They look impressive, but they’re ridiculously simple thanks to refrigerated crescent roll dough.
Each apple wedge gets wrapped with a soft caramel inside, then the dumplings bake in a buttery brown sugar and apple cider sauce that turns thick, bubbly, and almost candy-like around the edges. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream while they’re still warm and you have one amazing, cozy dessert.
If your family loves apple desserts, this recipe is for you!
💕Why You'll love my Easy Caramel Apple Dumplings:
- Super easy: Refrigerated crescent dough does most of the work.
- Caramel in every bite: A caramel candy tucked inside each dumpling melts right around the apple.
- Perfect for fall: Apples, cinnamon, caramel, and cider are autumn in a dessert.
- Only about 15 minutes of prep.
- Great for company: They look fancy yet so easy to make.
- Amazing served warm: Especially with vanilla ice cream of whipped cream.
If you love this recipe, you'll also need to try my Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Apple Cake (My Version)🍎
Ingredients for Easy Caramel Apple Dumplings:
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Instructions:
Preheat the oven.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8- or 9-inch square baking dish.
Prepare the apple.
Peel and core the apple, then cut it into 8 equal wedges.
Prepare the crescent dough.
Separate the crescent dough into 8 triangles. Sprinkle each triangle lightly with cinnamon and apple pie spice.
Make the dumplings.
Place one apple wedge and one caramel candy near the wide end of each crescent triangle. Roll the dough around the apple and caramel, gently pinching the seams to help seal everything inside.
Arrange in the pan.
Place the dumplings seam-side down in the prepared baking dish.
Make the caramel sauce.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in the brown sugar, vanilla, salt, and 2 tablespoons caramel sauce. Cook for about 1–2 minutes, stirring, until smooth.
Pour over the dumplings.
Spoon the butter-brown sugar mixture evenly over the dumplings.
Add the cider.
Carefully pour the apple cider around the dumplings rather than directly over the tops. This keeps the pastry tops crisp while creating that wonderful caramel sauce underneath.
Add pecans.
Sprinkle chopped pecans around the dumplings, if using.
Bake.
Bake uncovered for 30–35 minutes, or until the dumplings are deeply golden brown and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.
Rest and serve.
Let the dumplings rest for 5–10 minutes. Spoon the warm caramel sauce from the pan over each dumpling.
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream and an extra drizzle of caramel sauce.😋
Storage Tips:
Store leftover apple dumplings covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
For the best texture, reheat individual dumplings in a 325°F oven for about 10–15 minutes.
You can also microwave them for about 20–30 seconds, although the pastry will be softer.
Make Ahead tips:
You can peel and slice the apple and assemble the dumplings several hours ahead of time. Cover and refrigerate them.
Prepare the sauce separately and refrigerate.
When you're ready to bake, pour the sauce and cider around the dumplings and bake as directed.
🍎Best Apples for Apple Dumplings
My first choice is Granny Smith because the tart flavor cuts through the sweetness.
Other good choices include:
- Honeycrisp
- Pink Lady
- Braeburn
- Jonathan
- Fuji
I would avoid very soft apples such as Red Delicious because they can become mushy while baking.
Substitutions & Variations:
Salted Caramel Apple Dumplings
Sprinkle the finished dumplings with flaky sea salt before serving.
Cinnamon Roll Apple Dumplings
Spread a very thin layer of softened butter over the crescent dough and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar before adding the apples.
Maple Caramel Apple Dumplings
Replace 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar with pure maple syrup.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Do I have to peel the apples?
I recommend it. Peeled apples become wonderfully tender inside the dumplings and are easier to eat.
Can I use apple juice instead of apple cider?
Yes. Apple cider gives you stronger apple flavor, but apple juice works perfectly well.
Can I make these without caramel candies?
Absolutely. Leave them out and increase the caramel sauce in the brown sugar mixture to about ¼ cup.
Why is there liquid in the bottom of the pan?
That's exactly what you want. As the dumplings bake, the apple cider combines with the butter, brown sugar, caramel, and apple juices to make the sauce.
How do I know when the apples are done?
Slide the tip of a thin knife into the center of one dumpling. The apple should feel tender but not completely mushy.
Can I double the recipe?
Yes. Double all of the ingredients and bake the dumplings in a 9x13-inch baking dish. You may need to add approximately 5 minutes to the baking time.
Recent Recipes:
Easy Caramel Apple Dumplings
Equipment
- 8- or 9-inch baking dish
- Apple peeler
- Apple corer
- Small Saucepan
- Pastry brush or spoon
Ingredients
- 1 large Granny Smith apple
- 1 (8-count) can crescent roll dough
- 8 soft caramel candies
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon apple pie spice
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
- ½ cup apple cider
- 2 tablespoon caramel sauce
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans, optional
- Vanilla ice cream and additional caramel sauce, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease an 8- or 9-inch square baking dish.
- Peel, core, and cut the apple into 8 wedges.
- Separate crescent dough into 8 triangles. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon and apple pie spice.
- Place an apple wedge and caramel candy onto the wide end of each triangle. Roll up and pinch the dough around the filling.
- Place seam-side down in prepared baking dish.
- Melt butter in a saucepan. Stir in brown sugar, vanilla, salt, and caramel sauce and cook until smooth.
- Spoon mixture over dumplings.
- Pour apple cider around—not directly over—the dumplings. Sprinkle with pecans if using.
- Bake 30–35 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling.
- Rest for 5–10 minutes before serving with pan sauce, vanilla ice cream, and additional caramel sauce.
Notes
- Don't worry if a little caramel leaks from the dumplings. It mixes into the sauce and makes it even better.
- Place the dumplings slightly apart so the crescent dough can brown around the edges.
- A dark metal pan may brown the dumplings faster than ceramic or glass, so begin checking early.
- The sauce thickens as it cools.
- These are best served warm rather than piping hot because the caramel inside can be very hot immediately after baking.
