Introduction
If you love the cozy flavors of apple pie but want something even easier (and arguably more indulgent), you’ll fall hard for
Old-Fashioned Apple Dumpling Cake. It’s the kind of dessert you see in handwritten family cookbooks and potluck tables:
peeled apples wrapped in dough, nestled into a baking dish, then drenched in a buttery brown sugar syrup that bakes into a
glossy caramel sauce.
The “cake” part comes from the way it’s served—scooped warm, swimming in sauce, with soft apple centers and golden pastry on top.
It’s less about a traditional cake crumb and more about that irresistible dumpling texture: crisp edges, tender middles,
and syrup that tastes like the best part of a caramel apple.
Best serving tip: Let it rest 10 minutes after baking so the sauce thickens into perfect caramel.
Ingredients
Apple dumplings
- 2 large apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), peeled and cored
- 2 cans (8 oz / 225 g each) crescent roll dough
- Optional: 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (sprinkle over top)
Apple choice: Granny Smith gives tart balance; Honeycrisp makes it sweeter and extra juicy.
Caramel sauce bake
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (220 g) packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- Optional: 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- Pinch of salt
For serving (optional but amazing)
- Vanilla ice cream
- Whipped cream
- Extra cinnamon
Dough option: Crescent rolls are the easiest. If you want “true old-fashioned,” use pie dough and cut into
squares to wrap the apples—same method, slightly flakier result.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prep
- Preheat oven to 175°C.
- Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Peel, core, and cut apples into 8 wedges (or into chunky pieces if you prefer smaller dumplings).
