Apple Dumplings with Crescent Rolls

We don’t know who first made apple dumplings with crescent rolls, but that person is an unsung genius. Making apple dumplings the traditional way, with a pie-style crust, is a bit of a project. Using crescent rolls instead cuts out most of the fuss.

This particular apple dumpling recipe with crescent rolls has an unusual sauce, one based on Mountain Dew soda. It may sound odd, but recipes that use soda pop are plentiful here at Taste of Home, and this one is a tasty addition to that number.

Ingredients for Apple Dumplings with Crescent Rolls

• Apples: Granny Smith apples are ideal for this recipe. They hold their shape when baked, and they’re tart enough to balance out the recipe’s sweetness.
• Crescent rolls: Refrigerated crescent rolls provide an easy crust that’s light and flaky.
• Sugar: Sugar is primarily a sweetener here, but it also helps the soda thicken to a syrupy, sauce-y consistency.
• Butter: The softened butter adds richness and flavor to the sauce, as it melts together with the sugar and soda.
• Cinnamon: Cinnamon’s warm flavor is a classic pairing with apples.
• Mountain Dew: This familiar lemon-lime soda provides the base for a flavorful sauce.
• Ice cream: Vanilla ice cream is a perfect complement to warm apple dumplings.

Directions

Step 1: Prepare the apples

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Peel and core the apples, then cut each one into eight wedges.

Step 2: Roll up the crescent rolls and apples

Pop and unroll both tubes of crescent roll dough, then separate each into eight triangles. Place a wedge of apple at the base of each triangle, and roll it up in the dough. Place the rolled dumplings in a greased 13×9-inch baking dish.

Step 3: Make the topping

In a small mixing bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon, then cut in the butter until the mixture is thoroughly blended. Sprinkle this over the dumplings.

Step 4: Add the soda

Pour the Mountain Dew slowly around the rolls (but don’t stir!).

Step 5: Bake the dumplings

Bake, uncovered, until the crescent-roll crust is golden brown and the apples are tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Serve the dumplings warm, with a scoop of ice cream.

Apple Dumpling with Crescent Roll Variations

• Use homemade crescents: Those canned, refrigerated crescents are a wonderful convenience product. Homemade crescent rolls are better, though, if you have the time. They’re not as hard to make as you might think, and they’ll elevate the recipe immediately. You can even make your own “convenience product” by cranking out a batch of the dough whenever you have time, then freezing it for later use.
• Add caramel: Caramel and apples are a match made in heaven, as generations of fair-goers know. The easy way to add caramel flavor to this dessert is with a handful of individual caramel chews, either store-bought or homemade caramels. Flatten them, and add one to each apple wedge before it’s rolled up. Alternatively, you could pick a caramel sauce recipe to drizzle over the finished apple dumplings and ice cream.
• Go deluxe with pecans: Pecans and apples are another great pairing (though walnuts are cheaper, and also good in a pinch). Rolling pecan pieces into the dumplings is a great add-in, or you could scatter toasted pecans over the finished dumplings when you serve them. Better yet, crib the sticky topping from our pecan sticky buns recipe and put that in the baking dish with the apple dumplings. It’s a complete game-changer.

How to Store Apple Dumplings with Crescent Rolls

Apple dumplings made with crescent rolls are best when they’re eaten fresh. If you do have leftovers, you can portion them into food-safe containers with tight-fitting lids, then refrigerate them for later use.

How long do apple dumplings with crescent rolls keep?

The apple dumplings will keep for a day or two at room temperature through most of the year. If your ambient temperature is in the 90s or above, they’ll deteriorate more quickly. If they’re kept in the refrigerator in airtight containers, they’ll last for three to five days, with some loss of quality. The bottoms will become soggy from the sauce, and the rest of the dough can become dry. Warming them gently before serving will improve them greatly.

Can I freeze apple dumplings made with crescent rolls?

You can freeze the dumplings baked or unbaked, though unbaked is better. Prepare the actual dumplings (through Step 2 in the recipe), then freeze them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Once they’re frozen, pack them into a freezer bag or freezer-safe container for storage. When you want to bake them, put the frozen dumplings directly in your baking dish and proceed with the recipe as written (they’ll take an extra few minutes). Baked dumplings can be frozen as well and then reheated for serving, though their texture will not be as good. Either way, the dumplings will keep for one to three months, depending on how well they’re packaged.

Apple Dumplings with Crescent Roll Tips

Does it have to be Mountain Dew?

Any lemon-lime soda will do just fine. There may be a slight difference in flavor, but it would only be noticeable to a true soda aficionado.

Can I substitute other apples?

You can swap the Granny Smiths for any type of firm-textured apple that holds its shape when baked. Whatever’s the default “pie apple” where you live is usually a good bet (where I live, it’s Cortlands). Not all of these are as tart as Granny Smiths, but dipping a sweet apple into diluted lemon juice will fix that.

Can I use other doughs from the refrigerator case?

If you don’t happen to have crescents on hand, or if your local store was out of them, there are others you can try. You could flatten canned biscuits and wrap each apple wedge in one of those, for example. Other alternatives include canned cinnamon rolls (the cinnamon-roll spread makes a nice addition to the dumplings) or pie crust. Even bread or pizza dough can work, with a bit of extra prep. Roll it thin, brush it with butter, fold it up, then repeat the process once or twice more. It’ll be surprisingly flaky and rich. In fact, frozen bread dough has so many uses, you might want to keep some on hand at all times.