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Pennsylvania Dutch Apple Dumplings

Pennsylvania Dutch apple dumplings feature whole apples wrapped in tender pastry and baked until golden, with cinnamon-brown sugar syrup pooling in the dish. The filling stays juicy as the apples soften, while the pastry crisps around each sealed dumpling.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 640
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For pastry
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 0.67 cup cold shortening or butter
  • 5 tbsp ice water Use 5–6 tablespoons as needed.
For filling
  • 6 small whole apples, peeled and cored
  • 6 tbsp brown sugar
  • 3 tsp cinnamon
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter, divided into 6 pieces
For syrup
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and make the pastry
  1. Preheat oven to 375F, then grease a 9x13 baking dish so the dumplings release easily.
  2. Combine all-purpose flour and salt, then cut in cold shortening or butter until the mixture is crumbly.
  3. Add ice water a little at a time until the dough comes together, then divide it into 6 portions.
Fill and wrap the apples
  1. Roll each portion of pastry into a circle large enough to wrap one apple.
  2. Place 1 peeled and cored small apple on each pastry circle, then fill the core cavity with 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and a pat of unsalted butter.
  3. Wrap the pastry around each apple, pinching edges to seal, and place each dumpling in the prepared baking dish.
Make syrup and bake
  1. In a saucepan, combine water, granulated sugar, brown sugar, unsalted butter, and cinnamon, then bring to a boil.
  2. Pour the hot syrup around the dumplings, then bake at 375F for 40-45 minutes until the pastry is golden and the apples are tender.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the pastry dough cold by using very cold ice water and working quickly, so the crust turns golden instead of tough. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container up to 3 days; rewarm in the baking dish at 300F until syrup is bubbling. Freezing is not recommended because the wrapped pastry can soften as it thaws. For a simple swap, use all-butter instead of shortening for a richer flavor while keeping the same amounts.