Paula Deen Apple Dumplings

Paula Deen Apple Dumplings are a warm, buttery dessert with Granny Smith apples, crescent rolls and a Mountain Dew cinnamon syrup that comes together in 1 hour. This easy apple dessert recipe fits fall potlucks, Sunday suppers and holiday tables, with no pie crust to roll.

Lift the dumplings onto a wire rack the minute they come out of the oven, because the soda syrup still in the dish keeps soaking into the dough. Leave them sitting in it and the bottoms turn soggy instead of golden.

Paula's trick is pouring a can of Mountain Dew over the rolls, which bubbles into a light caramel-style syrup while the apples bake soft. She says they taste like mini apple pies, and wrapping each wedge in crescent dough gives you that pie flavor without ever rolling a crust.

Paula Deen Apple Dumplings

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Course: DessertCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

16

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

45

minutes

Calories

210

kcal

Each tart apple wedge gets wrapped in a crescent roll and baked in a cinnamon butter syrup until golden and tender. The soda turns the pan juices into a light glaze that makes every bite taste like a mini apple pie.

Ingredients

• 2 cans crescent rolls
  

• 2 Granny Smith apples
  

• 1 stick Butter
  

• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  

• 1 ⅓ cup sugar or sugar substitute
  

• 1 (12-oz) Mountain Dew
  

Directions

• Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F. That way it is fully hot by the time you finish wrapping the apples.
• Prep the apples: Peel and core 2 Granny Smith apples, then cut each one into 8 wedges. Keep the wedges roughly the same size so they all soften at the same pace.
• Wrap the dumplings: Roll each apple wedge up in a triangle of crescent roll dough from 2 cans. Then place the rolls in a 9x13 baking dish.
• Make the cinnamon butter: Melt 1 stick of butter in a small saucepan, then stir in 1 1/3 cups sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Mix it well, since melted butter blends in the sugar much more easily.
• Add the syrup and soda: Spoon the cinnamon butter over the crescent rolls. Then pour the 12-ounce can of Mountain Dew over the top.
• Bake the dumplings: Bake for 45 minutes until the dough is golden and the syrup is bubbling around the edges. The apples should feel tender when you poke one with a fork.
• Cool on a rack: Move the dumplings to a wire rack right after baking. The liquid left in the dish would make them soggy if they sat in it.

Tools for this recipe

• Pyrex 9x13 glass baking dish, Checkered Chef cooling racks, Cuisinart MultiClad Pro 3-quart saucepan. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use a sugar substitute in these apple dumplings?

Yes, the recipe says sugar or a sugar substitute works. Some substitutes are harder to mix into butter than sugar, so melt the butter first and whisk the substitute and cinnamon in a small bowl until smooth.

Why do the dumplings go on a wire rack after baking?

The syrup left in the baking dish keeps soaking into the bottoms of the rolls. Moving them to a rack lets the steam escape, so the dough stays soft but not soggy.

Can I use a different apple or a different soda?

Granny Smith is what the recipe uses because its tartness balances the sugar. Another firm, tart apple should work too. For the soda, a lemon-lime soda is a common swap, but the original calls for Mountain Dew.

How should I store leftover apple dumplings?

Let them cool completely, then keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple of days. Warm them briefly in the oven so the dough crisps up again instead of microwaving them.

What is the most common mistake with this recipe?

Leaving the dumplings to sit in the leftover syrup is the big one, since the bottoms turn soggy. The other is uneven apple wedges, which means some are mushy while others are still firm.