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These deliciously easy Apple Dumplings are made with fresh apples, crescent dough, a can of Mountain Dew, and baked in a buttery sweet sauce. Serve apple dumplings warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top for a delicious dessert.
For another one of our favorite recipes with baked apple- try Cinnamon Streusel Baked Apples. Whole apples with a brown sugar mixture and a sweet brown sugar cinnamon streusel on top.
Easy Apple Dumplings (With Mountain Dew & Crescent Rolls)
If you’re looking for more apple recipes then you must add this one to your list! These easy to make apple dumplings are bursting with apple flavor 🍏🍎
Slices of crisp Granny Smith apples are rolled in a flaky crust, that’s simply refrigerated crescent roll dough, and then it bakes in a buttery sauce and a surprise ingredient – a can of Mountain Dew!
Serve apple dumplings warm with a creamy & cool scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
Simple Ingredients Needed
- Granny Smith Apples : These are the best apples for baking because they are crisp and tart, but other great options are Pink Lady or Honey crisp, but I much prefer the Granny Smith apples.
- Refrigerated Crescent Rolls : These are the tubes of crescent rolls that come in 8 triangles. I use the Pillsbury brand but I know there are cheaper store brands. I have had the best luck and results using the Pillsbury brand.
- Salted Butter : The salted butter helps balance the sweetness, so if you use unsalted butter, you may want to add a pinch of salt in with the melted butter mixture.
- Granulated Sugar
- Ground Cinnamon
- Vanilla Extract
- Ground Nutmeg
- Can of Mountain Dew : This is the ‘secret ingredient’ to the best apple dumplings. I highly recommend using the regular sugar Mountain Dew instead of zero sugar or diet. You could also use any lemon-lime soda such as Sprite or 7-Up, but I think the Mountain Dew tastes the best in this recipe, which is why my recipe specifically calls for it.
How To Make Easy Crescent Roll Apple Dumplings (Printable Recipe Card)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray. Set aside.
Peel and core the apples, then slice each one into 8 wedges.
Unroll the cans of crescent roll dough and separate into the 8 individual triangles (per tube, 16 pieces total). Roll each of the apple slices in one crescent triangle dough and seal the edges. Place them in the prepared baking dish.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and nutmeg until combined well. Pour the sauce over top the apple dumplings inside the pan.
Pour the can of mountain dew over the top of the apple dumplings and sugar mixture. Don’t stir or anything! Just gently pour the soda over top the dumplings and leave it.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve apple dumplings warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!
How To Store Leftovers
Leftover apple dumplings should be stored in an airtight container, in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days. To reheat, place them in the oven at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes to prevent the dumplings from getting too soggy.
You can also try reheating in the air fryer. For a softer texture, microwave individual apple dumplings until heated through.
Serving Suggestions
This recipe for homemade apple dumplings is best served warm after baking. We love it topped with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, the cool ice cream just melts into the apple dumplings and it’s so good.
Other great serving options are whipped cream, chopped pecans or walnuts, or a drizzle of caramel sauce. Be sure and scoop up some of that butter sauce from the bottom of the baking dish and drizzle it over the ice cream + dumplings. So yummy!
Recipe FAQs
Can I Try This With Other Fruits?
This recipe wold also work well with fresh peaches, pears, or even plums.
What Are The Best Apples To Use?
I think Granny Smith apples are the best ones to use, however, any apple can be used in this recipe but just know that the overall taste could be slightly different. If you use a sweeter apple sauce as Golden Delicious or Red Delicious then the apple dumplings will be sweeter and have a softer texture. You could try using a crisp, slightly sweet apple such as gala apples, Fuji apples, or honeycrisp apples. Granny Smith apples are firm, crisp, and tart which pairs perfectly with the sweet sauce and the baking time.
Could I Add Chopped Nuts To The Apple Dumplings?
Adding chopped nuts is a popular addition to these apple dumplings. Add some chopped pecans or chopped walnuts in with the apples (when you roll them up in the crescent dough), you could sprinkle them over top the dumplings for baking, or serve chopped nuts on the side and add them on top of the dumplings + ice cream as a garnish.
Is There Actually Mountain Dew In The Recipe?
Yes 😃 Soda in apple dumplings might sound crazy, I know! But there is some magic in adding the soda. It doesn’t have to be Mountain Dew (although I think using Mountain Dew tastes the best), you could use Sprite, 7-Up, or any other lemon-lime carbonated soda beverage. The soda combined with the sugar and spices, makes a wonderful sauce for the dumplings that you just can’t get any other way.
Can I Use Diet Soda?
Regular soda is the best to use because the sugar content in the soda, combined with the sugars added, really helps the sauce have a thicker and almost creamy-like consistency. You could experiment and and use diet soda, but you will find that the sauce will be much thinner and not as flavorful.
More Must-Try Apple Desserts
- Old Fashioned Apple Crisp
- Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
- Snickerdoodle Apple Cobbler
- Apple Butterscotch Monkey Bread
- Oatmeal Cookie Apple Crumble
- Easy Apple Spice Cake
- No Bake Caramel Apple Cheesecake
Apple Dumplings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 large Granny Smith apples
- 2 tubes (8 oz each) refrigerated crescent rolls
- 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter melted
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 can (12 oz) Mountain Dew (not diet or zero sugar)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- Peel and core the apples, then slice each apple into 8 slices.2 large Granny Smith apples
- Unroll the cans of crescent roll dough and separate into the 8 individual triangles (per tube, 16 pieces total). Roll each of the apple slices in one crescent triangle dough and seal the edges. Place them in the prepared baking dish.2 tubes (8 oz each) refrigerated crescent rolls
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and nutmeg until combined well. Pour the sauce over top the apple dumplings inside the pan.1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, 1½ cups granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pour the can of mountain dew over the top of the apple dumplings and sugar mixture. Don't stir or anything! Just gently pour the soda over top the dumplings and leave it.1 can (12 oz) Mountain Dew
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.
- Serve apple dumplings warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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