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Cozy Apple Dumplings: Best Homemade Cinnamon Sugar Recipe

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These cozy apple dumplings with cinnamon sugar sauce are born out of sheer panic and a desperate need to not show up empty-handed. They are the kind of dessert that makes you feel like you’re wrapped in a warm blanket on a chilly evening.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 large Granny Smith apples (peeled, cored, and halved)
  • 1 sheet (about 14 oz) puff pastry, thawed
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional but recommended)
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream (for topping, optional)
  • Chopped pecans or walnuts (for topping, optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or non-stick spray.
  2. Peel the apples using a vegetable peeler. Cut each apple in half through the stem. Use a paring knife or apple corer to remove the core and seeds from each half.
  3. On a lightly floured surface, gently roll out the thawed puff pastry sheet to about 1/8-inch thick. Cut the pastry sheet into 4 equal squares.
  4. In a small bowl, mix together 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. Place an apple half, cut-side up, in the center of a pastry square. Fill the apple’s core cavity with about a tablespoon of the brown sugar mixture, then top with a small cube of cold butter (about 1 tablespoon total, divided among the 4 apple halves).
  5. Gently bring the corners of the pastry square up and over the apple, pinching the seams together to seal it completely. Place the wrapped dumpling, seam-side down, in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with the remaining apple halves and pastry squares.
  6. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. Whisk constantly until the butter is melted and the sugars are dissolved. Bring to a gentle simmer, then remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.
  7. Carefully pour the hot cinnamon sugar sauce over and around the dumplings in the baking dish.
  8. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and puffed, and the apples are tender when pierced with a fork. About halfway through, spoon some of the sauce over the tops of the dumplings.
  9. Let the dumplings cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, and spoon some of the sauce from the pan over the top.

Notes

For best results, use firm tart apples like Granny Smith. Keep puff pastry cold for flaky layers. Seal pastry seams well to prevent filling from leaking. Spoon sauce over dumplings midway through baking for a glossy top. Let dumplings rest 10 minutes before serving to allow sauce to thicken.

Nutrition

Keywords: apple dumplings, cinnamon sugar, easy dessert, comfort food, bake sale, puff pastry, fall dessert

Find it online: https://breezybake.com/cozy-apple-dumplings-best-homemade-cinnamon-sugar-recipe/