How to make apple dumplings

Have you ever asked how to make apple dumplings the old fashioned way? This recipe dives clear back to 1877 to bring you a delicious apple treat you are sure to love.

What I Loved

I’m always on the lookout for a good pastry crust. The thing I loved about this one, was it was tender and flaky without being overly greasy. I also loved how soft and easy it was to roll out and form over the apples. It really elevated this simple dumpling. The apple provided a subtle sweetness that tied it all together.

Original Recipe For Baked Apple Dumplings From 1877

Mix a pound of flour, one ounce of pounded white or brown sugar, six ounces of butter, and two ounces of lard, a pinch of salt, and nearly half a pint of water, and one well-beaten egg. Roll out the paste in pieces large enough to enclose a good-sized apple; peel and core the apples, and place one in each piece of paste; bake for half an hour. Serve with sugar and cold butter.

Updated Recipe

  • 1 pound of flour
  • 6 ounces of butter
  • 2 ounces of lard(or shortening)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 ounce brown sugar
  • 1 well-beaten egg
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 5-6 Granny Smith apples
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Combine flour, butter and lard until mixture forms a sandy, gravel-like mixture. Add the brown sugar, salt, egg, and water and mix until it forms a loose dough. Be careful not to over mix.

Mix the white sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl. Peel and core the apples. Dust the apples with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Separate the dough into 5-6 pieces. Roll into balls then roll out large enough to cover each apple. Wrap each apple tightly in the dough. Make sure the seams are sealed by pressing them together firmly. Bake at 400 degrees for 50-60 minutes in a glass baking dish.

Serve with vanilla ice cream and/or caramel sauce.

What I Learned

The recipe as written produces a great dessert. I did two apples. One of them had the cinnamon sugar dusted on the apple, and the other had no sugar added like the recipe. Americans enjoy sweet and rich desserts. If you fall in that camp, then add the sugar. If you don’t, then leave the cinnamon sugar off the apple.

When researching how to make apple dumplings, I found many recipes bake the apples in a syrup. I was hesitant to do this recipe without the syrup. However, I enjoyed it just fine and it worked marvelously.

I learned a new recipe for pie crust that I absolutely loved. This can easily be used for empanadas or other pies. The customizations are endless. It is absolutely worth making and checking out.

Original Recipe Reference

Puddings & Sweets, 365 Receipts, Lucy Jones. London: 1877

How to Make Apple Dumplings the Old Fashioned Way
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