Stuffed Apple Dumplings Baked in Pastry
This stuffed apple dumpling recipe takes advantage of peak apple-picking season and marries cinnamon, ginger, nuts and dried fruit together in a delectable filling. These ingredients alone would make an incredible baked apple, but putting it in pastry takes it a step closer to a mini apple pie.
What is an apple dumpling?
Usually “dumpling” refers to something more savory… and most likely boiled. Apple dumplings, however, are a classic treat that fits neither of those descriptions. So what is an apple dumpling? An apple dumpling is a step up from a stuffed apple recipe: It’s a stuffed apple baked in pastry dough. And they are soooo delicious.
How to Choose the Best Apples for Baking Apple Dumplings
When you’re choosing apples for baking apple dumplings, the best apples are going to be fresh and firm. It doesn’t matter whether you choose a sweet or tart apple—that’s up to you. Just make sure it’s a nice, firm apple that seems fresh and does not have any soft spots or bruises. My personal favorites are Honeycrisp and Granny Smith apples.
Pro tip #1: When selecting apples for this recipe, look for apples that still have the stem intact.
You may not think the stem is important, but if that stem is gone, a small tear is created on the top of the apple. This open area, as tiny as it may seem, lets air in and starts to decay the apple. The more you know!
Pro tip #2: Making your pastries beautiful is easy.
I love to add a few pastry leaves on top of the pastry-wrapped apples to give the feeling that it came right off the tree. Just cut a few leaves out of your pastry dough sheets and attach them to the top using a little bit of egg wash and pressure.
Desserts that look good, but taste even better.
These pastry-wrapped apples, meant to look like apples right off the tree, are a great example of beautiful dessert presentation. If you’re interested in learning more creative ways to present your favorite treats, you should definitely get yourself a copy of my new cookbook, My Life in Pies!
Stuffed Apples Baked in Pastry
Ingredients
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted cold butter, cut into ½ inch dice
- ¼ to ½ cup ice water
- 6 large firm apples like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 6 tablespoons dried cranberries or dried cherries
- 2 tablespoons ground walnuts
- 2 large egg yolks combined with 3 tablespoons heavy cream or half and half (you may not need all of the egg wash)
Instructions
- Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. With the motor on, add the butter through the feed tube. Process for 10 to 15 seconds. The dough should resemble a coarse meal.
- With the machine running, drizzle ice water (keeping ice cubes out of the mixture) through the feed tube. Start with ¼ cup. Put some dough between your fingers. The dough should come together when pressed between your fingers. If it is too dry, drizzle in a little more water. If the dough is too wet, add a little more flour.
- Form the dough into a ball then flatten into a disk using your hand. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour. The dough can be frozen for up to a month. Thaw the dough overnight in the refrigerator.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet pan with parchment paper. Peel the apples. Using an apple corer, remove the core from the apple.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, ground cinnamon, ginger, dried fruit, and walnuts. Place the apples on a firm surface like a cutting board. Starting at the top of the apple (where the core was) place the fruit, nuts, and spice stuffing mixture firmly into the cored cavity. In a bowl, combine the egg yolk with cream or half and half. Set aside.
- Divide the pastry dough into 8 pieces. You will use 6 pieces for the apples and the remaining two pieces to cut out pastry decorations.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll a dough piece into a 7-X 7-inch square. Place an apple, stuffed side down, in the center of the dough. Brush the sides of dough with the egg wash mixture. Bring up dough sides and pinch firmly to adhere dough sides. Continue with remaining edges. Place on the prepared pan. Repeat the process with the remaining apples. Brush the apple pastry with egg wash. Roll out the remaining dough pieces and cut out leaf decorations. Adhere the decorative leaves on the apple pastry using the egg wash. Brush top of the leaves with egg wash as well. Bake until browned, about 40 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream and caramel sauce.
