Made with buttery refrigerated dough, these crescent roll apple dumplings taste like apple pie, only they're easier to make.
Serve them warm with a drizzle of the homemade caramel sauce.
This crescent roll recipe is going to make your house smell amazing as they bake. And the good news is they're ready fast!
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I love to use refrigerator dough to make easy desserts the whole family loves. You can use crescent roll dough for either savory or sweet recipes.
Crescent Roll Apple Dumplings would be perfect to serve for dessert with vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream. Don't serve with ice cream if you plan on using this recipe for a weekend brunch.
Looking for more Easy Dessert Recipes or apple dessert recipes? Try my Air Fryer Apple Recipes, or my family's favorite Apple Crisp Recipe.
Table of Contents
Why you'll LOVE this recipe:
Minimal Ingredients: Made with store-bought crescent rolls, fresh apples, butter, and a few pantry staples, this recipe comes together effortlessly.
Warm & Comforting: The combination of tender apples, buttery crescent dough, and a sweet cinnamon-sugar glaze makes for the perfect cozy dessert.
Family-Friendly: Both kids and adults will love these dumplings, making them great for weeknight treats, holiday gatherings, or anytime you crave something sweet.
Irresistible Caramelized Sauce: Baked in a rich, caramel-like sauce—no extra work needed!
Great for Beginners: Even if you're not an experienced baker, this foolproof recipe is simple enough for anyone to master.
Helpful Kitchen Tools
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Main Ingredients Needed
Here's a quick overview of the ingredients for this recipe. Find the exact amounts and click the Instacart button to easily add them to your cart – all in the printable recipe card below!
- Crescent Rolls
- Light Brown Sugar - you'll need brown sugar for the apples and the homemade caramel sauce.
- Nutmeg
- Butter - melted
- Chopped pecans - you could substitute chopped walnuts if you prefer.
- Granny Smith Apple - you could substitute another variety of apple, but try to use one that will hold up when baked.
- Milk
- Vanilla Extract
Recipe Variations
- Peaches- pretty much any hard fruit will work with this recipe. Fresh sliced peaches would be delicious.
- Powdered Sugar Glaze- instead of drizzling with the homemade caramel sauce, make an easy homemade powdered sugar glaze to drizzle on top.
- See peach dumplings version of this recipe on my website!
- This was inspired by my apple dumplings recipe on this site, only this recipe doesn't use soda to bake the dumplings in. The end result for this recipe is more of a turnover pastry or danish dessert.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Open the can of crescent rolls and separate them. Place them on top of a piece of parchment paper on the counter.
Step 2: Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg together in a small bowl. Add about 2 tablespoons of the mixture to the top of each crescent roll.
Step 3: Add ½ tablespoon of the pecans to the top of the sugar mixture on each crescent roll.
Step 4: Slice the apple into 8 even slices and add it to the melted butter. Add one apple slice the wide end oof the crescent roll.
Baking Instructions
Step 5: Starting at the wider end, roll up the crescent dough, then brush each roll with the remaining melted butter. Arrange them on a parchment-lined baking tray and bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
Top Recipe Tip
Make sure the crescent rolls are rolled up tight and the end piece is pressed securely into the dough so the rolls do not come apart while baking.
Drizzle with Caramel Sauce
Step 6: In a small saucepan, mix the ingredients for the homemade caramel sauce, bring to a boil, and let it cook for 2 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla, then drizzle over the crescent roll apple dumplings before serving.
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Recipe FAQ's
To view the answers, simply click on the down arrow (⬇) next to each question. If you have any other questions not answered here, please leave a comment!
The best apples for apple dumplings are Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Jonagold, and Braeburn, as they hold their shape and provide a good balance of tartness and sweetness. Avoid softer apples like Red Delicious or McIntosh, which can become mushy when baked.
You should peel apples before making apple dumplings. The peel can become tough and chewy when baked, affecting the texture of the dumplings. Peeling the apples ensures a soft, tender bite that pairs perfectly with the flaky crescent roll or pastry dough.
Storage Tips
Refrigerator: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Reheating: You can reheat the apple dumplings in the microwave for a few minutes until warmed through.
Freezer: These ingredients don't stand up well to freezing.
📖 Recipe Card
Crescent Roll Apple Dumplings
Ingredients
- 1 package refrigerator crescent rolls; 8 count
- ¼ light brown sugar packed
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
- 1 Granny Smith apple cored and cut into 8 even slices
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup butter
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Method
- Prepare the Apple Dumplings
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- On a piece of parchment paper, unroll the crescent rolls and divide them into 8 triangle sections.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Add 2 tablespoons of that mixture to the top of each crescent roll triangle.
- Divide the chopped pecans evenly among the 8 crescent roll triangles and place on top of the sugar mixture.
- Toss the apple slices in the 4 tablespoons of melted butter.
- Add one apple slice to the wide end of each crescent roll.
- Roll each crescent roll up starting with the wide end. Tusk the narrow end under.
- Brush the tops of the crescent rolls with the remaining butter and place the rolls on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until the crescent rolls begin to turn golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before drizzling the caramel sauce on top.
Prepare the Homemade Caramel Sauce- While the apple dumplings are baking, prepare the caramel sauce.
- In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter and milk.
- Bring to a boil.
- Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly until the caramel sauce thickens.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Drizzle on top of the baked apple dumplings.
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