These Pioneer Woman’s Apple Dumplings offer a comforting and delicious dessert with minimal effort. Fresh apple wedges are wrapped in flaky crescent dough, then baked in a sweet, buttery, cinnamon-spiced sauce with a surprising fizzy addition that makes them tender and irresistible.

Pioneer Woman’s Apple Dumplings

Ingredients:

Instructions:

1. Preheat Oven & Prepare Dish: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8×8 inch baking dish.
2. Prepare Apples: Cut the apple into 8-10 wedges. Carefully slice the apple skin off each wedge and set the skin aside. (Note: The skins are not used in this recipe, so you can discard or save them for another use.)
3. Wrap Apple Wedges: Separate the crescent roll dough into individual triangles. For easier wrapping, you can pat each apple wedge dry before wrapping. Starting from the wide end of each crescent roll triangle, roll an apple wedge inside, pinching the dough to seal and completely cover the apple. Place the wrapped apple dumplings seam-side down in the prepared baking dish.
4. Make Cinnamon Syrup: In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the sugar and cinnamon. Heat the mixture, whisking constantly to combine. The mixture will slowly combine and begin to thicken. Once thickened, remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
5. Pour Over Dumplings: Pour the cinnamon mixture evenly over all the apple dumplings in the baking dish.
6. Add Soda: Carefully pour the 7-Up (or equivalent clear, lemon-lime soda) over the dumplings. This addition contributes to a tender texture and a unique flavor in the sauce.
7. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the apple dumplings are golden brown and the apples are tender.
8. Serve: Let the dumplings cool slightly before serving. They are delicious warm, perhaps with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!