Amish Inspired Apple Dumplings

Tom and I just returned from our Pennsylvania trip which included a stay at the Bird-in-Hand Family Inn. I never thought about a trip to the Amish Country during Christmas. The Amish are very modest therefore their celebration quite simple and no frills but there's something, OLD WORLD, about being there during this time of year. Think about it, Christmas traditions are very German and since we were surrounded by the Pennsylvania Dutch, words like Shnitzel and Gingerbread while spotting an Amish buggy, clippity, cloppiting down the road as if to catch a glimpse of an elf, was like being in a Christmas wonderland. What a wonderful travel choice for the season. And, nothing like good ole fashioned, home made apple dumplings to set the mood.

These are the world's best apple dumplings. The first time I had them, I lost 10 minutes of my life in some heavenly place where angels were singing high pitched in ectasy. No joke! Apple dumplings are THAT good. Perhaps the most important thing about this great apple dumpling recipe is to get the dough right. After that the rest of the recipe is a piece of cake... make that an easy apple dumpling. This recipe makes six of the best apple dumplings you've ever tasted.

There's four things you have to do to prepare this easy apple dumpling recipe:

1. Prepare the sauce
2. Prepare the actual apple dumplings
3. Pour the sauce over the dumplings
4. Bake

Preparing the Apple Dumpling Sauce

1 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Water

1/8 (one eighth) Teaspoon Cinnamon

1/8 (one eighth) Teaspoon Nutmeg

2 Tablespoons Butter or Margarine

Place the sugar, water, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small saucepan. Bring to boiling point. Add butter or margarine and stir until melted. Remove from heat and set aside.

Preparing the Apple Dumpling Pastry and Apple Filling

2 Cups Enriched Flour



2 Teaspoons Baking Powder

1 Teaspoon Salt 
2/3 (two thirds) Cups Shortening – Recommend using Crisco



1/2 (one half) Cup Milk



6 Macintosh Apples (about 3 inch diameter) 
When it comes to apple dumplings, bigger is not always better. Use Macintosh apples that are about 3 inches in diameter. You'll see later that it makes it easier for you to make the dumpling.

1 Cup Sugar 

Preheat the oven to 375°

Lightly grease a 9" x 13" x 1½" baking dish.

Place flour, baking powder and salt in medium size bowl and mix it together with a fork. Add the shortening to the bowl and cut in shortening. Not familiar with the term, cut in shortening? You're simply passing the fork through the mixture. Add milk to bowl all at once and use a fork to just moisten the mixture.

Place the apple dumpling dough mixture on a lightly floured pastry board. Roll the pastry out until it is large enough cut six 6-inch squares (one for each apple).

It's finally time to peel the apples! Peel them and cut them in half. Then cut out the core. Cutting them in half helps insure the apple bakes thoroughly.

TIP: To keep the apples from turning brown, place them in a bowl of ice water. Then put ice cubes in the water to keep it as cold as possible.

Prepare for Baking

Place the apple on one of the 6-inch dough squares holding the two halves together. Pour some sugar into the apple and then generously sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg. I just about fill the center of the apple with the sugar. Place a pat of butter on the top.

Take a little water and moisten the edges of the 6-inch dough square. Fold the corners to the center of the top of the apple. Do you see now why you want smaller apples? If you start to run a little low on dough doing the final apples you can always roll it out a bit more. Pinch the dough together at the seams.

Pour the Sauce over the Dumplings

Try to place the apple dumplings in the baking dish about an inch apart if possible. Pour the sauce we made earlier over the apple dumplings and then sprinkle them with sugar.Place the baking dish in the oven preheated to 375° and bake for 35 minutes.

Apple Dumplings Serving Suggestions...

Serve your apple dumplings while they're still warm with a scoop of ice cream on the top. Or simply pour a little milk on them in a bowl. In the rare event that there are any apple dumplings left over the next day, heat them up in the microwave.