1. Prepare the Apples:
- Preheat the Oven:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
- Prepare the Apples:
- Peel, core, and slice each apple into 8 wedges. Set the apple wedges aside.
2. Assemble the Dumplings:
- Roll the Apples:
- Unroll the crescent roll dough and separate it into triangles. Place an apple wedge at the wide end of each triangle and roll it up, starting from the wide end and rolling towards the narrow tip. Pinch the dough to seal any openings and to ensure the apple is fully enclosed.
- Arrange in Baking Dish:
- Place the rolled-up apple dumplings into the prepared baking dish, side by side.
3. Make the Sauce:
- Melt the Butter:
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, remove it from the heat.
- Mix the Sauce:
- Stir in the granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and ground cinnamon until the mixture is smooth and well combined. The mixture will be thick and slightly gritty.
- Pour Over Dumplings:
- Pour the butter-sugar mixture evenly over the apple dumplings in the baking dish.
4. Add the Soda:
- Pour the Soda:
- Carefully pour the lemon-lime soda around the edges of the baking dish and in between the dumplings, making sure not to pour it directly over the tops of the dumplings. The soda helps to create a syrupy sauce as the dumplings bake.
5. Bake the Dumplings:
- Bake:
- Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the dumplings are golden brown and the sauce is bubbly.
6. Serve the Dumplings:
- Cool Slightly:
- Let the dumplings cool for a few minutes before serving, as the sauce will be extremely hot straight out of the oven.
- Serve:
- Serve the apple dumplings warm, with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. Drizzle with caramel sauce if desired for an extra indulgent treat.
Tips for Success:
- Choosing Apples: Granny Smith apples are ideal for this recipe because their tartness balances the sweetness of the sauce, and they hold their shape well during baking. However, you can also use Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Jonathan apples if you prefer.
- Dough: Make sure to fully enclose the apple wedges in the crescent roll dough to prevent the filling from leaking out during baking.
- Sauce: Don’t worry if the sugar mixture seems gritty before baking—the sugar will dissolve as the dumplings bake, creating a luscious sauce.
- Baking Dish: Use a 9×13-inch baking dish to ensure the dumplings have enough room to bake evenly and the sauce can bubble up around them.
- Storing: Store any leftover dumplings in the refrigerator in an airtight container. To reheat, warm them in the microwave or in a low oven until heated through.
- Make Ahead: If you want to prepare these dumplings ahead of time, assemble them as directed but don’t add the soda until you’re ready to bake. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 hours. When ready to bake, add the soda and bake as directed.
This Trisha Yearwood-inspired Apple Dumplings recipe is a delightful blend of simplicity and rich flavors, making it a favorite in many households. The combination of the soft, buttery crescent dough, tart apples, and the sweet, syrupy sauce is truly irresistible. Whether you’re serving it as a dessert for a special occasion or just as a comforting treat for your family, these apple dumplings are sure to be a hit. Enjoy the warmth and sweetness of this Southern classic!