Crescent Apple Dumplings

If you're often seeking a shortcut to classic apple pie, then this is the recipe you should keep in your back pocket. For maximum ease and speed, I relied on two convenience products—refrigerated biscuit dough and lemon-lime soda—to create this one-of-a-kind dessert that brings the fall vibes to any gathering. Top it with ice cream, and you've got a picture-perfect fall dessert on your hands in under an hour! Here's everything you need to know:

How To Make Crescent Apple Dumplings

INGREDIENTS

• Granny Smith Apples: I needed a firm apple that would hold its shape in the oven and offer enough tartness to offset the intense sweetness of the caramel sauce. Granny Smith checked all those boxes and secured its spot by virtue of being about as widely available as any apple.
• Crescent Dough: In a world of uncertainty, it's a comfort to know there's always crescent roll dough—reliable, affordable, and ultra easy to work with. It turns these apple dumplings into an absolute cinch to make and adds a buttery, flaky texture that truly takes them over the top.
• Butter: Brings creaminess and rich dairy flavor to the caramel sauce.
• Brown Sugar: Contributes lovely chestnut color and deep molasses flavor to the caramel sauce.
• Vanilla: Sweetly aromatic vanilla enhances the flavor of the caramel and, by extension, the apples.
• Lemon-Lime Soda: Wait, what? Yeah, seriously. The secret ingredient here may seem to come from left field, but trust me on this one. The soda merges with the caramel to form a sweet, punchy sauce that's perfect for drizzling over your gooey apple dumplings.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

First, let's set ourselves up for success. Preheat your oven to 350° and grease a large—by which I mean 13" x 9"—baking dish with butter. Now, peel and core apples, then cut each one into eighths. Prepping the apples can take a minute and apples brown quickly, so as I work, I like to toss the cut apples with a little lemon juice—the citric acid in the juice has a remarkable ability to slow oxidation.

Now for the dumplings. Gently separate the crescent dough into triangles and lay out flat on a work surface. Working one triangle at a time, place an apple slice, crosswise, on the wide end of the dough, then, starting at the wide end, roll up the dough around the apple to form a dumpling. Repeat with remaining triangles and apple slices. Arrange the dumplings in the prepared baking dish.

Let's get this caramel sauce going. Combine the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring with a heatproof rubber spatula, until the butter is melted, the brown sugar is dissolved, and the mixture is well combined. Pour the caramel evenly over the dumplings.

Time for our secret ingredient. Pour in the lemon-lime soda around edge of pan; avoid pouring on over the dumplings—we want those to bake up nice and flaky.

Transfer the baking dish to the oven and bake until the dumplings are golden and the sauce is bubbling and thickened, about 30 minutes.

Serve the dumplings while they're still warm, topped with a scoop vanilla ice cream and drizzled with sauce from the pan.

Full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• What are the best apples to use for apple dumplings? I suggest Granny Smith apples for this recipe. I love their tartness, which adds a perfect balance to this sweet dessert. If you can't find Granny Smith apples, consult our apple guide for some other great options. Hint: Jonathan, Crispin, or Braeburn would all work great in this recipe. And if you feel like a mixture of tart and sweet, mix and match your apples for a bit of both!

Storage

If you have any leftovers, place them in an airtight container (or cover with plastic wrap) and store in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.