Sourdough Apple Dumplings: A Recipe from the Farm

Last Updated on September 11, 2024 by TheFarmChicken

The fall season on the farm is such a busy time and baking desserts like these Sourdough Apple Dumplings: A Recipe from the Farm is the perfect fall dessert to warm up your home and give it that fall aroma of cinnamon and apple. An apple dumpling starts with a peeled and cored apple that is stuffed with butter and cinnamon sugar. It’s then wrapped in a delicious crust and baked in a gooey sauce. Serve with cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you have a delicious fall treat that is full of classic apple pie flavor.

We have planted a few apple trees on the farm and I’m excited for when they get big enough to produce! Fresh apples whether from your trees, a friend’s, an apple orchard, or the grocery store are such a blessing! What are your favorite things to make with fresh apples?

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Ingredients for Sourdough Apple Dumplings: A Recipe from the Farm

Flour

I use an all-purpose unbleached flour for these dumplings.

Butter or Butter/Shortening

You have two choices when it comes to this. You can either do all butter or if you are really wanting a flaky pastry dough on your apple dumpling then use half shortening and half butter.

Salt

For what salt does best, adds flavor!

Sourdough Starter Discard or Active Sourdough Starter

The perfect fall way to use up extra sourdough starter! If you have it you can also use active sourdough starter.

Cold Milk

Cold milk is important to keep the butter/shortening cold when added to the crust ingredients.

Brown Sugar

Used in the sauce and stuffed in the center of the apples.

Water

Used for the base of the sauce.

Granulated Sugar

I like to use this in the sauce and also sprinkled on top of the dumplings before they are baked.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon and apple are such a traditional flavor and for good reason. They pair beautifully!

Pure Vanilla Extract

Vanilla is added for the depth of flavor it brings.

Two Options for the Crust:

I’ve talked about it some in other parts of the post, but you can do the crust two different ways depending on your preferences. You can use all butter or if you want an extra flaky crust, you can do ¼ cup shortening and ¼ cup butter.

Let’s Talk about Apple Varieties:

There are so many apple varieties, and some are definitely better for baking than others. Generally speaking, you want a baking apple that is crisp and tart. The tartness brings flavor, and the crisp apples will hold their shape better. Those are two things to look for when looking for a good baking apple. Juicy apples are also a plus! However, do note that using a crisp apple can cause the apple to take longer to bake all the way through. Here are a few options when you are looking for a good apple dumpling apple:

Braeburns
Cortland
Granny Smith Apples – good when mixed with another apple
Jonathan
Haralson

Pin for later:

More Sourdough Apple Recipes to Try:

Other Sourdough Recipes to Try:

I have a whole list that is convenient to search for sourdough discard recipes. Be sure to check it out!

The Process of Sourdough Apple Dumplings in Pictures:

apples on crust ready to be made into dumplings

apples stuffed with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon

apple dumplings ready to go into the oven

Sourdough Apple Dumplings: A Recipe from the Farm

The Sourdough Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
½ cup cold butter, cubed
½ cup sourdough starter, active starter or discard, cold or room temperature
¼-1/2 cup cold milk

Sauce:

1 ¼ cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup butter

Filling for apples:

6 tsp brown sugar
1/8 tsp cinnamon
2 T butter

6 small to medium sized whole apples

Instructions for Sourdough Apple Dumplings:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and grease a 7” x 11” pan. Set the pan aside.
First combine the sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan and using a whisk, stir occasionally. Bring the ingredients to a boil at a medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes and then remove from the heat and set aside.
Next, in a large bowl add the flour and salt into a bowl. Then cut the cubed, cold, butter into the flour as when you make pie crust, using a pastry blender or fork. Be sure to work the butter into the dough until it resembles small crumbs.
Then measure out the sourdough starter and cold milk in a measuring cup and mix it together with a fork until combined. You could also do this in a small bowl if you prefer. Start with ¼ cup milk and then add as needed once you add it to the flour/butter mixture.
Once the starter and milk are combined add this to the pie dough dry ingredients and butter. Mix until just moistened. You don’t want to overwork the dough. Once it’s mixed remove the dough to a clean, lightly floured surface.
Make a disc out of the dough flattening it and adding flour to the surface as needed to prevent it from sticking. Roll out the dough into a big rectangle. You want to roll the dough thin. (This will result in a flakier crust.) Once it is thinly rolled out using a knife or bench scraper square up the edges and then divide the crust evenly into 6 pieces. Cutting the long side into 3 equal pieces.

Prepare the Apples:

You will want to peel and core the apples for apple dumplings. An apple peeler/corer is a great way to do this, but you can also do it by hand.

Once the apples are prepared you can take the apples and set one in the center of each piece of dough. Add a little chunk of butter, a tsp of brown sugar and a pinch of cinnamon to the center of each apple.
Then taking each corner bring them up and “stuff” them into the center of the apples. Sealing the edges too. Once they are sealed place the dumplings into a 7” x 11” dish. Repeat with the next 5 apples.
When you have all 6 apple dumplings in the pan take the sauce you made and pour it into the pan till it is about ½ – ¾ of the way full. I will usually pour some of the sauce over the top of the apple dumplings as I am adding it to the pan. Sprinkle the apple dumplings with granulated sugar and then place in the preheated 375 degree oven.
Bake for 40-50 minutes or until nicely golden brown and the sauce is bubbling!

NOTES

If you want a flakier crust use ¼ cup shortening and ¼ cup butter for the crust.
The baking time is also affected by the crispness of the apple. Softer apples need less time whereas a honey crisp will need more time to be soft and baked through.
Store at room temperature covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container for up to 3 days. They reheat well.

Ingredients

The Sourdough Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
½ cup cold butter cubed
½ cup sourdough starter active starter or discard, cold or room temperature
¼-1/2 cup cold milk

Sauce:

1 ¼ cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup butter

Filling for apples:

6 tsp brown sugar
1/8 tsp cinnamon
2 T butter
6 small to medium sized whole apples

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and grease a 7” x 11” pan. Set the pan aside.
First combine the sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan and using a whisk, stir occasionally. Bring the ingredients to a boil at a medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes and then remove from the heat and set aside.
Next, in a large bowl add the flour and salt into a bowl. Then cut the cubed, cold, butter into the flour as when you make pie crust, using a pastry blender or fork. Be sure to work the butter into the dough until it resembles small crumbs.
Then measure out the sourdough starter and cold milk in a measuring cup and mix it together with a fork until combined. You could also do this in a small bowl if you prefer. Start with ¼ cup milk and then add as needed once you add it to the flour/butter mixture.
Once the starter and milk are combined add this to the pie dough dry ingredients and butter. Mix until just moistened. You don’t want to overwork the dough. Once it’s mixed remove the dough to a clean, lightly floured surface.
Make a disc out of the dough flattening it and adding flour to the surface as needed to prevent it from sticking. Roll out the dough into a big rectangle. You want to roll the dough thin. (This will result in a flakier crust.) Once it is thinly rolled out using a knife or bench scraper square up the edges and then divide the crust evenly into 6 pieces. Cutting the long side into 3 equal pieces.

Prepare the Apples:

You will want to peel and core the apples for apple dumplings. An apple peeler/corer is a great way to do this, but you can also do it by hand.
Once the apples are prepared you can take the apples and set one in the center of each piece of dough. Add a little chunk of butter, a tsp of brown sugar and a pinch of cinnamon to the center of each apple.
Then taking each corner bring them up and “stuff” them into the center of the apples. Sealing the edges too. Once they are sealed place the dumplings into a 7” x 11” dish. Repeat with the next 5 apples.
When you have all 6 apple dumplings in the pan take the sauce you made and pour it into the pan till it is about ½ – ¾ of the way full. I will usually pour some of the sauce over the top of the apple dumplings as I am adding it to the pan. Sprinkle the apple dumplings with granulated sugar and then place in the preheated 375 degree oven.
Bake for 40-50 minutes or until nicely golden brown and the sauce is bubbling!

Notes

NOTES
-If you want a flakier crust use ¼ cup shortening and ¼ cup butter for the crust.

-The baking time is also affected by the crispness of the apple. Softer apples need less time whereas a honey crisp will need more time to be soft and baked through.

-Store at room temperature covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container for up to 3 days. They reheat well.

Servings: 6 dumplings

I hope you love making this apple dumpling recipe for you family and/or friends! I feel like apple dumplings are like a personal sized homemade apple pie and so good! Make them just because or for a special occasion. Be sure to leave a comment or review below. I’d love to hear from you! Thank you for stopping by TheFarmChicken!

Mariah N. | TheFarmChicken

He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he.
Proverbs 16:20

FAQ’s:

What are apple dumplings made of?

An apple dumpling is a cored, peeled apple that is filled with cinnamon sugar and wrapped in a flaky and buttery pie crust. They are baked in a caramelly sauce that makes them so ooey gooey and hard to resist.

How to core an apple for apple dumplings?

You can do this one of two ways:
Using an apple corer place it at the top with the stem centered on the apple and press firmly down removing the core.
Using a apple slicer, peeler, corer, you can simply place the apple on the prongs and turn the handle to peel, slice and core the apple.

What are the best apples for apple dumplings?

Braeburn, Jonathan or Cortland. You want a fairly firm apple with a tart apple flavor.