Sprite-Infused Apple Dumplings: A Shortcut to Fall Dessert Bliss

I know pouring Sprite into a pan of apple dumplings sounds completely wrong, but wait until you see what happens in the oven! Apple dumplings wrap cinnamon-sugar apples in crescent rolls and a buttery brown sugar sauce and Sprite for an easy fall dessert!

The Sprite looks like way too much liquid going into the oven, but don’t panic! It bakes into an incredible caramel-like sauce underneath while the tops of the dumplings stay golden and crisp. Just be sure to pour it around the dumplings rather than over the tops. After making versions of this recipe for years, I found two little changes make a HUGE difference: season the apples themselves and add cinnamon and vanilla to the butter mixture. You get so much more apple pie flavor without making the recipe any harder.

Why You’ll Love These Apple Dumplings

This recipe reminds me so much of my grandma’s apple rolls recipe! The flavors are similar, but these apple dumplings are SO much easier!

• Quick and easy: Refrigerated crescent rolls eliminate homemade pastry dough.
• Only 2 apples: A great dessert when you don’t have enough apples for a pie or crisp.
• Crispy + gooey: The tops bake up golden and crisp while the Sprite creates that buttery, gooey sauce underneath.
• Big apple pie flavor: Cinnamon sugar, brown sugar and vanilla give these shortcut dumplings classic fall flavor.
• Perfect with ice cream: Serve them warm with vanilla ice cream and spoon the sauce from the pan over the top.

What Are Apple Dumplings?

Traditional apple dumplings wrap apples in pastry and bake them until tender. This easy version uses refrigerated crescent roll dough instead of homemade pastry. Each piece of dough is wrapped around cinnamon-sugar apples, then baked in a brown sugar butter sauce with Sprite. The result is part apple dumpling, part apple pie, and about a hundred times easier to make!

Apple Dumpling Ingredients

You only need a handful of ingredients for these apple dumplings, and I bet you have most of them already!

• Apples: Granny Smith or Honeycrisp work especially well because they hold their shape as they bake.
• Crescent roll dough: The shortcut that makes these apple dumplings so easy. You’ll find refrigerated crescent rolls near the biscuits.
• Cinnamon sugar: Coats the apples so the filling is flavorful, not bland.
• Flour: Just a little helps thicken the juices released by the apples.
• Butter: Salted butter balances the sweetness of the sauce. If using unsalted, add a little salt.
• Brown sugar: Creates the rich, caramel-like sauce.
• Cinnamon + vanilla: Flavor the butter mixture and give the dumplings more of that classic apple pie flavor.
• Sprite: I know, I know. Just trust me! It helps create that sweet, gooey sauce underneath the dumplings as they bake.

What Are the Best Apples for Apple Dumplings?

The best apples for apple dumplings are firm baking apples that soften in the oven without turning to mush. We especially love Granny Smith for a tart contrast to the sweet sauce or Honeycrisp.