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Lighter Baked Apple Dumplings: Easy Cinnamon Sugar Sauce

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These lighter baked apple dumplings with cinnamon sugar sauce are a healthier twist on a classic fall dessert, featuring a flaky Greek yogurt pastry and a reduced-sugar sauce that tastes just as indulgent as the original.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup (60g) whole wheat pastry flour
  • 4 tablespoons (56g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
  • ½ cup (120g) plain Greek yogurt
  • 3–4 tablespoons (45-60ml) ice water
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon (12g) granulated sugar
  • 4 medium apples (about 600g), such as Honeycrisp or Fuji
  • 2 tablespoons (25g) packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated if possible
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) lemon juice
  • 1 cup (240ml) water
  • ⅓ cup (67g) packed brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons (24g) granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon (8g) cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
  • A tiny pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Position the rack in the center. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish or line it with parchment paper.
  2. Make the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat pastry flour, sugar, and salt. Add the cold butter cubes. Using a pastry cutter or two forks, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining (about 2 minutes).
  3. Add the yogurt: Drop the Greek yogurt into the flour mixture. Use a fork to gently incorporate it, then add ice water one tablespoon at a time, mixing just until the dough comes together. It should be shaggy and slightly sticky. Form into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
  4. Prepare the apples: While the dough chills, peel the apples. Cut each apple in half through the stem, then use a melon baller or small spoon to scoop out the core and seeds. In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice. Rub this mixture all over the apples, inside and out. Set aside.
  5. Roll out the dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a 14×14-inch square, about ⅛-inch thick. Cut the dough into four equal squares, roughly 7 inches each.
  6. Assemble the dumplings: Place one apple half, cut-side up, in the center of each dough square. Bring the corners of the dough up and over the apple, pinching the seams together to seal. Place each dumpling seam-side down in the prepared baking dish, leaving a little space between them.
  7. Make the cinnamon sugar sauce: In a small saucepan, combine the water, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water until smooth. Slowly pour this into the simmering sauce, whisking constantly. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
  8. Pour the sauce over the dumplings: Carefully pour the warm sauce around and over the dumplings, making sure each one gets coated.
  9. Bake: Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the dumplings are golden brown and the apples are tender when pierced with a fork. Halfway through, spoon some of the sauce from the bottom over the tops to keep them moist.
  10. Cool and serve: Let the dumplings rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. The sauce will thicken slightly as it cools. Spoon extra sauce over each serving.

Notes

Keep all ingredients cold for best results. If dough tears when wrapping apples, patch with a small piece of dough. Baste dumplings halfway through baking for a glossy finish. Let rest 5-10 minutes before serving to allow sauce to thicken.

Nutrition

Keywords: apple dumplings, baked apple dumplings, healthy apple dumplings, lighter apple dumplings, cinnamon sugar sauce, fall dessert, Greek yogurt pastry

Find it online: https://cravemila.com/lighter-baked-apple-dumplings-easy-cinnamon-sugar-sauce/