Easy, fall-ready Crescent Roll Apple Dumplings are warm cinnamon-spiced apples wrapped in flaky Pillsbury crescent roll dough. With minimal prep and ingredients you likely already have, they’re the perfect easy dessert for family gatherings, potlucks, or a cozy weeknight treat.
Apple Dumpling Crescent Rolls
Some desserts just feel like home, and this is one of them. Crescent roll apple dumplings are simple, warm, and made with ingredients you probably already have on hand.
Why We Love Crescent Roll Apple Dumplings
- Comforting Flavors: Butter, brown sugar, and warm spices create a gooey, caramel-like filling that is so good with apples.
- Saves Time: No need to make pie crust, use Pillsbury crescent roll dough, assemble, and bake.
- Use Any Apples: Choose tart apples, sweet, or what you have handy.
- Flexible Spice Options: I used apple pie spice but pumpkin pie spice or a homemade mix will work (See recipe card notes for my mix).
- Easy Portioning: This recipe makes 16 dumplings, so guests can take one or two easily.
These are the kind of treat you can throw together on a whim, whether it’s a lazy Sunday or you just need something warm and sweet after dinner.
Sometimes a shortcut in the kitchen can be very delicious!
Ingredients in Crescent Roll Apple Dumplings
• Fresh Apples
• Crescent Roll Dough (Pillsbury recommended)
• Unsalted Butter (plus extra for greasing the pan)
• Brown Sugar
• White Granulated Sugar
• Apple Pie Spice (or a blend. See recipe card notes for my mix.)
• Salt
• Heavy Cream (or lemon-lime soda as an alternative)
Ingredient Tips
- Apples: I used Fuji apples, but any variety that holds its shape during baking works well. Try Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Red Delicious for firmer dumplings. If you prefer a softer texture, go with Gala or Golden Delicious.
- Spices: I like using a pre-mixed pie spice (apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice) to cut down on measuring. If you'd rather mix your own, see recipe card notes.
- Butter: If using salted butter, omit the extra salt in the recipe.
- Cream Substitute: You can swap the ½ cup of heavy cream for lemon-lime soda (like Sprite or 7UP). This is a popular variation that gives the sauce a fizzy, sweet caramel flavor.
How to Make Apple Dumplings with Crescent Roll Dough
Prep – Preheat your oven to 350⁰ F. Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.
Make Sugar Mixture
• In a mixing bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar, white sugar, apple pie spice, and salt until thoroughly combined.
• Peel, core, and cut your apples into 16 equal-sized wedges.
Assemble Apple Dumplings
• Unroll a crescent dough triangle onto a clean, flat surface.
• Spread about a Tablespoon of the sugar mixture onto the dough, concentrating it at the widest part of the dough.
• Place a slice of apple onto the dough about ¼-½ inch from the base edge of the dough.
• Tucking the apple slice inward, roll the dough into a crescent shape, pinching the seams together to keep the filling inside.
• Continue working until all of the crescent rolls have been filled and shaped.
• Arrange the dumplings side-by-side into the bottom of your prepared baking dish.
• Pour the heavy cream over the dumplings, concentrating on getting it into the cracks between the dumplings and all around the edges of the pan.
Bake the Apple Dumplings
• Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the dough is set and golden brown on the top, and the apples are soft when pierced with a knife. Cover with foil during baking if tops are browning too fast.
Serving Ideas
• Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
• For extra sweetness, drizzle with caramel sauce and sprinkle flaky sea salt.
• Lightly toasted pecans or walnuts add a nice crunch and nutty flavor.
Cooking & Baking Tips
• Even Baking: If the tops of the dumplings start browning faster than the bottoms, cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil and return it to the oven (Be careful not to burn your hands on the hot pan edges when doing this).
• Dough Wrapping: Make sure to roll the apple wedges tightly in the crescent dough so they stay closed during baking and don’t leak as much (they will a little, and that's okay).
More Easy Dessert Recipes
Slow Cooker Cinnamon Roll Casserole
No Bake Peanut Butter Pie
Mini Cheesecakes Recipe
Peach Upside Down Cake
Norwegian Apple Pie
Storage & Reheating
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–5 days. Dumplings will soften over time.
• Reheat covered with foil in a 325°F oven or air fryer until warm (about 10–15 minutes), or microwave individual servings.
• These apple dumplings are delicious hot, warm, or even served cold at room temperature!
The easiest decadent apple dumplings in less than an hour! Canned crescent roll dough stuffed with tart apples and a gooey cinnamon roll filling. The taste of the classic recipe in a fraction of the time.
- 1 stick Unsalted Butter softened (plus extra for greasing pan)
- ½ cup Brown Sugar
- ½ cup White Granulated Sugar
- 1 ½ Tablespoons Apple Pie Spice Mix (see Notes)
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 2 large Apples
- 2 8-oz tubes Crescent Roll Dough (8 rolls per tube)
- ½ cup Heavy Cream
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Preheat your oven to 350⁰ F. Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.
-
Peel, core, and cut your apples into 16 equally-sized wedges.
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In a mixing bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar, white sugar, apple pie spice, and salt until thoroughly combined.
-
Unroll a crescent dough triangle onto a clean, flat surface.
-
Spread about a Tablespoon of the sugar mixture onto the dough, concentrating it at the widest part of the dough.
-
Place a slice of apple onto the dough about ¼-½ inch from the base edge of the dough.
-
Tucking the apple slice inward, roll the dough into a crescent shape, pinching the seams together to keep the filling inside.
-
Continue working until all of the crescent rolls have been filled and shaped.
-
Arrange the dumplings side-by-side into the bottom of your prepared baking dish.
-
Pour the heavy cream over the dumplings, concentrating on getting it into the cracks between the dumplings and all around the edges of the pan.
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Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the dough is set and golden brown on the top, and the apples are soft when pierced with a knife. Cover with foil during baking if tops are browning too fast.
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Serve warm with vanilla ice cream and/or caramel sauce for garnish if desired.
Apple Pie Spice
If you don't have apple pie spice, you can mix up your own using this recipe, or to your own taste.
(use 1 ½ Tablespoons of mix for this recipe)
- 2 tablespoons ground Cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon ground Nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground Ginger
- ¾ teaspoon ground Cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground Allspice
FAQ: Crescent Roll Apple Desserts
- Can I use other Pillsbury dough for this recipe?
This recipe was developed using classic Pillsbury crescent roll dough, but you can experiment with other options like biscuit dough or pie crust for a different texture. This is my favorite of the Pillsbury apple recipes, it is a great starting point if you're looking for something simple and cozy. - What are some other ways to use crescent rolls and apples?
Once you’ve tried this recipe, you’ll the magic of pillsbury crescent roll apple recipes. You can use similar ingredients to make mini apple turnovers, hand pies and more using the same Pillsbury dough base.
Why Pillsbury Crescent Roll Dough?
Using Pillsbury crescent roll dough means consistent, flaky results every time. Pillsbury’s split-leaf design makes wrapping each apple wedge a breeze, and the buttery layers bake up golden without extra effort. Plus, Pillsbury tubes are widely available year-round, saving you a specialty store run.
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