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Light Baked Apple Dumplings with Easy Caramel Sauce

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These light baked apple dumplings with caramel sauce are a healthier twist on a classic fall dessert, featuring a tender whole wheat pastry dough and a silky caramel sauce made without heavy cream. Perfect for Thanksgiving or a cozy night in, they deliver all the comforting flavor without the heaviness.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour
  • ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
  • ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt (full-fat or 2%)
  • 3–4 tablespoons ice water
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 4 medium apples (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith), peeled and cored
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ½ cup brown sugar, packed (for caramel sauce)
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (for caramel sauce)
  • ¼ cup apple cider (for caramel sauce)
  • Pinch of salt (for caramel sauce)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Make the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the whole wheat pastry flour, sugar, and salt. Add the cold butter cubes and cut them into the flour using a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse sand with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining.
  3. Add the Greek yogurt and 2 tablespoons of ice water. Stir with a fork until the dough starts coming together. If it feels dry, add more water one tablespoon at a time. Form the dough into a disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  4. Prepare the apples: While the dough chills, peel and core the apples. In a medium bowl, toss the apples with brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice. Set aside.
  5. Roll out the dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a 12×12-inch square, about ⅛-inch thick. Cut the dough into four equal squares.
  6. Assemble the dumplings: Place one apple in the center of each dough square. Bring the corners up and over the apple, pinching the edges together to seal. Place each dumpling seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a couple inches between them.
  7. Make the caramel sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the brown sugar, butter, and apple cider. Stir constantly until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves, about 3-4 minutes. Let it bubble gently for another minute, then remove from heat and stir in the pinch of salt.
  8. Bake: Pour the caramel sauce evenly over and around the dumplings. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and the apples are tender when pierced with a fork. Halfway through, spoon some of the bubbling caramel over the tops of the dumplings.
  9. Rest before serving: Let the dumplings cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. Serve warm, with extra caramel spooned over the top.

Notes

Keep all ingredients cold for a flaky dough. Don’t skip the 30-minute chill time for the dough. Watch the caramel closely to avoid burning. Baste the dumplings halfway through baking for a glossy finish. For best results, serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat in a 350°F oven for 8-10 minutes.

Nutrition

Keywords: apple dumplings, light apple dumplings, caramel sauce, baked apples, fall dessert, healthy dessert, whole wheat pastry, Greek yogurt

Find it online: https://jollyfork.com/light-baked-apple-dumplings-with-easy-caramel-sauce/