Instant Pot Apple Dumplings
These Instant Pot apple dumplings wrap tender apple wedges in buttery crescent roll dough and cook them in a warm cinnamon-brown sugar sauce. They are an easy, budget-friendly dessert that tastes like fall and is ready with just a few minutes of hands-on prep.
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Nothing says fall quite like a warm apple dessert. My family loves visiting the apple orchard, and this easy apple dumplings recipe is one of my favorite ways to use the apples we bring home. Using refrigerated crescent rolls keeps the cost and prep time low, so you can make a cozy dessert even on a busy weeknight.
If you love easy apple recipes, try my caramel apple Danish or this creamy caramel apple dip next.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy: Refrigerated crescent rolls save time, and the Instant Pot does most of the work.
- Budget-friendly: This dessert uses simple grocery-store ingredients without a long shopping list.
- Full of fall flavor: Apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, and cider create a warm, cozy sauce.
- Family-friendly: Each dumpling is an individual serving, which makes dessert easy to dish up.
Ingredients for Instant Pot Apple Dumplings
You only need eight simple ingredients for these apple dumplings. Check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact amounts and full instructions.
- Crescent rolls: Refrigerated dough makes the dumplings quick and easy to assemble. Store-brand crescent rolls work well if you want to save a little money.
- Apple: Use one large apple or two small apples. A crisp variety will hold its shape best while cooking.
- Butter: This gives the sauce a rich flavor and helps the brown sugar melt.
- Brown sugar: It sweetens the sauce and adds a light caramel flavor.
- Vanilla extract: A small amount rounds out the warm apple flavor.
- Ground cinnamon and nutmeg: These pantry spices make the dumplings taste like apple pie.
- Apple cider: The cider adds liquid for pressure cooking and gives the sauce even more apple flavor.
How to Make Instant Pot Apple Dumplings
This easy apple dumplings recipe comes together in a few simple steps. Peel and slice the apple before you start so everything is ready to go.
Step 1: Wrap the apples
Set the Instant Pot to Sauté. While it heats, separate the crescent roll dough into triangles on a clean, flat surface. Place one large apple wedge, or two small wedges, on the wide end of each triangle. Roll the dough around the apple and tuck the pointed end underneath. Repeat with the remaining dough and apples.
Step 2: Make the cinnamon sauce
Add the butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the Instant Pot. Stir until the butter is melted and the ingredients are well combined. Nestle the wrapped apple dumplings into the sauce in a single layer.
Step 3: Add the cider and pressure cook
Pour the apple cider slowly around the sides of the pot instead of directly over the dough. Cancel Sauté, secure the lid, and set the valve to Sealing. Pressure cook on High for 10 minutes.
Step 4: Natural release and serve
When the cooking time ends, allow the pressure to release naturally until the pin drops, about 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully open the lid and let the dumplings cool for a few minutes. Serve them warm with a spoonful of the cinnamon sauce from the pot.
Helpful tip: I made this recipe in a 6-quart Instant Pot. The dough will be soft and gooey from pressure cooking, which is exactly what makes these dumplings so cozy and delicious.
Variations
- Add caramel: Drizzle a little caramel sauce over each apple wedge before wrapping it in the dough, or add caramel just before serving.
- Try peaches: Replace the apple wedges with sliced peaches for an easy peach cobbler-inspired dessert.
- Add crunch: Sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts over the finished dumplings.
- Make them extra special: Serve the warm dumplings with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Craving more apple pie flavor? These mini apple pie bites are another easy family favorite.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover apple dumplings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Keep any extra sauce with the dumplings so they stay moist.
Reheat individual servings in the microwave in short intervals until warm. For a slightly firmer outside, reheat them in a 350-degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes or in an air fryer at 350 degrees for 3 to 5 minutes.
You can freeze the cooked dumplings for up to three months, but the crescent roll dough will be softer after thawing. For the best texture, enjoy them fresh or refrigerated.
Tips for the Best Apple Dumplings
- Choose a crisp apple such as Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, or Gala so the fruit does not turn mushy.
- Cut the apple wedges into similar sizes so the dumplings cook evenly.
- Pour the cider around the edges of the pot to avoid washing the cinnamon mixture off the dough.
- Wait for the pressure pin to drop before opening the lid.
- Serve the dumplings warm, when the apples are tender and the sauce is at its best.
Frequently Asked Questions
Crisp apples that hold their shape work best. Granny Smith adds a tart flavor, while Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, and Gala are sweeter options.
Yes. Prepare the dumplings and sauce as directed, then place them in a glass or ceramic baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 17 minutes, or until the crescent roll dough is cooked through.
You can peel and slice the apples a few hours ahead and refrigerate them in an airtight container. For the best texture, wrap and cook the dumplings shortly before serving.
More Apple Recipes
If your family loves apple desserts as much as mine does, try one of these easy recipes next:
Instant Pot Apple Dumplings Recipe
Ready to make these Instant Pot apple dumplings? Print the recipe card below, or turn on Cook Mode to keep your screen from going dark. If you are saving this dessert for later, be sure to pin the recipe so it is easy to find.
Instant Pot Apple Dumplings
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 can crescent rolls 8 oz (Pillsbury or generic)
- 1 large apple cored peeled and cut into 8 wedges, or 2 small apples cored, peeled, and cut into 16 wedges
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- ¾ cup apple cider
Instructions
- Turn your instant pot on sauté mode. While that heats up, lay out a flat surface to prepare your dumplings.
- On a flat surface, lay out one of the perforated triangles from the crescent rolls. Using one large apple slice, or two small apple slices, lay them on the the long side of the crescent roll. Roll until the end of the triangle is tucked away. Repeat until every dumpling is rolled.
- Add to your instant pot your butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mixed together until everything is well incorporated and your butter is melted.
- Add in each dumpling to your instant pot nestled in the butter and sugar mixture.
- Evenly distribute your apple cider to the instant pot by pouring a little bit at a time on the sides of the pot. Do not pour directly over the dumplings.
- Pressure cook on high for 10 minutes. Close the ceiling valve by making sure it’s pushed away from you.
- Once your instant pot has finished and the timer is done, allow it to naturally release and wait until the pin has dropped.
- Allowed to cool for a few minutes, and then transfer to your serving dish or plate. Top with ice cream, caramel sauce, whipped cream, or as is. Enjoy!
Notes
Disclaimer:
Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.
Nutrition
