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Cozy Slow Cooker Apple Dumplings with Vanilla Sauce

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Tender apples wrapped in flaky crescent roll dough, slow-cooked in a buttery cinnamon sauce and served with a rich vanilla sauce. An incredibly easy, set-it-and-forget-it dessert that fills your home with the cozy aroma of autumn.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 medium apples (Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Braeburn), peeled and cored
  • 1 can (8 count) refrigerated crescent roll dough
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup vanilla cream soda or ginger ale
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • For the Vanilla Sauce:
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Peel the apples and remove the cores completely using an apple corer or a small knife. Set aside.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
  3. Unroll the crescent roll dough and separate into 8 triangles. Press two triangles together at the wide ends to form a larger rectangle. Repeat to make 3 rectangles (you will have 2 leftover triangles).
  4. Place one apple in the center of each dough rectangle. Sprinkle about 1-2 tablespoons of the cinnamon sugar mixture into the center hole of each apple.
  5. Bring the corners of the dough up and over the apple, pinching the seams to seal completely. Repeat for all three apples.
  6. Lightly grease the insert of a 6-quart slow cooker. Place the wrapped apple dumplings inside.
  7. In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, remaining cinnamon sugar mixture, and vanilla extract. Pour evenly over the dumplings.
  8. Gently pour the cream soda around the edges of the dumplings. Do not stir.
  9. Cover and cook on LOW for 2.5 to 3 hours, or on HIGH for 1.5 to 2 hours, until the apples are tender and the dough is golden.
  10. Optional: To thicken the sauce, carefully remove the dumplings with a slotted spoon and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch with water to make a slurry. Pour into the hot liquid in the slow cooker, whisk, and cook on HIGH for 15-20 minutes until thickened.
  11. While the dumplings cook, make the vanilla sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine heavy cream, sugar, and salt. Whisk constantly until hot and sugar dissolves (about 3-4 minutes). Do not boil. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla bean paste or extract. Set aside to cool slightly.
  12. Serve warm dumplings with a generous spoonful of the thickened slow cooker sauce and a drizzle of vanilla sauce. Add ice cream or whipped cream if desired.

Notes

For best results, use firm apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp. Seal the dough tightly to prevent leaking. The sauce thickens as it cools. Leftover dumplings can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated in the microwave or oven.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker apple dumplings, apple dumplings, slow cooker dessert, fall dessert, apple dessert, crescent roll apple dumplings, vanilla sauce

Find it online: https://prismtaste.com/cozy-slow-cooker-apple-dumplings-with-vanilla-sauce/