10 Old-Fashioned Desserts to Try from Grandma's Recipe Box

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Apple Dumplings

A true farmhouse favorite, apple dumplings are the ultimate warm, cozy dessert. Whole apples are peeled, cored, and wrapped in a tender, buttery pastry, then baked in a cinnamon-spiced syrup until golden and bubbling. This is the kind of old-fashioned treat that fills the kitchen with the comforting aroma of cinnamon, butter, and baked apples, making it the perfect homemade dessert that brings back memories of harvest season and family gatherings. 

Ingredients (for 6 servings):

• 6 small baking apples (like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), peeled and cored
• 1 batch of homemade or store-bought pie dough
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup water
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13” baking dish and set aside.
2. Roll out the pastry dough on a lightly floured surface and cut it into 6 squares (one for each apple).
3. Place one peeled and cored apple in the center of each pastry square. Fill the hollowed center with a little brown sugar and a pat of butter, then fold the dough up and over the apple, pinching to seal at the top.
4. In a saucepan, combine melted butter, remaining brown sugar, water, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Bring to a gentle simmer, then stir in the vanilla extract.
5. Place the wrapped apples in the prepared baking dish and pour the warm syrup over them. Bake for 40-45 min., basting occasionally, until the pastry is golden brown and the apples are tender.
6. Serve warm, drizzled with the cinnamon syrup from the pan, and top with ice cream or whipped cream if desired.