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National Apple Dumpling Day

Food · September 17

A day for apple dumplings: whole or halved apples wrapped in pastry, baked until tender, often with a buttery syrup spooned over the top.

National Apple Dumpling Day falls on Friday, September 17, 2027. That is 325 days away.

An apple dumpling is an apple wearing a coat. The fruit is peeled and cored, the hollow is filled with sugar, butter and spice, and the whole thing is wrapped in pastry and baked. What comes out of the oven looks like a small golden parcel, and cutting into one releases a puff of cinnamon steam.

Recipes differ from kitchen to kitchen. Some bakers use whole apples, others halves or slices. Many pour a syrup of sugar, water and butter around the dumplings before baking, so the bottoms turn soft and sticky while the tops stay crisp. Others skip the syrup and serve them with cream, ice cream or a spoonful of caramel. Cinnamon and nutmeg are the usual spices, though a little lemon zest also turns up.

Firm apples hold their shape best in the oven. Tart varieties balance the sweetness of the pastry and syrup, which is why bakers often reach for something like a Granny Smith. Softer apples can collapse into sauce inside their wrapping, which tastes fine but makes for a slumped parcel.

Apple dumplings are a homey dessert, the kind served warm in a shallow bowl so the syrup has somewhere to pool. They show up at family dinners, church suppers and orchard bakeries, and they reheat well the next morning. A leftover dumpling with a cup of coffee is a reasonable breakfast by most household standards.

Ways to celebrate

• Bake apple dumplings using a firm, tart apple variety.
• Try a store-bought pie crust to make wrapping the apples quicker.
• Serve a warm dumpling with cream or vanilla ice cream.
• Ask an older relative how their family made apple dumplings.
• Look for apple dumplings at a local orchard or bakery.

Dates

Categories: Food days