The Pioneer Woman's Apple Dumplings

I’m not sure if you’ve ever heard of Ree Drummond, a.k.a. the Pioneer Woman. If you haven’t, go take a look at her website. And do take the time to read her love story, Black Heels to Tractor Wheels (which may or may not get turned into a movie soon!); it’s a beautiful story and well worth the read.

So anyway, this is her apple dumpling recipe. It’s a low-calorie, healthy dessert... Oh, who am I kidding? It’s a heart attack on a plate. And I don’t often cook like this, but I regret nothing. These dumplings were both easy and addictive, especially when they were still warm, crispy on top and soft on the bottom. I used margarine instead of butter because of the lactose, but I’m sure this would be absolutely delicious with quality butter. There’s Mountain Dew as a surprise ingredient (though after having made this once, I’m sure ginger ale would give it a nice touch too). The Pioneer Woman gives a warning, which I will repeat: “Prepare this dish at your own risk. It is beyond imaginable.”




2 whole Granny Smith apples
2 cans (8 oz cans) of crescent rolls
2 sticks of butter or margarine, salted (seriously)
1 ½ cups of sugar
1 tsp of vanilla
cinnamon (or nutmeg), to taste
1 can (12 oz) of Mountain Dew soda (it seems like a lot, but trust me)

Grease a 9”x13” pan. Preheat the oven at 350 °F.

Peel and core the apples. Cut each apple into 8 slices. Roll each apple slice in a crescent roll. Place in the pan.





Melt the butter, then add the sugar and barely stir. Add the vanilla, barely stir (you want the mixture still lumpy), and pour the entire mixture over the apples. Pour the Mountain Dew around the edges of the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake for 40 minutes.





Serve with lactose-free vanilla ice cream if desired, and spoon some of the sweet sauces from the pan over the top.