Healthier Gluten Free Apple Dumplings for National Apple Dumpling Day

Free of gluten, soy, eggs, nuts and corn

Am I on a roll or what?!  I've actually managed to post 2 national food day recipes ahead of time, 2 weeks in a row. I'm awfully proud of myself right now, especially since I usually end up scrambling at the last minute to clean up some pictures and post a recipe.  

September 17 is all about Apple Dumplings!  And in honour of it, I've created a slightly healthified Gluten Free Apple Dumplings recipe.  And my husband's response after biting into one? "Ohh... so you only made three of them? Damn."

Needless to say I'll be making these again. And soon. (I let him eat 2.5 of the 3!)

Happy National Apple Dumplings Day, I hope you enjoy this apple dumpling recipe


 Unfortunately, just like National Hot Cross Bun Day I haven't been able to find out anything about the origins of this national food day. I wish I could tell you more, but there is some vague reference to it going back a few centuries to medieval Europe.  If anyone knows more I'd love to hear about it!

So I've never had apple dumplings before, nevermind gluten free ones. But when I saw this day on a food calendar I knew I had to give it a try.

But most of the recipes I found were baked in a thick, sugary syrup. Some even called for a can of Mountain Dew.

Eww.

Sorry, but Mountain Dew is a super sugary, corn syrupy, chemical laden concoction that includes "yellow #5" (although in some places, apparently the ingredients change depending on what country or state it is sold in, this seems strange, no?)  Oh, and vegetable oil. Whaaa?

 So my version is made with a very light honey syrup which you can even do without if you prefer.

You can find the recipe below, but here's a little photo tutorial to show you how I put mine together.

 Core your apple using a knife or apple corer (I used a knife)

Peel your apple

I happened to have my new crock pot stewing some broth on the counter so I tossed my apple peels in there, which added an awesome, light flavour to the broth

 

 Roll out the pie crust very thin. Cut into squares 6x6". Place apple in centre and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, top with a small amount of butter.

Fold dough up over apple. Pinch sides. You can leave them here as more of a square shape OR mold the dough around the apple so it is smooth and more apple shaped.

If desired, use leftover dough to cut leaves and roll little bits to make vines and apple stem. Press onto apple to secure  

Prick dough with a fork to allow steam to escape.  

Drizzle with syrup and bake approximately 40 minutes.

 Serve drizzled with syrup.

Ingredients: 

1 batch Gluten Free Pie Dough (as found on my Apple Pie recipe) chilled for 20 minutes, then taken out to rest for 5 minutes until pliable
3 crisp apples, cored and peeled (I used organic, local ones from the farmers market)


Filling:

1 Tbsp organic brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1 Tbsp organic butter, divided into 3
(Optional: 1 Tbsp chopped walnuts or raisins)


Syrup:

2 Tbsp honey
1/2 c water
1/2 Tbsp orange blossom water (optional, found in Asian/Middle Eastern markets or ethnic sections)
1/2 tsp lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F

1.  Heat water enough to dissolve honey. Stir in optional orange blossom water and lemon juice.

2. Mix together brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.

3. Roll out pie dough approximately 1/8" thick on a flat surface, either sprinkled with flour or on wax paper. Cut into 3 6x6" squares. 

3. Place apple on centre of square. Sprinkle inside and around apple with 1/3 of the cinnamon and sugar mix. Add nuts and raisins if using. Place butter on top of hole in apple core. Fold dough up over apple, press edges together at the seams and decorate with leaves if desired. Prick dough in various places around the apple with a fork to allow steam to escape. Place apples in a baking pan (I used a loaf pan since it fit 3 apples perfectly) and drizzle with syrup.

4. Bake approximately 40 minutes, until apple is soft. Serve with syrup spooned over top. 

Have you ever tried apple dumplings? Do you have a favorite way to make them?

 Looking for more national food day posts? You might want to check out: 

Gluten and Dairy Free Hot Cross Buns for National Hot Cross Bun Day

Turkish Coffee for National Coffee Day

Gluten Free Apple Pie for National Apple Pie Day

Have you checked out my gluten free pasta book  Recipes for Unusual Gluten Free Pasta: Pierogis, Dumplings, Desserts and More! ? Get yourself a copy and start making GF won tons, pierogis, dumplings, and orzo today :)  

This post was shared on the following great link parties: Melt in Your Mouth Mondays, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Traditional Tuesdays, Hearth and Soul Hop, Fat Tuesday, Gluten Free Wednesday, Allergy Free Wednesdays, Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways, Fight Back Fridays, Gluten Free Fridays, Whole Food Fridays,