Step 1

Start by making the pastry (optional, if using store-bought pie crust skip to Direction 4). In a food processor: pulse the flour, sugar and salt together. Add the cubed cold butter and pulse until pea-sized crumbs form. Add the apple cider vinegar and 5 Tbsp ice water and pulse, it will look a little bit crumbly at first and then as you pulse it will begin to form into a ball. If it doesn’t clump together easily, add another Tbsp water, or as needed. Be careful not to overmix and once it forms a bowl, transfer it out of the processor and divide into two equal-sized pieces.

Step 2

Whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. Add the cubed cold butter and combine with the flour with a pastry cutter or by hand until pea-sized crumbs of dough form. Add the apple cider vinegar and ice water and incorporate quickly with your hands until a ball of dough is formed. Be careful not to overmix. Once the ball is formed, divide the dough into two equal-sized pieces.

Step 3

Form each piece of dough into a square shape and tightly cover with plastic wrap or a beeswax wrap. Allow the dough to chill for at least 1 hour, or overnight, before using.

Step 4

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13” baking dish.

Step 5

Peel and core your cold apples; it is easier to wrap the dough around the apple if they are chilled as opposed to at room temperature.

Step 6

Roll out one piece of dough into a large 14×14” square. Divide the dough into four even-sized 7×7” squares. Repeat the process with the second piece of dough.

Step 7

Place a cored apple upright into the center of each square. Add a 1 tsp of butter to the center of the apple. Sprinkle the tops of the apple with cinnamon. Bring the corners of the dough up and over the apple, pressing the edges together to fully encase the dough. If there are any scraps of dough, shape them into leaf shapes to decoratively top the dumplings.

Step 8

Place the apple dumplings into the greased baking dish and bake for 30 minutes.

Step 9

While the apple dumplings are baking, make the sauce by combining the water, honey, sugar and salt in a small pan. Bring to a simmer, and simmer until sugar is fully dissolved, about 3-4 minutes.

Step 10

Pour the sauce over the apple dumplings, then place them back in the oven to bake for an additional 20-30 minutes, or until the dough is golden brown, and the apples are tender when tested with a skewer or thin knife.

Step 11

Serve warm or room temperature.

Step 12

To make ahead: Slightly underbake the dumplings by 5-10 minutes. Let them cool, then store covered with foil in the fridge. The next day, reheat them covered in foil for 10-15 minutes in a 350°F oven. Apple dumplings can be made up to two days in advance of serving.