Baked Apples Wrapped In Pie Crust Recipe

ByDiane Henkler

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Baked apples wrapped in pie crust are delicious when made for any season. I think they taste best when made in the fall apple season… warm out of the oven and then covered with a sweet vanilla hard sauce, it will be hard to only eat one.

Today I am sharing a favorite autumn recipe with you that is best enjoyed when made and eaten in the fall.

Image of a plate filled with delicious baked apples wrapped in pie crusts called Cannon Ball apple dumplings.

Now that it’s apple season, I am sharing an apple dumpling recipe with you., but not just simply apple dumplings…

…but a favorite of my husband, Ed. They also have a fun story behind them.

The apple dumpling recipe is called Cannon Balls or Cannonballs. The recipe comes from Ed’s alma mater, The U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD.

They are the best baked apples I have ever eaten, but be prepared if you make them… you will want to eat more than one – they are delicious eaten warm out of the oven or for a midnight snack warmed up in the microwave.

Breaking apart an Apple Cannonball baked apple with a fork

Apple Cannon Balls, the vanilla hard sauce covered piecrust wrapped apples are a mess hall favorite through generations of midshipmen. If you know one, ask them… how many Cannon Balls they ate while attending the Naval Academy.

Over the years they have also become one of the many annual traditions that happen at the Naval Academy every year.

The Cannonball Run is just one of dozens of traditions…

a baked apple wrapped in piecrust on a plate ready to be eaten

The annual rites of passage for the midshipmen include proving their mettle in the annual push-up contest, giving the campus statue of Tecumseh better war paint, or partaking in the Cannon Ball run to see who can eat the most apple Cannon Balls in one sitting – all in the name of winning.

The Midshipmen believe in the power of these events, where a good showing means they are stronger, better, more enthusiastic and will surely entice the game gods to favor them on the next game day.

Baked apple dumplings covered with hard sauce on a plate.

A fun food story and tradition that has stood the test of time, but the best part is of course how delish these baked apples are…

I bet you can’t eat just one!

How to Make Baked Apples Wrapped In Pie Crust aka…Cannon Balls

Apples being peeled and cored to make apples wrapped in piecrust
  1. Core and peel the apples.
Cored apples wrapped in pastry in a baking dish.

2. Roll out pie crusts, cut circles and wrap around apples.

Baked Apples with Cinnamon filling called Apple Cannonballs

3. Fill center core with brown sugar and cinnamon mixture.

Baked apple dessert getting ready to be baked.

4. Close open top of apple with a piece of pie crust.

Sealing the pastry dough over apples getting ready to be baked in the oven.

5. Seal and smooth pie crust with water and your fingers.

6. Bake and then…

Breaking apart an Apple Cannonball baked apple with a fork

Enjoy.

Baked Apple Cannon Ball Recipe

Baked apple dumplings covered with hard sauce on a plate.
Print Recipe

Baked Apples Wrapped In Pie Crust and Hard Sauce

A US Naval Academy mess hall staple called, Apple Cannonballs. They are basically a baked apple wrapped in piecrust and then covered with a sweet hard sauce. I bet you can't eat just one.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Total Time45 mins
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: apple, baked apples, baked apples wrapped in piecrust
Servings: 8 people
Cost: $10.00

Ingredients

  • 8 small-medium sized apples (I used Gala apples)
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 package with 2 ready to bake rolled pie crusts (sold in dairy case)
  • 1 cup water used to dip finger in to smooth dough before baking
  • 1 cup butter (softened)
  • 2 cups confectioner's sugar
  • 3 tsp vanilla
  • 2 egg whites

Instructions

  • Peel and core the apples.
  • Combine brown sugar and cinnamon and mix well.
  • Fill the center of the apples with the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture.
  • Roll out the piecrust/pastry and cut pieces to cover each apple.
  • Seal piecrust/pastry with water and your fingers, closing at the top and bottom to seal each apple. Smooth the pie crust pastry over the entire apple.
  • Place in an ungreased baking dish.
  • Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes or until crusts are golden brown.

For the Hard Sauce

  • Mix butter and powdered sugar in a mixer until well blended.
  • Add the vanilla and beat until well blended. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold into the sauce.
  • Chill 2 hours.

To Serve

  • When the apples come out of the oven, place on a plate to begin cooling. Remove hard sauce from the refrigerator and let warm a bit before spooning over the baked apples.
  • The baked apples taste best eaten when they are still warm. If they cool, warm in microwave for about 15 seconds.

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23 Comments

  3. I love stories and history of food recipes, thank you for sharing! These look amazing…nothing better than apples and pie crust!

    Reply

  4. Hi Diane.
    This recipe sounds so yummy that I just might give it a try, even though I’m not much of a baker. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply