Apple dumplings are a big deal in Pennsylvania, especially in the parts of the state settled by Pennsylvania Dutch families who turned simple apples and dough into a whole-apple dessert. The best ones come wrapped in pastry, baked until soft, and served with a warm cinnamon syrup poured right over the top.
If you grew up eating these, you already know the difference a good bakery makes. This list rounds up eight Pennsylvania bakeries and markets known for their apple dumplings, so you can plan a sweet stop the next time you are driving through the countryside or shopping at a local farm market.
1. Bird-in-Hand Bakery and Cafe, Bird-in-Hand, PA
Deep in Lancaster County, the village of Bird-in-Hand is one of the best places in the state to taste real Pennsylvania Dutch baking. The Bird-in-Hand Bakery and Cafe sits right along Route 340, surrounded by farmland and horse-and-buggy traffic.
The bakery is known for shoofly pie, whoopie pies, breads, and classic fruit-filled desserts made in the Dutch tradition. Apple dumplings fit right in with that lineup, made with a whole apple wrapped in pastry…