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These Apple Crescent Donuts are one of my favorite fall-inspired treats. They’re made by wrapping crescent dough around apple slices, brushing with cinnamon sugar butter, and baking until golden. They taste like a shortcut apple fritter but are so much easier. My daughters love dusting them with powdered sugar at the end — it’s the perfect little kitchen project together.
👉 You may also like my Crescent Roll Cinnamon Rolls or Mini Cheesecake Pies.
These Apple Crescent Donuts are an easy 30-minute dessert made with fresh apple rings wrapped in crescent dough. Brushed with cinnamon sugar butter and baked until golden, they’re cozy, budget-friendly, and perfect for fall baking.
Why you’ll love this recipe…
Apple desserts always remind me of fall, and this one has become a family favorite. It’s the kind of recipe where you get all the cozy flavors without needing a deep fryer or tons of steps.
I love that you can use any apple variety you have on hand. Once baked, they’re golden on the outside, soft on the inside, and just the right amount of sweet. These are especially fun desserts for kids — my daughters love helping wrap the dough around the apple rings.
⏰ Total Time: 30 minutes
🍂 Perfect For: Fall baking, after-school treats, easy desserts
🛒 Key Ingredients: Apples, crescent roll dough, butter, cinnamon sugar
🍽️ Servings: About 6 donuts
🥄 Skill Level: Easy
🧊 Storage: Best fresh, but fridge up to 2 days
👉 If you liked these, you might also enjoy my Pumpkin Cookies or Apple Dump Cake.
Made With Love,
What You’ll Need for Apple Crescent Donuts
- Apples – Any firm variety works (I like to use Honeycrisp or Granny Smith).
- Crescent dough – Cut into thin strips to wrap around the apple rings.
- Butter – Mixed with cinnamon and sugar for brushing the top.
- Brown sugar + cinnamon – The classic flavor combo that makes these taste like a perfect fall treat.
👉 For another cozy dessert, you may like my Oreo Dump Cake.
Full Ingredients List
- 3 apples, peeled
- 2 tbsp butter, melted
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 can (8 oz) crescent roll dough (triangle sheets or regular, unrolled)
🔒 The printable recipe card below includes the full ingredient list and exact amounts — perfect for saving or printing for later.
How to Make Apple Crescent Donuts
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2: Slice peeled apples into ½-inch thick rings. Use a small cutter to remove cores, creating donut shapes.
Step 3: Mix melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl.
Step 4: Unroll crescent dough and cut into thin strips.
Step 5: Wrap apple rings with dough strips, overlapping slightly to cover most of the apple.
Step 6: Place wrapped rings on the baking sheet and brush tops with cinnamon sugar butter.
Step 7: Bake 15 minutes, until golden and apples are tender.
Step 8: Cool slightly before serving. Optional: dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with glaze.
🔒 The step-by-step instructions are also available in the printable recipe card below — don’t forget to save it for later!
Apple Crescent Donuts Variations
- Drizzle with caramel sauce after baking for caramel apple donuts.
- Use pumpkin pie spice instead of cinnamon for extra fall flavor.
- Add chopped pecans or walnuts before wrapping in dough.
👉 If you liked these, you may also like my Crescent Roll Cinnamon Rolls.
My Pro TipS
Tips and Tricks
- Slice apples evenly so they bake at the same rate.
- Pinch dough seams together to keep them from opening while baking.
- Let them cool slightly before dusting with powdered sugar so it sticks.
- Best eaten warm for the full apple pie flavor.
Recipe FAQs – Apple Crescent Donuts
Yes, peeling makes the donuts more tender and easier to eat.
Not for this recipe — you’ll want whole rings so they look like donuts.
Powdered sugar with a splash of milk or apple cider makes a quick glaze.
Yes, warm in the oven at 325°F for 5–7 minutes.
👉 If you love easy fall desserts, check out my Pumpkin Dump Cake.
Serving Suggestions
- Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with glaze before serving.
- Pair with Crescent Roll Cinnamon Rolls for a breakfast spread.
- Serve alongside coffee or apple cider for a fall treat.
- For more sweetness, you may also like Mini Cheesecake Pies.
Make-Ahead, Storage & Reheating
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container up to 2 days.
- Freezer: Not ideal since apples release moisture.
- Reheat: Bake at 325°F for 5 minutes to refresh.
👉 Looking for more? Browse my Desserts Recipes.
Pin this recipe on Pinterest to save it for later!
Apple Crescent Donuts
Ingredients
- 3 apples, peeled
- 2 tbsp butter, melted
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 can, 8 oz crescent roll dough (triangle sheets or regular, unrolled)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Slice apples into ½-inch rings, remove cores.
- Mix melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
- Cut crescent dough into thin strips. Wrap apple rings with dough.
- Place on baking sheet, brush with cinnamon sugar butter.
- Bake 15 minutes until golden and tender.
- Cool slightly, dust with powdered sugar or drizzle glaze.
Notes
- Best fresh, but can refrigerate 2 days.
- Reheat at 325°F to crisp up again.
- Peel apples for best texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
