Easy Caramel Apple Ring (With Two Great Shortcuts!)
Easy Desserts That Satisfy
I am married to a man with an enormous sweet tooth, so over the years, I’ve come up with many easy dessert recipes. Contrary to what some people think, desserts don’t have to be complicated or time-consuming to be delicious and attractive. With some good ideas and tweaking, easy desserts can be just as appealing as their more difficult counterparts.
This caramel apple ring is a great example. In about 30 minutes, you can have a warm, gooey, delicious dessert that everyone will love. You can serve it hot with ice cream or serve it warm with a powdered sugar drizzle. Either way, it’s a real winner!
My Two Shortcuts
Why is this caramel apple ring one of my easy dessert recipes? It’s easy because it uses a couple of shortcuts.
- Crescent rolls: You don’t have to prepare a crust; the crescent rolls take care of that.
- Canned pie filling: Since you’ll be using canned pie filling, there’s no peeling, slicing, or baking apples, either. I find that most canned apple pie fillings are a little on the bland side, so I add some butter, cinnamon, and ground cloves.
With some creativity, your family and guests don’t have to know that your beautiful offerings were made with easy dessert recipes. Keep it a secret and just enjoy the praises you’re sure to get! You might also want to try this easy dessert recipe with other types of pie filling, too.
Caramel Apple Flavor
I’ve always liked caramel apples. There’s something almost magical about the marriage of tart apples and sweet, rich caramel. In addition to the flavor combination, I think some people enjoy the memories associated with caramel apples: fall carnivals, county fairs, and Halloween.
This easy dessert recipe I’m sharing with you today will definitely remind you of caramel apples that you might have enjoyed as a child—only this is actually easier than the caramel apple-making process. It’s a heck of a lot easier to eat, too. You won’t have to worry about pulling out your fillings!
Cook Time
Prep time | Cook time | Ready in | Yields |
---|---|---|---|
15 min | 15 min | 30 min | 16 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 (21-ounce) can apple pie filling
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 (8-ounce) cans refrigerated crescent roll dough
- 1 (12.25-ounce) jar caramel topping (I use Smucker's)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Combine apple pie filling, melted butter, cinnamon, and ground cloves. Set aside.
- Cover two large, flat cookie sheets with foil and spray with cooking spray.
- Divide one can of crescent rolls into eight triangles. Form triangles into a sunburst (see photo). Press dough together at the bases of triangles. Repeat with the other can of crescent rolls.
- Spoon half of the pie filling onto each dough ring, around the center hole. Drizzle pie filling with caramel topping. I use about three tablespoons of caramel for each apple ring.
- Fold points of rolls over the filling, tucking under the wide parts of triangles. Wipe away any excess caramel with paper towels.
- Bake until rolls are brown, about 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.
- Combine powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle over apple rings.
- If you prefer, omit powdered sugar glaze and serve apple ring hot, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and some of the remaining caramel topping.
- To transfer apple rings to serving dishes, use two large spatulas.
Photo Guide

Unroll dough on foil-line cookie sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Divide dough into eight triangles.
holle abee