52 Essential Apple Recipes to Make This Fall

updated Aug 28, 2023

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A stack of pancakes, topped with caramelized, baked apple slices, on a blue plate, with a white bowl more apples slices in the background. — Credit: Perry Santanachote
Apple Pancakes

As much as it’s hard to beat the juicy crunch that comes with biting into an apple straight out of hand, I think we can all agree that the real fun is getting those crisp apples into the kitchen. There are endless possibilities for fall’s favorite fruit — they really can be cut up and baked and cooked every which way.

Things like apple pie, cake, and crumble are classic, but that’s really just the start when it comes to possibilities. Apples happen to play just as well in savory recipes, too, like salads, soups, and pastas.

If baking is at the top of your list, remember that some varieties are better than others. Crisp, firm Honeycrisps, Granny Smith, Jonagolds, and Cortlands are a few of the best apples for baking because they won’t fall apart in the oven and have a balance of sweet-tart flavor.

From sweet treats to savory meals, we’re sharing 52 apple recipes that will help you make the most of your haul.

Apple Dessert Recipes

You simply can’t beat a classic apple pie (though apple cake, dumplings, crisps, and crumbles never disappoint).

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When it comes to desserts starring apples, you can't go wrong with a classic apple pie.

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Brown Sugar Apple Pan Dowdy

Brown sugar-sweetened apples baked under a pastry crust that's been broken into syrup-coated pieces.

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Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars

With three impressive layers, plus a double dose of caramel sauce, these pie bars are a fall dessert you don’t want to miss out on.

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Caramel Apple Cheesecake

Creamy cheesecake gets upgraded by perfectly cooked apples and a simple, elegant caramel sauce inspired by English toffee.

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One-Bowl Apple Cranberry Upside-Down Cake

This pretty fruit-topped treat is glazed with a cinnamon caramel and comes together in an hour.

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Apple Crumble Pie

The all-American classic apple pie gets crowned with an unforgettably crumbly top.

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Honey Apple Cake

It's so rare to feature apples in a show-stopping layer cake, which is why this recipe is so special.

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Baked Apple Dumplings

Whenever you need something just a little more indulgent than a humble slice of pie, baked apples are for you.

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Cheesecake-Stuffed Baked Apples

This cozy dessert takes fall baking to a whole new level. Hollowed-out apples are stuffed with graham cracker crumbs and a cheesecake filling, then baked until soft and golden.

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Glazed Apple Fritters

Who can deny the light, pillow-soft texture of a deep-friend doughnut? It's evermore difficult when it's stuffed with fresh juicy apples, like this glazed apple fritter.

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Apple Cinnamon Mini Monkey Breads

Let's be clear, this is no muffin. What you're actually getting are little pull-apart nuggets of buttery, gooey apple-cinnamon bliss.

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Mini Apple Pies

These mini apple pies — baked up in muffin tins — are a sure fire way to share your apple bounty with loved ones.

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It's a no-brainer, you must serve this apple crumble warm with generous scoops of vanilla ice cream.

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Honey Apple Cakelets

Chopped apples are folded into a honey-sweetened cake batter to achieve these cute little cakelets, which get drizzled with an apple spice glaze, then sprinkled with toasted almonds.

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Flaky, croissant breadcrumbs make this treat even better than apple crisp.

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Apple Yogurt Cake with a Cinnamon-Sugar Streak

This is the kind of baking recipe that delivers maximum pleasure with minimum effort. It's a moist cinnamon-apple cake that takes about 15 minutes to prepare the batter.

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Mini Apple Rose Pies

These delicate, handheld pies are a sweet as they look and they're sure to impress whoever is lucky enough to eat them.

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Sunken Apple Cake (Versunkener Apfelkuchen)

This traditional German cake is homey and simple, and you probably already have all the ingredients for it in your pantry.

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Honey Custards with Caramelized Apples

These smooth, sweet, delicious honey custards are baked in round ramekins and topped with caramelized apples.

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Maple Roasted Pear and Apple Mocktails

Infused with fall spices and made with roasted pears and apples, this sweet mocktail is topped off with bubbly ginger beer.

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Skillet Apple Crisp

Learn how (and why) you should bake your next apple crisp in a skillet.

Apple Recipes for Breakfast

There’s no shortage of sweet and savory ways to bring apples to the breakfast table.

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These autumn-inspired pancakes will updgrade the flavor game of your breakfast table.

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Stuffed Apple Pie Scones

These buttery, double-decker apple cinnamon scones are streaked with a layer of sweet apple butter.

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These tender muffins are studded with chunks of fresh apple and showered with plenty of cinnamon-sugar.

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Apple Coffee Cake

Add this homemade apple coffee cake with streusel topping to you baking bucket list this fall.

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Apple Pie Granola Bars

Why yes, you can eat pie for breakfast if that pie is in the form of these not-cloyingly-sweet, extra-filling homemade granola bars.

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Apple Streusel Muffins

There's a lot to adore about tender muffins studded with sweet bits of apple. But we'd be kidding ourselves if we didn't admit that the crisp, buttery streusel was the part that truly won us over.

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Apple Farro Breakfast Bowl with Cranberries and Hazelnuts

Step aide, oatmeal. This farro breakfast bowl will warm you up in the morning and satisfy you until lunch.

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Apple, Sausage, and Smoked Cheddar Breakfast Casserole

A sweet, smoke, savory casserole like this one is sure to wake up your taste buds in the morning. Make it for a Saturday brunch with family.

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Apple-Oat Breakfast Squares

This wholesome recipe for gluten-free oatmeal bars is sweetened with maple syrup and perfect for breakfast on the go.

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Apple Honey Challah Pull-Apart Bread

This shareable loaf is made with plush challah bread and filled with lightly sugared apples, then finished in a shiny honey glaze.

Savory Apple Recipes

Apples are also amazing in savory dishes. Add them to everything from salad to pasta to roast chicken to stew.

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Caramelized Onion, Apple, and Cheddar Tart

Jammy caramelized onions, tart apple slices, and sharp cheddar cheese doll up frozen puff pastry into this showstopping autumnal tart.

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Harvest Roasted Apple Kale Salad

From the roasted apples to the pecans and walnuts, this kale salad's star ingredients create a crunchy, yet tender mix of texture and bold flavors.

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Caramelized Onion, Apple, and Sausage Pasta

Apples are the sweet pop in this mostly savory one-pot pasta also dotted with caramelized onions and Italian sausage.

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Skillet-Roasted Chicken with Apples and Cabbage

Autumn leaves fall down in this recipe with succulent chicken with crisp skin, cabbage deeply browned and flavored with the juices rendered from the chicken, and slices of tender apples.

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Lacto-Fermented Squash and Apples

This squash and apple pickle is the epitome of fall captured in a jar. Try the condiment tucked inside your favorite autumnal sandwich or veggie bowl.

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Kale with Apples, Currants, and Warm Pancetta Vinaigrette

This apple-cabbage salad is fresh, vibrant, and oh-so crunchy. That means it pairs with just about anything you're serving.

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Crispy Turnovers with Apple, Bacon, and Caramelized Onions

Sweet chunks of apple blended with savory bacon and caramelized onions are tucked away in a flaky pastry triangle for an indulgent bite any time of day.

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Chickpea Waldorf Salad

Meet the lighter, meat-free version of a traditional Waldorf salad. There is a wonderful balance of sweet and savory with the perfect amount of crunch in every bite.

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Apple Cabbage Salad with Brown Sugar Cider Vinaigrette

This recipe is chock-full of classic flavors: earthy butternut squash, apple cider, sage, and even a touch of brown sugar.

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Shaved Brussels Sprouts

This salad takes a little more time to make than the usual shaved sprouts salad, but the extra work is worth the flavor and texture combination of brown butter vinaigrette, apple, hazelnuts, and, of course, Brussels sprouts.

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Sausage and Apple Stuffing

This savory sourdough bread stuffing is packed with sausage, apples, fennel, aromatics, and herbs.

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Chunky Pork and Apple Stew

Beyond the chunks of apples themselves, this hearty stew is enhanced with both hard apple cider and apple cider vinegar to ensure it's full of fall flavor.

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Apple, Cheddar, & Chicken Melts

There might not be anything more comforting than this gooey sandwich, filled with chicken and a quick apple and Brussels sprout slaw, for lunch or dinner.

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Fall Apple Crostini Recipe

The epitome of savory and sweet, this lightly crisp French bread is topped with vegan "cream cheese" made from cashews, sautéed spiced apples, and a pinch of thyme.

Very Simple Apple Recipes

For when you want something that simple and satisfying, these apple recipes all check the box.

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Cinnamon Apples

Cinnamon apples whipped up on the stovetop taste like warm apple pie filling.

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How to Make Apple Butter

This choose-your-own-adventure guide lets you customize your way to the most delicious apple butter possible.

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Easy Skillet Pork Chops with Apples

Pork chops and apples were meant to be, and this easy skillet dinner is the proof. A thick cider brine gets the pork chops tender and juicy before each piece is nestled atop wedges of sweet apple and onion.

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Brown Butter Apple Loaf

This one-bowl wonder makes a fabulous loaf. It's dense and rich, with nutty brown butter and specks of sweet apples flooding each and every bite.

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Kale & Apple Soup

Forget about peeling the apple or de-stemming the kale for this soup. The finished bowl is mildly sweet with a bit of apple, and it has that beloved savory bacon edge that goes so well with sautéed greens.

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The Easiest Apple Strudel

This classic Austrian dessert is easier to make than you might think. That's all thanks to store-bought phyllo dough.

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Medjool Date and Apple Charoset

This bicultural charoset recipe is made with tart Granny Smith apples, sweet and creamy Medjool dates, a medley of pecans and walnuts, a drizzle of honey, a generous splash of wine, and a pinch of spice.

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Free-Form Apple Tart

If you've ever thought baking was too much of an exact science to an enjoyable pastime, this simple tart will prove otherwise.

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Slow-Cooker Apple Crisp

Making an apple crisp in in your slow cooker grants you the ability to go about whatever you have planned and be greeted with a sweet treat when you return to your kitchen.

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Last-Minute Caramel Apples

True to its name, this is the easiest version of caramel apples you can make and snack on in no time.

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Apple, Brie, and Dijon Baguette Sandwich

This simple sandwich can be assembled in under six minutes and packs up extremely well, meaning it's the ultimate choice for a picnic lunch.

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Slow-Cooker Applesauce

Turning apples into apple sauce is easier than you might think — especially when your slow cooker does most of the work for you!

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This summertime BBQ staple is the perfect mix of tart and sweet.

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Oatmeal-Brown Sugar Baked Apples

For those nights when you want an easy, warm dessert, baked apples have your back. It's nothing elaborate, which is makes it the perfect treat. Just don't forget the ice cream on the side!

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