A collection of your favorite apple recipes.
Thank goodness for Johnny Appleseed assisting in the expansion of apple trees from the East to the West. Now we can all enjoy mother nature’s sweet gift to us—and experiment whipping up tarts, crisps, salads, and more. After all, we definitely didn’t invent the apple here, but we have a way with the fall staple in the West.
(Incidentally, did you know that the average American has only tastedsix varieties of apple? This seems a shame considering how good Mr. Appleseed was to this part of the country. We urge you to bust out of the McIntosh/Granny Smith/Fuji rut and find the varieties that work best for your baking and snacking needs.)
We’ve got recipes forapple pie, sure, but there’s a lot more you can do with the versatile fruit. You can bake them, put them in cakes, or roast them over campfire coals—and that’s just the desserts. Apples lend a pleasant, non-cloying sweetness to savory dishes. Pairing them with pork is classic, and you’ve probably had them in salad, but think outside the barrel and put them in salsas or pair them with grains or another fall classic, squash.
Apple recipes don’t grow on trees like actual apples, butgood ideas are still thick on the ground around here.Keep reading for 20 amazing apple recipes to try this fall.
Sweet Apple Recipes
1 of 10Leo Gong
Apple Oven Cake
This puffedpancakeworks nicely as either an elegant breakfast dish or a rustic dessert.
2 of 10Time Inc. Food Studios
Classic Apple Crisp
We tested and then tested some more to arrive at the perfect proportions of buttery oat topping and sweetly spiced filling ingredients for this family-friendly recipe. If you’re in the mood to amp up the flavors even more, try the variation,Apple Crisp with Brandy and Spices.
More Videos From Sunset
3 of 10Jennifer Causey
Apple Cream Torte
A cream torte is like a cross between a cake, a custard, and a dutch baby. The tender-sweet varieties of apples used here soften more readily than some when baked, making them a better match for the delicate cake.
4 of 10Dan Goldberg
Apple-Crisp Baked Apples
Stuff coredappleswith a sugar-and-spice filling and bake for a fruity fall dessert. Serve with a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream.
5 of 10Iain Bagwell
Apple Crisp with Brandy and Spices
Our favorite formula for the classic crisp topping—equal parts old-fashioned oats, flour, and brown sugar, plus plenty of butter—bakes up tender enough to meld with the fruit but firm enough to support a scoop of ice cream.
6 of 10Thomas J. Story
Campfire Apple Crisp
Cooking this homey dessert in your campfire is as simple as moving the low-burning logs out into a frame to create a bed of embers in the center. Whipped crème fraîche gives it a touch of sophistication.
7 of 10James Carrier
Apple Galette
This tasty apple galette looks impressive but is easy to make and is guaranteed to taste just like Mom’s. Serve with vanilla ice cream for the perfect after dinner treat.
8 of 10 Leigh Beisch
Apple-Cranberry-Currant Pie with French Topping
Beth Secrest once baked four to eight pies a day at the Northern Lights Saloon on the border of Glacier National Park. Now she puts her baking expertise to use at home, where she created this dressed-up apple pie.
9 of 10Dan Goldberg
Apple-Pecan Breakfast Buns
Celebrate your love for apples with these sticky buns filled with thin slices of fruit.
10 of 10James Carrier
Apple-Almond Browned Butter Cake
Dulce de leche adds a hint of gooey, caramelized sweetness that elevates this cake to the realm of supreme comfort food. It’s not hard to make but you can buy the sauce in cans, too.
Savory Apple Recipes
1 of 10Erin Kunkel
Kale and Apple Salad with Walnut Dressing
Greek yogurt is the secret to this light but creamy dressing. And because raw kale is so sturdy, it can sit for quite a while without getting soggy.
2 of 10Jennifer Causey
Farro Salad with Apples, Halloumi, and Herbs
Nutty, salty, and sweet, this hearty salad is best with apples that soften when cooked but still hold their shape. Find farro, a type of wheat berry, at well-stocked grocery stores. Most farro sold today is semipearled, a process that removes some of the bran for quicker cooking. If the package instructions call for soaking overnight, you have whole-grain farro and will also need to cook it longer, usually 45 minutes to an hour.
3 of 10Leigh Beisch
Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Apples
Perfect for the autumn months as well asthe holidays, this dish combines different varieties of apples for a complex side dish that will make your house smell like an aromatic dream. If you’re short on time, this can be made a day ahead, drizzled with olive oil,and reheated in the oven at425°Fin 2 baking pans, until hot. Garnish with sprigs of thyme, for a festive finishing touch.
4 of 10Jennifer Causey
Roast Goose with Potatoes, Onions, and Apples
No roast is more epic than a goose–it is, after all, the bird Charles Dickens forever immortalized in A Christmas Carol. A goose is all dark meat and very rich. The fat that drips from it is excellent for roasting potatoes and vegetables, and the skin turns golden and crisp, the poultry equivalent of pork cracklings.
5 of 10James Carrier
Chicken with Green Apple-Chipotle Salsa
With brilliant colors and brilliant flavors, this dish will not disappoint.
6 of 10Dan Goldberg
Cider-Brined Pork Chops with Sautéed Apples
The only time-consuming part of this recipe is brining the pork, which you do a few hours ahead. The simple sauce is easy to prepare and turns a beautiful caramel color. Prep and Cook Time: 30 minutes, plus at least 3 hours brining time.
7 of 10Jennifer Causey
Five Spice Chicken Thighs with Apples and Sweet Potatoes
The seasoning blend called Chinese five-spice adds a warm note without pushing the apples into pie territory, and the apples are tart enough to balance the flavor too. Cooked fennel bulbs add a warm, aromatic note that makes this sheet pan dinner smell like a cozy, Autumn night.
8 of 10Seth Smoot
Spiced Apple Butternut Squash Soup
Roasting a whole squash takes longer than one that’s cut up, but it’s easier (and safer) to peel and cut the squash after it’s cooked.
9 of 10Thomas J. Story
Toasted Turkey, Brie, and Apple Sandwiches
Apple butter used as a spread makes these grilled turkey sandwiches special, and apple slices add a little crispness.
10 of 10Leigh Beisch
Pancetta, Sourdough, and Apple Stuffing
Tangy Western sourdough bread makes this stuffing mouthwatering.
Search All of Sunset’s Recipes
Read the Current Issue Here!
Get one year of Sunset—and all kinds of bonuses—for just $24.95. Subscribe now!
Keep Reading:
- apples
- dessert
- pie
- Recipes
