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I love autumn and everything that goes with it. Cooler weather, the fall colors in the leaves and grass, fresh apples and pears falling from the trees, pumpkins, colorful mums, and so much more. And yes, more baking! If you’re searching for a few Favorite Apple Recipes, look no further.
Fall if the perfect time to gather apples for eating fresh, making pies, tarts, donuts, applesauce, or even cider. Below is a selection of my Favorite Apple Recipes to get you going, as well as a guide for knowing which apples to use in those recipes.
Apple Guide for Cooking and Baking
When shopping for apples, it’s best to know which apples to buy for your intended recipe. If you want to bake a pie or tart, you’ll want to shop for apples that hold their shape well in baking. But if you want apples for applesauce, you’ll want an apple that breaks down when cooking. There are a few all-purpose apples that work well for all of those, while others do not. To help you with this task, use this guide when shopping for apples.
Shopping for Apples
Braeburn (Sweet, Tart) – All-purpose apple, good for baking pies and tarts.
Golden Delicious (Sweet, Mellow, Rich) – Best all around apple for cooking.
Fuji (Firm, Crisp, and Juicy) – Great for eating fresh and baking.
Granny Smith (Green, Crisp, and Sour) – Best for pies and crisps.
Honey Crisp (Crisp, Honey-Sweet, Tart, and Juicy) – Good for eating, baking, and making applesauce.
Jonagold (Tangy, Sweet, Combination of Golden Delicious and Jonathan) – Great for eating and cooking.
Jonathan (Tart, Rich, and Spicy) – Good for baking and making applesauce.
McIntire (Red and Green, Juicy, Crisp) – Good for eating and making applesauce.
Gala (Mild, Crisp, Sweet, Red/Orange/Yellow) – Best for eating, making applesauce and cider.
Recipes that use Sliced Apples
The following recipes need apples that will hold their shape during baking and cooking, such as Jonagold, Honey Crisp, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Fuji, or Braeburn.
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Fried Apples
Fried Apples are so delicious! The first time I tried them was with our oldest daughter at a Cracker Barrel in Topeka, Kansas. We had just been on a college visit to K-State and were returning home. It was an autumn day and cold. Comfort food sounded good. Here's a recipe you can make at home!
This Ricotta Cheesecake with Apple Topping uses my base recipe for Italian Cheesecake, but is perfect for fall with bits of sweet apple topping, English walnuts, and drizzled with caramel sauce. So good. My family loves it.
Here is our family recipe for Homemade Apple Pie. This recipe has been in our family for at least four generations and has won two grand champion ribbons at our county fair.
Make thisTwisted Apple Speculaas Bread when you want to impress your family or friends. It’s the perfect bread to serve during the holiday season, as it makes two delightful loaves that are so pretty with their twisted form.
Whether you’re making your own applesauce, or buying a favorite brand, any of these recipes will work well. I like to buy chunky applesauce that has been sweetened with cinnamon, but that is your choice.
7
Cinnamon Applesauce
Sweet, tart, chunky applesauce. This was my grandma's recipe made from her own apples. So yummy and delicious!
In my years growing up, my folks would have other couples over on weekends to play pitch. My mom would always make a batch of homemade ice cream. Sometimes we'd bake a snack cake to go with it. Like this recipe, I hope you'll enjoy!
This cake is lightly flavored with chocolate (with only two tablespoons of cocoa), and applesauce. The vegetable shortening gives it a nice rise. And then there is the topping. So yummy! A family favorite!
Every September my dad begins his apple and pear harvest to make cider. It’s really wonderful, not only for drinking but also for baking. Here are a handful of recipes I like to use with his cider.
11
Sourdough Cider Donuts and Fritters
These Sourdough Cider Donuts and Fritters are simply marvelous! They cook up big and puffy and the apple cider is a perfect flavor fit for sourdough. I encourage you to give these a try!
If you're not making sourdough yet, here's a recipe I'm sure you'll enjoy! I’m not sure there is a better way to welcome in Autumn than by enjoying one of theseApple Cider Fritters
These Baked Apple Cider Donuts are baked instead of fried, and then dipped in butter and coated in a sugar-cinnamon mixture. Sweet, moist, and full of apple flavor.
Apple Cider Pancakes are delicious, and a recipe we make over and over again. Made with freshly squeezed apple cider, chunky applesauce, and fall spices of cinnamon and nutmeg.
I love autumn and everything that goes with it, including the availability of fresh apple cider! My husband likes it for his morning juice, and I use it in many of my baked recipes, such as these Apple Cider Scones, which not only have fresh cider in them, but also large chunks of apples. So yummy!
I hope you have enjoyed browsing through our Favorite Apple Recipes that we make at our house in the autumn months. If you try one of them, please be sure to let me know if you liked the recipe!