Favorite Apple Recipes

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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.
Braeburn (Sweet, Tart) – All-purpose apple, good for baking pies and tarts.
Fuji (Firm, Crisp, and Juicy) – Great for eating fresh and baking.
Gala (Mild, Crisp, Sweet, Red/Orange/Yellow) – Best for eating, making applesauce and cider.
Golden Delicious (Sweet, Mellow, Rich) – Best all around apple for cooking.
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.
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.
1. 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!
2. Traditional Apple Crisp – Sweet, tart apples beneath a golden oatmeal crisp is especially good with whipped topping or vanilla ice cream!
3. 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.
4. This Apple Pie with Crumb Topping is a mix between a Dutch Apple Pie and an Apple Crisp. Tart apples in a sweetly spiced filling, topped with a crunchy oat crumb.
5. 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.
6. Make this Twisted 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.
Recipes that use Applesauce
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. So yummy and delicious!
8. This recipe for Cinnamon Spice Applesauce Muffins is perfect for Autumn Weekends. Sweet, tender muffins full of applesauce flavor and cinnamon spices.
9. Applesauce Spice Cake reminds me of the little boxes of snack cake mix my mom used to buy when I was a girl.
10. Chocolate Applesauce Cake – 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!
Recipes that use Apple Cider
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. 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.
12. 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 these Apple Cider Fritters
13. These Baked Apple Cider Donuts use my dad’s cider. They’re baked instead of fried, and this version has a cider glaze, which helps bring out the delicious cider flavor.
14. 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.
15. Whether you’re baking food for a tea party, brunch, or just want a lovely, sweet snack, these Apple Cider Scones will not disappoint. They include not only fresh cider, but also large chunks of apples.
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!
See more Apple Recipes Here. Browse Cider Recipes Here.