Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes (2024)

Our apple pies, crisps, cakes, cookies, breads and other apple dessert recipes will fill your kitchen with the flavors of fall: crisp apples, creamy caramel, fragrant cinnamon, toasted nuts.

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Vanilla Apple Gratin

Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes (1)

This simple, orchard-fresh dessert captures the flavor of vanilla ice cream melting into the warm apples in a pie—but more quickly, and with way less fat and sugar.

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Spiced Apple Mochi Cakes with Miso Caramel and Walnuts

Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes (2)

Chef Ji Hye Kim of Miss Kim in Ann Arbor, Michigan, shares the recipe for these lightly spiced, apple-flecked cakes. Their slightly chewy texture comes from sweet rice flour, a typical ingredient in many Asian sweets. Topped with miso caramel, toasted walnuts and whipped cream, this dessert fires on all flavor and texture cylinders.

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Apple Crumble

Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes (3)

One bite of this gloriously simple recipe will remind you that, sometimes, you don't mess with a good thing. Chef Jason Qureshi of River Roast in Chicago prefers to use Granny Smith apples for their firm texture and tart taste.

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Apple Sour Cream Kuchen

Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes (4)

This German-style, not-too-sweet, yeast-raised cake begs for a cup of coffee. For an extra tang, you can serve it with a dollop of lightly sweetened sour cream.

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Danish Pastry Apple Bars

Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes (5)

One of Gail Michael's students shared this apple dessert recipe with her long ago. The bars taste like apple pie in a baking pan.

Our Best Bar Cookies

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Apple-Almond Brave Betty

Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes (6)

We gave a classic dessert a new name, in honor of all the people who have cooked in servitude or fought for social justice over the centuries—and we updated the flavors, too, with almond cookies and a splash of bourbon.

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Spiced Apple Tarte Tatin

Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes (7)

This easy, French-style upside-down apple tart relies on frozen puff pastry. The spice flavor comes from Chinese five-spice powder, a widely available blend with flavors of clove, black pepper and star anise.

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Harvest Apple Bars

Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes (8)

Tammy Post's Iowa State Fair blue-ribbon recipe doesn't skimp on apples, which results in incredibly moist and indulgent bars.

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Maple-Walnut Apple Cobbler

This easy skillet cobbler is bursting with harvest flavor: crisp apples, cinnamon, toasted walnuts and sweet maple syrup.

Easy Crisp and Cobbler Recipes

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Caramel Apple Cookies

Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes (10)

Creamy caramel frosting finishes these apple-filled cookies.

Our Favorite Fall Cookie Recipes

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Freestyle Apple Tarts

Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes (11)

This recipe from Iowa's Rapid Creek Cidery restaurant looks daunting, but it's actually five very simple parts that are easily made ahead. (You'll end up with extra candied nuts; they're great alone or with cheese.)

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Fresh Apple Cake

Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes (12)

This nutty comfort cake from Sharon Buckner of Rhineland, Missouri, gets a sugary top and caramelized gooey bottom as it cooks. Don't be surprised by the thick batter; it will bake into a moist, dense cake.

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Cider-Spiked Apple and Pecan Tart

Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes (13)

Apples are gently cooked in butter, then arranged in a prebaked crust and brushed with jelly. The result is an edible work of art.

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Applesauce Spice Cake

Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes (14)

No granulated sugar is added to this apple dessert recipe; the sweetness comes from cider, fruit and applesauce. The recipe comes from Sandra Schifferle of Lansing, Kansas.

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Amish Apple Dumplings

Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes (15)

We often equate Amish food with comfort. Here's our version of a favorite apple dessert you might find at Amish-based restaurants in the Midwest.

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Crumb-Topped Apple Trio Pie

Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes (16)

Crisp on top, sweetly tender inside, this pie blends tart and sweet apples—Granny Smith, Jonagold and Braeburn—with sugar and cinnamon under a brown-sugar and walnut crumb topping.

Make Your Best Pie Ever

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Dutch Apple Pudding Cake

Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes (17)

With apple pie filling on the bottom and a moist walnut cake layer on top, this dessert makes the perfect ending to a fall or winter meal.

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Rise and Shine Cranberry-Apple Crisp

Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes (18)

Spiced coconut streusel adds crunch to healthy apples and berries.

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Cider-Baked Stuffed Apples with Salty Caramel Sauce

Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes (19)

Nuts and cranberries fill these simple baked apples that cook in your slow cooker. Top them with Sea Salt Caramel Sauce and, if you like, a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

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Apple, Cranberry and Pecan Galette

Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes (20)

A free-form tart is the anxious pie-maker's best friend. No fussy crimping, and any torn edges or lumpy folds just add to the charm (especially when sprinkled with sparkly raw sugar).

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Apple Pear Praline Pie

Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes (21)

"The key to this pie is the apples you use," says Mary Schrier of Cumberland, Iowa, who got the recipe from an old handwritten family recipe book. She suggests not using Red Delicious apples. Instead, try Granny Smith, Jonathan or any sweet-tart heirloom apples. "There are quite a few orchards that are starting to carry the heirloom apples, and this old recipe is just waiting for them," she says.

Favorite Apple Pie Recipes

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Indulgent Caramel Apples

Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes (22)

Wrap your favorite tart or sweet apple in caramel (we even created a less sticky version), then unleash your imagination as you add on nuts, cereal, dried fruit, candy, decorative sprinkles or whatever else inspires you—and your taste buds.

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Nutty Caramel Apple Crisp

Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes (23)

A double dose of caramel—baked in with the fruit and drizzled on top—elevates the humble crisp to new levels of indulgence. Mix two types of apples for the best texture. The tender apples cook down and create a sort of thick sauce; the firm apples hold their shape.

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Apple-Butter Cakelets

Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes (24)

Caramel sauce adds a creamy-sweet finish to individual Apple-Butter Cakelets created by Midwest Living in honor of Illinois' Amish bakers. You can choose from two Prairie State ingredients, apples or pumpkins, for this treat.

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Streusel Apple Bread

Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes (25)

A touch of lemon, chopped cranberries and walnuts make this quick bread seem like coffee cake. Norma Hendricks of Hopedale, Illinois, likes to serve this for dessert. "I made this by combining a couple of recipes," Norma says. "I think I started with a cranberry bread, but most of my kids don't like cranberries. Then I saw an apple bread recipe, and I thought streusel would be good on top."

20 Sweet Quick-Bread Loaves

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Apple-Toffee Tartlets

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Try Jonagold, Gala or Granny Smith apples in this easy 3-step dessert. Refrigerated piecrust speeds prep time.

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Single-Serving Caramel Apples

Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes (27)

Joan Wagner of Overland Park, Kansas, considers this baked apple dessert her easy-entertaining recipe. "You can make these up to six hours ahead and cover them with plastic wrap, so the puff pastry doesn't dry out," she says. "The desserts can bake while your coffee is brewing."

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Spiced Apple Drops

Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes (28)

An apple a day tastes even better in cookie form, especially with frosting on top!

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Maple-Apple Pudding Bake

Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes (29)

The Wisconsin Maple Producers created this recipe to showcase maple syrup and juicy apples in a moist, rich dessert.

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Apple-Cranberry Walnut Pie

Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes (30)

Sweet apples balance the tang of cranberries in this fall favorite.

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Easy Apple Cranberry Slab Pie

Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes (31)

Purchased puff pastry adds to the ease of this dessert recipe, but the real star is the filling the pairing of sweet apples and tart cranberries. Homemade icing rounds out this crowd-pleasing potluck pie.

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Apple Pumpkin Sunflower Bread

Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes (32)

We packed a bushel of fall into this homey loaf: pumpkin, apple, nuts and spices.

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Apple Scones with Spiced Maple Butter

Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes (33)

They're light, buttery and full of apple flavor. We almost hate to cover up the baked-on apple slice with the whipped maple butter. Almost.

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Apple-Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread

Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes (34)

Biscuits, apples, orange juice? Sounds like breakfast to us. Orange juice adds brightness to both the bite-of-autumn bread and the cream cheese icing drizzle.

Warm and Comforting Breakfast Breads

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Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What are the best apples for dessert? ›

For the best pies, crisps, and other baked treats, apples need to be firm enough to hold their own during the cooking process. We call these apples “baking apples” and to namedrop, they include Braeburn, Cortland, Honey Gold, Jonathan, Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Haralson, and Newtown Pippin.

What kind of apples are best for apple crisp? ›

What Makes A Good Apple For Apple Crisp? The best apples for baking keep their structure under heat, which prevents the chunks of fruit from turning into mush after baking. The firm and crisp Granny Smith and Honeycrisp varieties are popular apples to use in apple pies and apple crisps.

What are the best apples to use for apple pie? ›

The best apples for making apple pie
  • Crispin (Mutsu). ...
  • Golden Delicious. ...
  • Granny Smith. ...
  • Honeycrisp. ...
  • Jonagold or Jonathan. ...
  • Northern Spy. ...
  • Pink Lady. This super crisp apple certainly is sturdy enough to hold its shape when baked. ...
  • Winesap. This heirloom cultivar is said to have been around for centuries.
Oct 8, 2021

What's the difference between apple crumble and apple crisp? ›

Like an apple crisp, an apple crumble is a baked fruit dessert with a layer of topping. But unlike the crisp, the crumble topping rarely includes oats or nuts. Instead, a crumble's topping is more like streusel, made with flour, sugar and butter.

What is the sweetest apple to bake with? ›

Honeycrisp. One of the sweetest apples around, this Midwestern favorite is good for anything—including baking. It boasts a distinctive juicy crispness and is firm enough that it won't cook down much. It complements just about any other apple variety to make a stellar pie.

What are the juiciest apples for baking? ›

The best apples for apple pie that are widely available include Braeburn, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples. Others to look for at your local market that will be excellent in apple pie are Cortland, Crispin, Ida Reds, Jonagold, McIntosh, Northern Spy, Pink Lady, Rome and Winesap.

What are the top 5 apples for baking? ›

Best Sweet Apples for Baking:
  • Jazz.
  • Pazazz.
  • Honeycrisp.
  • Pink Lady.
  • Jonagold.
  • Fuji.
  • Rome.
Sep 6, 2023

Which apple is the sweetest? ›

Apple Sweetness Chart
Types of ApplesSweetest LevelPeak‑of‑season
Fujithe sweetest apple varietymid- to late October
Galahighly sweetlate July to early September
Golden Delicioussweet, rich and mild in flavormid- to late September
Red Delicioussweet-tart mix but very mild in flavormid- to late September
7 more rows
Aug 9, 2022

How do you make Martha Stewart apple crumble? ›

In a large bowl, toss together apples, granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; transfer to prepared dish. In a bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter with brown sugar until fluffy. Mix in 1 cup flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt until large pieces form. Scatter over filling.

What are the top 3 best apples? ›

10 Most Popular Apple Types—and Which Ones Are Best for Baking and Snacking
  • 01 of 10. Granny Smith. undefined undefined / GETTY IMAGES. ...
  • 02 of 10. Golden Delicious. liaminou / GETTY IMAGES. ...
  • 03 of 10. Red Delicious. LiveFree / GETTY IMAGES. ...
  • 04 of 10. McIntosh. ...
  • 05 of 10. Honeycrisp. ...
  • 06 of 10. Gala. ...
  • 07 of 10. Pink Lady. ...
  • 08 of 10. Fuji.
Oct 6, 2023

What kind of apples does mcdonalds use for their pies? ›

So you can put away your Granny Smiths and Red Delicious if you think you can just whip up McDonald's signature dessert at home. Instead, Mickey D's makes their pies with six different types of apples — Jonagold, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Gala, Rome, and Ida Red, all of which are homegrown in the U.S.

What are the best apples for applesauce? ›

The Best Apples for Applesauce
  • Cortland.
  • Golden Delicious.
  • Gala.
  • McIntosh.
  • Granny Smith.
Nov 18, 2022

Why is it called Brown Betty? ›

This has led some historians to believe that Betty was the name of the cook and creator of the recipe and that brown was in reference to her skin color.

Is apple brown betty the same as apple crisp? ›

Both are very similar apple desserts, but the difference mainly comes down to the crumble topping: Instead of the flour and oat mixture used in an apple crisp, an apple brown betty uses breadcrumbs for its crumbly, delicious topping.

Why is it called a buckle? ›

A buckle is a funny name for an old fashioned fruit studded coffee cake. Like many other desserts in the extended cobbler family buckles take their name from their appearance—grunts grunt as they cook, slumps slump when served, buckles—you guessed it—buckle.

Which apples are dessert apples? ›

Colours range from red, to yellow and green, but all varieties fall into one of two categories: eating, also sometimes called dessert apples (including Cox's Orange Pippin, Golden Delicious, Granny Smiths, Braeburn, Gala, Pink Lady and Jonagold) or cooking, with the latter being more tart in flavour, a result of their ...

What are the top five sweetest apples? ›

If you have a sweet tooth, you're going to want to head over to the other end of the scale where you'll find the Fuji, Honeycrisp, Ambrosia™, Gala, Golden Delicious, and Red Delicious apples.

What are the best kind of apples for cake? ›

Most recipes recommended Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apples for a heartier texture that will hold up for a longer bake time. (MacIntosh are notoriously soft if you prefer that texture!)

Are honeycrisp apples good for baking? ›

With a crisp, juicy texture, Honeycrisps are lovely eaten out of hand, but they also bake up wonderfully. As the name implies, these apples are sweet with a hint of honey, but they are still mild enough to play well in any baked good.

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