20 Apple Recipes That You'll Wish Also Grew on Trees (2024)

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

20 Apple Recipes That You'll Wish Also Grew on Trees (1)

1 of 10Leo Gong

Apple Oven Cake

This puffedpancakeworks nicely as either an elegant breakfast dish or a rustic dessert.

20 Apple Recipes That You'll Wish Also Grew on Trees (2)

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.

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20 Apple Recipes That You'll Wish Also Grew on Trees (3)

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.

20 Apple Recipes That You'll Wish Also Grew on Trees (4)

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.

20 Apple Recipes That You'll Wish Also Grew on Trees (5)

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.

20 Apple Recipes That You'll Wish Also Grew on Trees (6)

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.

20 Apple Recipes That You'll Wish Also Grew on Trees (7)

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.

20 Apple Recipes That You'll Wish Also Grew on Trees (8)

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.

20 Apple Recipes That You'll Wish Also Grew on Trees (9)

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

20 Apple Recipes That You'll Wish Also Grew on Trees (11)

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.

20 Apple Recipes That You'll Wish Also Grew on Trees (12)

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.

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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.

20 Apple Recipes That You'll Wish Also Grew on Trees (14)

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.

20 Apple Recipes That You'll Wish Also Grew on Trees (15)

5 of 10James Carrier

Chicken with Green Apple-Chipotle Salsa

With brilliant colors and brilliant flavors, this dish will not disappoint.

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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.

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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.

20 Apple Recipes That You'll Wish Also Grew on Trees (18)

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.

20 Apple Recipes That You'll Wish Also Grew on Trees (19)

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.

20 Apple Recipes That You'll Wish Also Grew on Trees (20)

10 of 10Leigh Beisch

Pancetta, Sourdough, and Apple Stuffing

Tangy Western sourdough bread makes this stuffing mouthwatering.

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20 Apple Recipes That You'll Wish Also Grew on Trees (2024)

FAQs

What can I make with all the apples from my tree? ›

There are a many ways to make use of a large number of apples, a few of which are as follows:
  • Make juice. If you have a juicer, cut out the cores and seeds, then make juice. ...
  • Dehydrate the apples with a dehydrator. ...
  • Make applesauce.
  • Donate to a food bank or anyone in need of food, or give them to friends.
Sep 3, 2019

What can I do with backyard apples? ›

Applesauce is a quick and easy way to use up apples and crabapples and it freezes well. Cooking down the apples, extracting the juice and freezing it to drink or make jelly in the winter is another option. Making apple pies and freezing them unbaked is a wonderful way to stretch your harvest into the dead of winter.

What can I do with too many apples? ›

You could also make applesauce, apple butter or apple jelly. You could put them in muffins, crumbles and cakes. You could layer them in sandwiches. You could roast them with sausages or toss them into kale salad.

How many apples should I leave on tree? ›

Apples and pears

When working with apples, Asian pears and European pears, first thin to one fruit per spur. The spur is the short, woody structure from which flowers arise. You should end up with only one fruit for about every 6 inches of branch.

Can I leave fallen apples on the ground? ›

there really, really good for growing plants here. whatever you choose to do with the fallen apples, it's best not to leave them on the ground. as they may harbor pest and disease. and could spread.

What can I do with fallen green apples? ›

favourite ways to use windfall apples or thinned apples. I make use of this in a wide range of ways around my home – from cleaning, to making hair rinses, for example. Of course, we can simply leave some dropped fruits for the wildlife in our gardens. And simply to rot down and return nutrients to the soil.

Can I freeze apples? ›

Sweeter apples such as Fujis or Galas are more likely to hold their flavor than tart varieties, but any apple will do fine in the freezer for six to nine months. Perhaps more important to keep in mind, though, is that freezing an apple does alter the texture, leaving the flesh spongier than that of a fresh apple.

Can you freeze apples without cooking them first? ›

Yes, you can freeze fresh raw apple, however because of the high water content, you'll find that the apple will be soft when defrosted (the water inside the fruit expands when it freezes into ice and the crystals breaks the delicate cell structure). Therefore, it's best to use frozen apple for cooking or smoothies.

Is there a downside to eating too many apples? ›

However, it's possible to have too much of a good thing, and eating multiple apples each day may cause several adverse side effects. In particular, rapidly increasing your intake of fiber over a short period of time can cause symptoms like gas, bloating, and stomach pain ( 19 ).

Can you store apples in Ziploc bags? ›

Because apples can absorb odors from other foods stored in the same area, keep apples in plastic bags. The plastic also helps apples retain their own moisture. Make sure that there are several air holes in the apple bag. Apples ripen six to ten times faster at room temperature than if they were refrigerated.

What can I do with 20 pounds of apples? ›

Since we're often asked what you can do with your 20-pound box of Michigan apples when you get home, here are some suggestions:
  1. Make Applesauce. ...
  2. Dry Some Apple Slices. ...
  3. Whip Up Some Apple Butter. ...
  4. Bake an Apple Pie. ...
  5. Make Homemade Apple Juice. ...
  6. Bake Apple Crisp. ...
  7. Dip Your Apples in Caramel. ...
  8. Add Apple Slices to a Charcuterie Board.
Oct 8, 2023

Will apples turn brown in a Ziploc bag? ›

Yes, they will, unless soaked in a cold water bath containing either salt or lemon juice for at least 10 minutes, then drained and patted dry with a paper towel before being placed in the bag. You could also try adding straight lemon juice into the bag along with the apples, this can effect the taste.

What do farmers do with fallen apples? ›

Apples that end up on the ground are not wasted. Many times farmers come to collect the apple drops to feed to livestock. If apples are not picked up, they are mowed at the end of the season and help to fertilize next year's crop.

Should you pick all the apples from a tree? ›

Apples for eating fresh or for short-term storage (2–3 weeks) should be left on the tree until they are fully ripe. Store only sound fruit that is free from insect or disease damage. Cool apples for storage as quickly as possible and keep them in the refrigerator between 34˚F and 40˚F.

Can you eat all apples from trees? ›

Don't feel the need to get too caught up with all of that though, if it looks like an apple it's an apple. It's as simple as that. That only toxins in apples and in the seeds, so the fruit of any apple that you find will be edible.

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