PSA: We love fall. Like, a lot. The changing leaves. The chunky sweaters. The apple picking. Speaking of apples, you'll want to save and freeze your farm haul for these 65 apple dessert recipes that go beyond the average pie. We're talking doughnuts, biscuits, cakes and beyond. You'll want to make them all season long—and perhaps a few will even become part of your regular rotation.
65 of the Greatest Apple Dessert Recipes in the Whole Entire Universe
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Published Aug 12, 2022
1. Apple Cider Caramel Poke Cake With Cream Cheese Whipped Cream
- Time Commitment: 2 hours
- Why We Love it: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy
This cake is literally oozing with homemade apple cider caramel, which is equal parts buttery, sweet and seasonal. Don't even get us started on the tangy whipped topping.
2. Mini Apple Cinnamon Tarts
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
Thanks to store-bought frozen puff pastry, these tiny treats come together in just one hour. (They're tasty as is, but even more heavenly with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.)
3. Bourbon Apple Crisp À La Mode
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, one pan
Honeycrisp apples are just the sweet-tart match for maple syrup, brown sugar and warm spices. Bookmark it now to make for Thanksgiving (or any old Tuesday).
4. Apple Pie Biscuits
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
You basically stuff biscuit dough with cinnamon-laced apple filling and bake. What could be better—or easier—than that? (Hint: nothing.)
5. Apple Galette
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: one pan, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
In the world of desserts, the galette is pie’s easygoing friend. She’s tasty, low-maintenance and so easy on the eyes.
6. Apple Cider Doughnut Holes
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: make ahead, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
The cider adds a seasonal touch and also happens to make the doughnuts deliciously moist. Yup, we'd make a second batch if we were you.
7. Mini Apple Tarts
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
Fun fact: These bites of deliciousness are baked in mason jar lids, so they're all uniform and perfectly round. Take that, cookie cutters.
8. Mini Mason Jar Apple Pies
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy
A single-serving pie means you won't have to share. (Plus, aren't they adorable?) Go ahead, have two (or three).
9. Cranberry Apple Danish
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
Another fall favorite: cranberries. Why not pair the two fall fruits together in one gooey confection? Pass the whipped cream, please.
10. Apple Upside-down Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
Upside-down cakes are great for lazy bakers, since they basically "frost" themselves. Don't forget to serve each slice warm with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream.
11. Braided Apple Danish Loaf
- Time Commitment: 14 hours (includes rest time)
- Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
If you're looking for an apple dessert recipe that will actually impress your mother-in-law, this would be it. Let the compliments roll in.
12. Mini Caramel Apples
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, make ahead, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
Rest assured, you can make this country fair treat at home no problem. Your kids will be thrilled to help with the dipping too.
13. Homemade Cinnamon Applesauce
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, make ahead, gluten free, dairy free
Behold: a dessert your trainer can get behind. This version is a million times better than the store-bought stuff, trust.
14. Roasted Apple Pavlova With Honey Whipped Cream
- Time Commitment: 3 hours and 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, gluten free
Bring three-ingredient meringue to life with brown sugar-roasted Granny Smiths and honey-vanilla whip.
15. Vegan And Gluten-free Apple Blackberry Crumble Tart
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: vegan, gluten free, dairy free, crowd-pleaser
Brown rice and almond flours make this GF dream a reality. And the secret to the crunchy crumble topping? Pine nuts.
16. Apple Blinchiki (russian Pancakes)
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
Like a cross between a crepe and a latke. Slather them with sour cream and sour cherry fruit spread before devouring.
17. Gluten-free Apple Rose Tart
- Time Commitment: 2 hours and 25 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, gluten free, special occasion-worthy
Consider your dinner guests wowed. The apple roses are easier to assemble than you think.
18. Jolly Rancher Candy Apples
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
It turns out that melted cherry Jolly Rancher candies make a quick-and-easy candy apple topping. And the white chocolate drizzle? *Chef's kiss.*
19. Apple-cider Pear Spelt Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
Slice for a surprise. (Yep, those are apple cider-poached pears.) Spelt makes this dessert a bit more nutritious, as does cutting back on the added sugar.
20. Hard Apple Cider Floats
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Why We Love It: no bake, beginner-friendly, <30 minutes, <10 ingredients
Sorry kids, these boozy sippers are for the grown-ups. (Although you can easily substitute virgin apple cider if they get too jealous.)
21. Apple Tart With Soft-pretzel Crust
- Time Commitment: 2 hours and 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy
We love a side of salty with our sweet. Finish it off with a sprinkle of pearl sugar or go rogue and substitute pretzel salt.
22. Cinnamon Sheet Cake With Cider Frosting
- Time Commitment: 55 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, one pan, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
Dessert is only an hour away, homemade apple cider frosting and all. The key is reducing store-bought cider into syrup.
23. Goat Cheese, Apple And Honey Tarts
- Time Commitment: 55 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
Tangy goat cheese, fragrant rosemary and store-bought puff pastry are all invited to dessert. Use sweet apples like Galas or Braeburns for the best results.
24. Chai-spiced Apple Ricotta Galette
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
Mellow ricotta cheese plays Honeycrisp apples' creamy partner in crime. It'll be ready in just 45 minutes to boot.
25. Apple Danish
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, make ahead, kid-friendly
Flaky crust. Crumb topping. Cinnamon-nutmeg apples. Simple vanilla glaze. What's not to like? Your brunch guests will think you ordered in from a local bakery.
26. Puff Pastry Apple Galette
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, one pan, beginner-friendly
We'll never get sick of making dessert in our trusty cast iron skillet. Just top it with ice cream and caramel and she's ready for her debut.
27. Cinnamon Sugar Apple Puff Pastry
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
This 35-minute gem is impossible not to like. Frozen puff pastry makes it a total cinch to assemble and keeps the ingredient list short.
28. Baked Apple Cider Donuts
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: make ahead, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Bye-bye, messy frying. All you need is your trusty oven and 50 minutes to reach coffee- (or mulled cider-) dunking nirvana.
29. Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars
- Time Commitment: 3 hours and 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, one pan, beginner-friendly
Dress a simple shortbread crust with five-ingredient pie filling, streusel topping and homemade salted caramel sauce. Good luck stopping after just one.
30. Easy Cinnamon Baked Apples
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: make ahead, beginner-friendly, gluten free, dairy free, vegan
We love flaky pie crust and puff pastry too, but there's something to be said for a no-fuss dessert that puts the fruit in the spotlight.
31. German Apple Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser
Also called versunkener apfelkuchen, this cake is surprisingly low maintenance. Use small apples to maintain the right proportions of cake to fruit, like Pink Lady or Gala.
32. The Best Apple Crisp
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Bring on all the Granny Smiths—no peeling required. Thank brown sugar, chopped pecans and old-fashioned oats for the crispy topping.
33. Easy Apple Strudel With Phyllo
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
America's favorite pie filling goes Mediterranean (we're talking ghee, extra-virgin olive oil and phyllo dough). Better yet, you need less than an hour to pull it off.
34. No-bake Apple Doughnuts
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: no bake, <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, kid-friendly
For when you need dessert like, yesterday. Let your kids decorate to their hearts' content with sprinkles, cacao nibs, granola or chopped nuts.
35. Paleo Apple Cinnamon Ice Cream
- Time Commitment: 3 hours and 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, dairy free, Paleo-friendly, crowd-pleaser
No diet could stand between us and dessert. Thanks to this coconut milk ice cream sweetened with maple syrup, you can have the best of both worlds.
36. Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
Cheesecake, meet apple pie. They'll become BFFs under brown sugar streusel and a drizzle of caramel in just half an hour.
37. Double The Streusel Apple Butter Bars
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy
Apple butter is the excitement your morning toast has been craving. Try your hand at making it homemade or save time by using store-bought.
38. Spiced Pecan Apple Cider Doughnut Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
Alexa, add autumn leaves bundt pan to our shopping cart. The cake's design makes it look sophisticated and intricate without you having to decorate it.
39. Sweet And Salty Chocolate-drizzled Cider Caramel Apples
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, gluten free, kid-friendly
These have Halloween party favor written all over them. The caramel dip is rich with apple cider, butter and heavy cream.
40. Cinnamon Apple Puffed Pancake
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, one pan, kid-friendly
We've never met a Dutch baby we didn't like. Especially one drenched in cinnamon-butter maple syrup.
41. Cinnamon Apple Babka
- Time Commitment: 24 hours and 25 minutes (includes resting time)
- Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
Your local Jewish bakery will miss you. Make the full recipe or store half the dough in the freezer to bake within three months.
42. Caramel Apple Cake
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly
The easiest (and tastiest) centerpiece there is. It's slathered with cream cheese frosting and doused in salted caramel.
43. Bourbon Apple Fritters
- Time Commitment: 2 hours and 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: make ahead, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Your doughnut shop go-to is totally within reach. And this time, it'll be covered in sweet, buttery bourbon glaze.
44. Paper Bag Apple Pie
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Call it en papillotte if you're fancy. The whole pie bakes in a brown paper bag to make the crust irresistibly flaky. (That means it'll hold up against melting ice cream like a charm.)
45. Applesauce Bars With Cream Cheese Frosting
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
Just about as easy to prepare as boxed brownies. Applesauce makes for one seriously moist dessert, but we're really here for the homemade cream cheese frosting.
46. Vegan Miso Caramel Dip With Pretzels And Granny Smith Apples
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, beginner-friendly, vegan, dairy free
Sometimes, the best way to serve an apple is raw. Here, bright, tart Granny Smiths unite with umami-rich vegan caramel spiked with white miso paste.
47. Apple Tarte Tatin
- Time Commitment: 2 hours and 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, one pan, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
Your guests jaws will hit the table in unison when this stunner shows up to the dinner party. It's complete with buttery puff pastry and Baileys cream sauce.
48. Caramel Apple Cupcakes
- Time Commitment: 55 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, make ahead
They're just the ticket for your kid's Halloween soirée. Top them off with candy corn for a festive finishing touch.
49. Cranberry Chutney With Apples, Raisins And Indian Spices
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: one pot, vegan, make ahead
This cranberry topping may not be dessert on its own, but we're betting it tastes divine atop a slice of apple pie or a bowl of vanilla ice cream.
50. Apple Walnut Cobbler
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
Think of this autumn beauty as an upside-down apple pie doused in thick, rich caramel sauce. Since the crust isn't visible, you won't have to attempt any fancy crimping either.
51. Apple Whoopie Pies
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, make ahead
Traditional chocolate takes a back seat to warm fall spices and shredded apples in the soft cakes. Don't worry: The real star is the decadent maple-cream cheese frosting anyway.
52. Honey Apple Bars
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy
Believe it or not, there isn't a single grain of refined sugar in this recipe. The almond shortbread crust, apple filling, buttery crumble and caramel are all sweetened with honey instead.
53. Apple Cider Churros With Salted Caramel Dipping Sauce
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
The only way to consume apple cider that's better than drinking it straight. Serve the churros with hot fudge or spicy hot cocoa for dunking.
54. Apple Cinnamon Rolls
- Time Commitment: 2 hours and 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: one pan, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
Just as easy to pull off as store-bought cinnamon rolls, but a million times more flavorful. Serve them with mulled cider or wine for dessert (or with a PSL for breakfast).
55. Rum Raisin Apple Brown Betty
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
The Brown Betty is a colonial American dessert that's similar to fruit cobbler or crisp. This one only calls for eight ingredients, most of which are likely already in your kitchen.
56. Apple Strudel
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, kid-friendly
Complete with two-ingredient glaze. Save time by using store-bought phyllo, pie or puff pastry dough instead of making your own.
57. Citrus Apple Pie
- Time Commitment: 2 hours (plus chilling time)
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
Always use an apple that will retain its shape and texture in a pie. Granny Smith, Braeburn, Golden Delicious and Honeycrisp apples are all solid choices. Just stay away from McIntosh apples, as they'll turn mealy and mushy when baked.
58. Whole Wheat Apple Oatmeal Cookies With Peanut Butter Glaze
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, beginner-friendly, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
We just *know* that peanut butter glaze would taste incredible on everything from brownies to ice cream to granola.
59. Mini Puff Pastry Apple Roses
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
Won't they look gorgeous on your holiday table? Pro tip: Soak the apple slices in lemon juice and water so they don't turn brown after being sliced.
60. Caramel Apple Pecan Pull-apart Muffins
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, kid-friendly
Like monkey bread, pecan pie and apple muffins had a delicious, caramel-topped baby. We won't tell if you have one for breakfast instead of dessert.
61. Apple Slab Pie With Crumb Topping And Cinnamon Pie Crust
- Time Commitment: 3 hours and 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, one pan, beginner-friendly
This recipe requires a bit of patience, but we promise it's worth every minute. Even if you’re using store-bought pie dough, letting it chill ensures the crust will hold up beautifully in the oven.
62. Homemade Slow Cooker Apple Butter
- Time Commitment: 10 hours and 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, vegan, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
Your house is about to smell ridiculously delicious. Drizzle the no-added-sugar butter over toast, waffles, ice cream, cake, oatmeal or cheese and crackers.
63. Soft Apple Cider Caramels
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: gluten free, <10 ingredients, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
Since the recipe only requires seven ingredients and one hour to come together, it's safe to say that we'll be making a batch for everyone on our Christmas list.
64. Apple Cheddar Pie
- Time Commitment: 7 hours (includes chilling time)
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
It's not as weird as it sounds. In fact, people have been topping their apple pie with sharp cheddar since the 17th century. Think gooey, syrupy fruit and flaky, buttery crust meets salty, savory cheese.
65. Salted Caramel Apple Sundae
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, gluten free
Summer does *not* have dibs on ice cream sundaes. The three-ingredient caramel sauce is a breeze to prepare, but feel free to cut corners by using store-bought.
For even more great recipes, check out our first cookbook, Only the Good Stuff.
