When the crisp autumn air rolls in, that can only mean one thing—it’s apple-picking season! Our baskets are bursting with fall’s favorite fruit from spots like Love Creek Orchards and Austin Orchards. From a reimagined apple cake to a savory soup, check out the myriad ways we’re making the most of autumn’s signature fruit.
Apple Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Add some crisp apple slices to the classic grilled cheese sandwich with this recipe from EatingWell. The crunch of the apple, mixed with the gooeyness of the cheese, all dipped into the creaminess of the (optional) accompanying butternut squash soup is ideal for those chilly fall nights!
Apple, Sweet Potato, and Sausage Casserole
Looking for a versatile dish? EatingWell has provided one that’s perfect for serving at either brunch or dinner. Seasoned sweet potatoes, savory sausage, and sweet fresh apples are combined and baked together with breadcrumbs and Gruyère to create a festively flavorful dish!
Salted Caramel Apple Pie
Few things are as classic and comforting as the beloved apple pie. However, Sally’s Baking Addiction successfully dares to update the tried-and-true tradition by adding the element of salted caramel! Become a pro home baker as you hand-make the flaky dough, the salty caramel, and the sweet apple filling.
Seasonal Sangria
The Modern Proper has created the ultimate sangria to sip on this season. Red wine (pick your favorite) is enhanced with sweet apples, bitter cranberries, and winter orange slices, creating a dazzling and festive fall drink!
Air-Fried Cinnamon Apple Chips
Delish makes apple chips in a snap—no fancy dehydrator necessary! Simply throw your thinly sliced, sugared and spiced apples into the air fryer or oven and get ready to enjoy the perfect fall snack! Pro tip: Use apples that lean more on the crisp side to get the best results (Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, or Pink Lady would all work great).
Sunken Apple Cake with Bourbon-Maple Glaze
Our sunken apple cake will make great use of your bushel of apples after a trip to the orchard. Inspired by a traditional German Versunkener Apfelkuchen, the apples are baked until they are tender and sweet while the buttery cake rises around them. Brush them with maple-bourbon glaze and top with vanilla ice cream!
Easy Skillet Pork Chops with Apples and Onions
These easy skillet pork chops from Kitchn are anything but dry and flavorless. Thanks to a quick brine that infuses them with sweet apple, they’re tender and juicy.
Cheesecake-Stuffed Apples
Your basic baked apples get an awesome upgrade with this autumnal dessert from the Food Network. The apples are hollowed and then stuffed with a cheesecake-like filling and topped with caramel sauce, buttery graham cracker crumbs, and walnuts.
Skillet-Roasted Sausages and Apples with Walnut Vinaigrette
This one-skillet Goodtaste recipe combines seared sausages and tender sweet apples with crisp bitter greens and a toasty walnut vinaigrette. It’s unexpected, but it all fuses together for a satisfying fall meal. Sausages are one of our favorite weeknight ingredients because they come pre-seasoned, pre-portioned, and ready to cook. We used a spicy lamb merguez here, but you can also try this recipe with sweet Italian pork sausage, bratwurst, or even a fresh chicken sausage.
Apple Butter–Pecan Cinnamon Rolls
Here at Goodtaste, cinnamon rolls are our favorite way to secretly eat dessert for breakfast. In this seasonal spin on the classic, we layer the pillowy rolls with store-bought (or homemade!) apple butter, toasted pecans, and cinnamon sugar. It’s the ultimate fall bite! Bonus: The cinnamon rolls can be assembled the night before, so all you have to do is pop them in the oven in time for breakfast the next morning.
Old-Fashioned Apple Cake
This lightly spiced apple cake from King Arthur is the perfect sweet treat with a cup of afternoon tea. The brown sugar–butter icing is good enough to eat on its own, though in all honesty, the cake is equally delicious without.
Cheddar, Apple, and Butternut Soup
Apple + cheese is one of our favorite flavor combinations, and we especially love the combo mixed with butternut squash in this autumnal soup recipe from Half-Baked Harvest. The trick is to caramelize the apples, which helps intensify their flavor (and sweetness) before adding in the remaining ingredients. Just don’t skip the cheese.
Homemade Apple Fritters
If you love a good donut, just wait until you try these fresh apple fritters from I Am Baker. Use the tartest apples you can find (Granny Smith works nicely here) to balance out the sweetness of the fritter. Also, don’t let a fear of frying take over—keep an eye on your oil temperature (not too hot or too cool) and you’ll be just fine.
Apple Cinnamon Quick Bread
Easy quick breads are some of the best treats to bake, and come fall, this recipe from the Julie Blanner blog enters our regular rotation. The recipe yields enough batter for four mini loaves, which are perfect for sharing or for freezing to unwrap later.
Apple Pie Oat Bars
We love the simplicity of these oat bars from My Kids Lick the Bowl. With just a handful of ingredients (pantry staples, at that), a cup of fresh apple puree, and a quick 30 minutes in the oven, you’ve got all the flavors of fall packed into one super-portable snack.
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