43 Apple Desserts for a Warm and Cozy Start to Fall
The minute fall hits we get apple desserts on the brain. You’ll find us right at the start of apple season, racing to the nearest you-pick orchard, filling our buckets with all the red, green, and gold apples we can get our hands on. The only question: What should we bake first?
If you’re also wondering what to do with an abundance of fresh apples, we’re here to help. First, consider purchasing an apple corer. The inexpensive gadget is a must for some of our editors—it exponentially speeds up apple prep, getting you to Pie Town that much more quickly. Next, sort your apples so you’ve collected the best apples for baking and saved the others for snacking (then find out how to keep those snacking apples from browning).
Below you’ll find 43 of our favorite apple dessert recipes to make the most of the season. There’s nothing more autumnal than the aroma of a freshly baked apple pie wafting through your home, but the Epicurious archives is also full of easy apple crisps, rustic galettes, fancy cakes, and more to help you turn your bounty of fruit into something even more delicious. Preheat your oven and get that scoop of vanilla ice cream ready.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Ali Nardi1/43Classic Apple Pie
When we're thinking about essential apple desserts, pie is first and foremost on the list. We tested the many homemade apple pie recipes on the site to narrow in on our favorite version, which boasts a flaky all-butter pie crust. The apple filling is made with both Braeburn and Honeycrisp apples for the ideal balance of sweet and tart.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Bill Clark3/43Creole Cream Cheesecake With Caramel-Apple Topping
This tangy cheesecake gets its personality from Creole cream cheese. The topping can take many forms throughout the year (like strawberries in spring), but for fall, there's nothing better than apple slices soaked in a buttery caramel sauce.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Stevie Stewart5/43Apple Crumble
This unfussy dessert isn't heavily spiced, so it really lets the apples shine. McIntosh and Golden Delicious apples pair nicely together—the sweet McIntosh apples break down when baked, while the Golden Delicious apples are a bit more tart and sturdy. But you can experiment with whatever apples you have on hand.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks6/43Caramel Apple Drip Cake With Candied Walnuts
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Ali Nardi8/43Apple Fritters With Spiced Sugar
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell9/43Olive Oil Apple Cake With Spiced Sugar
This no-mixer-required, dairy-free cake recipe hits all the right autumnal notes: it’s earthy thanks to the olive oil and warm thanks to the spices. Choose your apples for this dessert wisely—a softer type will melt into the cake, while firmer apples (such as Granny Smith) will give the crumb a coarser texture. Serve instead of coffee cake at your next brunch.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne11/43Apple Sticky Toffee Pudding
Two favorite fall desserts meet up in this recipe: It's one part apple cake, one part sticky toffee pudding. And while it's ideal for Rosh Hashanah, we'll be baking it frequently throughout the fall and winter.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Nathaniel James, Food Styling by Frances Boswell12/43Galette de Pommes au Calvados
Apple jelly and a boozy Calvados sauce dress up this French apple tart.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Anna Surbatovich, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson13/43Individual Apple Crisp
If you're craving apple crisp but don't need a full-sized baking dish of it, this delightful little dessert is made for you. Dollop with spiced whipped cream or add a scoop of ice cream on top.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Astrid Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Hampton14/433-Ingredient Caramel Apple Tart
The secret to making this stunning and delicious dessert for a crowd in under an hour? Store-bought caramel sauce and frozen puff pastry.
