Our Favorite Sweet and Savory Apple Recipes for Every Meal (and Dessert!) (2024)

Since apples are ever-present in grocery stores, everyday recipes, and restaurant menus, we sometimes take them for granted. But every time apple season rolls around and we see overflowing bushels of a dozen varieties of apples, and get the first taste of the just-picked new crop, we fall in love all over again.

Apples are so marvelously versatile, we love them equally when starring in sweet or savory dishes, hot or cold, raw or cooked. You can start the day with apple pancakes, French toast, coffee cakes, muffins, or apple-studded breakfast sausage, then move on to lunch and dinner with apples accenting salads, soups, braised and roasted meat dishes—and that's all before we even start on our favorite apple desserts ranging from crisps, crumbles, cobblers, pies, cakes, and fritters. Go ahead and pick some new favorites from our collection of best recipes with apples.

Should You Refrigerate Apples to Keep Them Fresh? Here's What the Experts Say

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Apple Crisp

Our Favorite Sweet and Savory Apple Recipes for Every Meal (and Dessert!) (1)

All the apple dessert glory with none of the pie pastry fuss, you can never go wrong with apple crisp (aka, apple crumble). Tender, cinnamon-scented apple chunks bake under a crunchy, chewy, buttery oat topping for an easy dessert that will win over any crowd.

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Apple-Caramel French Toast

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Does it sound like too much work to serve a crowd of morning guests French toast covered in caramel-drizzled apples? We've got great news: this make-ahead breakfast casserole is super easy to assemble the night before. All that's left to do in the morning is preheat the oven and make the coffee!

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03of 20

Sheet-Pan Chicken With Cauliflower and Apples

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This sheet-pan dinner is a weeknight hero, turning a few simple ingredients into a succulent, nutritious meal with just 10 minutes of prep time. Use a firm apple variety such as Pink Lady so the apples hold their shape when roasted.

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Martha's Cider-Bourbon co*cktail

Our Favorite Sweet and Savory Apple Recipes for Every Meal (and Dessert!) (4)

This picture-perfect fall co*cktail is one of Martha’s favorites. Fresh apple cider gets a big kick from lemon, ginger, and bourbon. Shake these up one at a time or make the big-batch version if you’re entertaining a crowd.

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Kale-and-Apple Salad

Give your kale salad some fresh ideas with the addition of apple, celery, and Parmesan cheese. The simple dressing of apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey and garlic comes together in seconds.

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Apple Chips

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You don't need a dehydrator to make these crunchy, snack-tastic apple chips. Thin slices of fresh apple are quickly dipped in simple syrup then baked in an extra-low oven for 2 hours.

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Bette's Chicken-Liver Pate with Sauteed Maple Syrup Apples

Our Favorite Sweet and Savory Apple Recipes for Every Meal (and Dessert!) (7)

Maple-glazed tart apple wedges are an exquisite companion to rich, silky chicken liver pate. This appetizer is sure to get oohs and aahs at your next get-together.

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Pork Chops With Apples and Onions

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This one-pot dinner is almost too easy, and its satisfying savory-sweet flavors will make it an instant family classic. Serve with a simple side dish to soak up the juices —these chops go great with mashed potatoes, noodles, spaetzle, rice, polenta, or your favorite grain.

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Apple Fritters

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This version of apple fritters is quicker and easier than you might expect, thanks to our no-yeast recipe. Use a small ice cream scoop to form perfect fritters without even getting your hands messy.

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Apple-Butternut Squash Soup

The sweetness of golden winter squash and fresh apples is balanced by a lively lineup of spices including cumin, coriander, ginger, and cayenne. This fabulous fall soup freezes well so you can enjoy it all year long.

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Apple-Braised Turkey Thighs

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Turkey is not just for Thanksgiving dinner! Give turkey thighs the casual weeknight treatment with this easy, flavorful braise.

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Apple Butter

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Here's Martha's go-to recipe for one of fall's most traditional home-cooking classics. This version of apple butter starts on the stovetop and is finished in the oven.

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Baked Apples (Pommes Bonne Femme)

Our Favorite Sweet and Savory Apple Recipes for Every Meal (and Dessert!) (13)

Apples stuffed with sugar, butter, and orange zest get tender and fragrant in the oven. Top the warm apples with a spoonful of jam and a sprinkling of toasted hazelnuts to end your evening with a symphony of fall flavors.

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Spiced Apple Oatmeal

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Apples, cinnamon, maple syrup, and butter will banish the word "boring" from the concept of oatmeal for breakfast. Top each serving with toasted pecans for the perfect element of crunch.

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Chicken Salad With Apples and Walnuts

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Chicken salad gets a lighter touch with low-fat mayo and zippy lemon juice, while toasted walnuts and juicy apples add refreshing crunch. Use leftover roast chicken or grab a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store for a super-easy meal.

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Chicken and Apple Sausage Patties

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Onion, fresh sage, sweet-tart Granny Smith apples and a pinch of cinnamon bring a bonanza of flavor to ground chicken. You can make this breakfast sausage a day in advance to make your morning smooth sailing.

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Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake

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Each bite of our go-to coffee cake is flavored with the perfect amount of brown sugar and cinnamon, and the cake is so moist it practically melts in your mouth. When you add a cup and a half of chopped apples to the batter, this cake just about reaches perfection.

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Roasted Squash, Apple, and Cipollini Onion Salad

Our Favorite Sweet and Savory Apple Recipes for Every Meal (and Dessert!) (18)

The roasted trio of Golden Delicious apples, butternut squash, and cipollini onions makes a sweet and tender fall twist on the typical side salad. A bed of crisp, spicy watercress adds the perfect contrast.

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Pulled Chicken With Apple-Cucumber Slaw

Our Favorite Sweet and Savory Apple Recipes for Every Meal (and Dessert!) (19)

We gave the pulled pork sandwich a lighter, more colorful makeover. Shredded rotisserie chicken is glazed in a quick and easy honey-mustard barbecue sauce and topped with a crunchy, refreshing apple slaw.

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Morning Glory Muffins

Our Favorite Sweet and Savory Apple Recipes for Every Meal (and Dessert!) (20)

Apple, carrot, coconut, raisins, pepitas, and whole wheat flour pile on the goodness. Packed with flavor and fiber, these moist muffins are the ideal grab-and-go breakfast.

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Our Favorite Sweet and Savory Apple Recipes for Every Meal (and Dessert!) (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.

Which kinds of apples are best for baking a pie and why? ›

Braeburn Apples

A Braeburn's flavor sweetens and concentrates during cooking to evoke a hint of spice, which makes it a natural pick for pie. And since Braeburns don't release much liquid during cooking, they won't lead to a runny filling or soggy pie crust.

What can I do with lots of 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.

What are cooking apples called? ›

Culinary Apples

The most famous variety in the UK, Bramley, originated 200 years ago, however there are many more desirable culinary apple trees to buy. Cooking apples are often green such as Grenadier and Lord Derby, but others redden up such as Howgate Wonder.

What are the top 5 apples for baking? ›

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

What are the top five sweetest apples? ›

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

What apples not to use for apple pie? ›

There are a few apples that don't make the cut. While great for snacking, Gala, Fuji and Red Delicious are the most common apples that won't hold up in the oven and will give you a watery-mushy pie, tart or cake.

Which apples make the best pies? ›

Our favorite apple pie recipe calls for Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Golden Delicious apples, or a mix of all three. Honeycrisp apples err on the sweeter side, with a distinct honey-like flavor; Braeburns toe the line between sweet and tart; and Gold Delicious apples intensify in flavor when baked.

What apples get soft when baked? ›

An apple listed for pie is typically one that retains its shape but softens well (like Cortland, Mutsu, Empire, Jonagold, or Fuji). Consider the taste. Some apples (Gala, for example) lose a lot of flavor when cooked, and are best for eating raw.

Can you freeze whole apples? ›

The short answer is yes, apples may be frozen whole and with virtually no effort. Washed and wrapped in plastic or sealed in Ziploc bags to freeze, there is no quicker route from orchard to freezer. It may be easy, but bear in mind the end result is an apple that is inconvenient when it comes time to use it.

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

Is 3 apples a day too much? ›

On an average, a person can have one to two apples in a day. If you are having more than that, you can possibly experience some dangerous and uncomfortable side effects.

What is the crispy apple called? ›

So, if crunch is such a factor in the apple-eating experience, what are the crunchiest apples? Some may attest that Honeycrisp and Pink Lady® are the crunchiest, while others would shake their heads pointing to Cosmic Crisp® and SweeTango.

What apples make the best applesauce? ›

The following apples are great choices for your next batch of homemade applesauce.
  • Cortland.
  • Golden Delicious.
  • Gala.
  • McIntosh.
  • Granny Smith.
Nov 18, 2022

Can dogs eat apples? ›

Yes, apples are a fantastic addition to your dog's diet. They provide vitamin A, vitamin C and dietary fibre. They also provide a way to keep your dog's teeth clean and can help freshen their breath. But before you feed apples to your dog, always remove the core and the seeds.

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 is the sweetest dessert apple? ›

While there is an extremely wide variety of apples, all with varying flavors, the sweetest-tasting apple is fuji, followed by gala, honeycrisp, and Red Delicious apples. These apples are great for snacking and eating as is. Granny Smith, McIntosh, and Pink Lady fall on the tart end of the spectrum.

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 apples are best for baking cake? ›

According to New England Today, the best apples for baking are firm-tart apples, and firm-sweet apples. Firm-tart apples are apples like Granny Smith, Esopus Spitzenburg, Northern Spy, Ida Red, and Pink Pearl. Firm-sweet apples are Ginger Gold, Golden Delicious, Jazz, Jonagold, and Pink Lady.

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