Our Favorite Apple Recipes

November 12, 2014
Photo: Kang Kim; Styling: Tiziana Agnello
Apples abound! There are many varieties of apples on the market today, with new heirloom types popping up every year as the air gets crisp in the fall. Put your bushel to good use with these freshly picked recipes.
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Apple Chips with Honey-Lemon Mint Yogurt Dip

Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Styling: Blakeslee Giles and Audrey Davis
Apple Chips with Honey-Lemon Mint Yogurt Dip Recipe

There's no need to buy pre-packaged apple chips when the real thing is so easy to make at home. We love the sweet and tangy dip with plain apple chips, but you can also serve with apple chips coated in your favorite spice blend--like Apple Chips with Ancho Chile Cinnamon Sugar or Chinese Five Spiced Apple Chips. If you don't have a mandoline, you can use a sharp knife, but your slices won't be quite as even.

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Double-Crust Apple Pie

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Mindi Shapiro and Amanda Widis
Double-Crust Apple Pie Recipe
A double crust seals in the apples' natural juices as the pie bakes. Tossing the apples with apple juice keeps them from browning as you peel and slice them, and it adds a boost of apple flavor.

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Whole-Grain Apple Cake with Yogurt Cream

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen
Whole-Grain Apple Cake with Yogurt Cream Recipe
There's a trifecta of textural awesomeness here, as the buttery-crisp topping meets silky-smooth yogurt cream on moist, tender cake. By using whole-wheat pastry flour in place of all-purpose, we triple the fiber per slice to a hearty 4 grams. For a chunkier cake texture, use chopped apples instead of shredded. This cake is great served warm or at room temperature.
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Grilled Apple and Cheddar Sandwiches

Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps
Grilled Apple and Cheddar Sandwiches Recipe
Upgrade your grilled cheese by adding a mustard spread and sliced apples. It's sweet, savory, and everything a grown-up grilled cheese wants be (but we promise kids will love it, too).

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Hasselback Apples

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen
Hasselback Apples Recipe
Choose firm apples with sweet-tart flavor, such as Pink Lady or Honeycrisp. Fuji and Granny Smith are likely to fall apart. These baked apples are kind of like a healthier apple pie—minus, of course, the crust.

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Caramel Apple Cake

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas
Caramel Apple Cake Recipe
This cake wins the beauty award. Don't forget the Apple Brand-Caramel Sauce! It's better than you can buy—and essential for all that gorgeous drizzling.
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Shaved Apple and Fennel Salad with Crunchy Spelt

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Kay Clarke
Shaved Apple and Fennel Salad with Crunchy Spelt Recipe
Simply put, apples and fennel are right together. Although canola oil may seem like an odd choice, its keeps the flavors clean and straightforward. However, you can always use olive oil if you'd like the vinaigrette to assert itself.

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Apple-Cream Cheese Bundt Cake

Photo: Greg Dupree; Styling: Ginny Branch
Apple-Cream Cheese Bundt Cake Recipe
This delicious apple Bundt cake features a sweet cream cheese filling and homemade praline frosting. Garnish the frosting with extra toasted pecans because, well, why not?

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Apple Streusel Muffins with Maple Drizzle

Photo: Randy Mayor; Food Styling: Kellie Gerber Kelley; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen
Apple Streusel Muffins with Maple Drizzle Recipe
A combination of spelt and whole-wheat pastry flour make these muffins healthier than the typical fare. Top with streusel and a maple drizzle to sweeten the deal (literally).
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Fried Apple Pies

Photo: Melina Hammer; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham
Fried Apple Pies Recipe
There's enough filling to make a second batch of these delicious pies, or you can freeze it for later. Serve warm or at room temperature—either way, you won't be disappointed.

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Easy Individual Apple Crisps with Oatmeal Crumble

Photo: Jason Wallis; Styling: Cindy Barr
Easy Individual Apple Crisps with Oatmeal Crumble Recipe
Easier than pie or cobbler, an easy oatmeal cookie crumble crowns gorgeous slices of Granny Smith and Gala apples in these lightly sweetened crisps.

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Dessert Spaghetti Squash with Apples, Walnuts, and Cinnamon Goat Cheese

Sara Tane
Dessert Spaghetti Squash with Apples, Walnuts, and Cinnamon Goat Cheese Recipe

While a sweet spaghetti squash might sound a little unconventional, it's quite a treat. Accompanied by a warm, buttery cinnamon apple mixture, this squash is packed with festive fall flavors. The simple goat cheese and Greek yogurt mixture is the perfect, creamy component to finish it all off, and you're going to be licking the spoon with this light and healthy topper.

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Apple-Spice Pancakes

Photo: Alison Miksch; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
Apple-Spice Pancakes Recipe
Use the suggested pancake recipe or whatever recipe you prefer. Be sure, though, to make the Apple Cider Syrup, which takes the place of maple syrup as a topping.

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Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole

Photo: Travis Rathbone; Styling: Megan Hedgpeth
Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole Recipe

Apples and sliced almonds make a glorious addition to classic sweet potato casserole. 

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Pork Loin Chops with Apple and Shallot

Photo: Romulo Yanes; Styling: Megan Hedgpeth
Pork Loin Chops with Apple and Shallot Recipe

Make the most of apple season by siding pork chops with a delicious apple and shallot mixture. 

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Spiced Apple Butternut Squash Soup

Photo: Seth Smoot; Styling: Kendra Smoot
Spiced Apple Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

Roasting a whole squash takes longer than one that's cut up, but Smoot finds it easier (and safer) to peel and cut the squash after it's cooked.

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Easy Apple Cobbler 

Photo: Kelsey Hansen; Food Styling: Adam Hickman; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis
Easy Apple Cobbler  Recipe

Usher in the fall season with a warm pan of (almost too) easy apple cobbler. For this simple and delicious apple dessert, peeling and slicing the fruit will be the bulk of your workload. The combination of brown sugar and apples yields an exceptionally gooey-rich filling that was made to team up with a buttery, golden crust and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. While we preferred hearty Granny Smith apples for the filling, you can certainly use a different variety if that's what you have on hand. Regardless of the type of apple you pick, this warm and comforting cobbler is easy enough to make at the last minute, and is always a welcome addition to the holiday dessert spread. 

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Cornflake-Apple Pancakes

Sara Tane
Cornflake-Apple Pancakes Recipe

These crispy breakfast fritters are the perfect weekend brunch menu item. Warm cinnamon and sweet apples give the classic Cornflake cereal a festive punch. Best served with powdered sugar, maple syrup, and/or whipped cream for the ultimate indulgent start to the day.

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Whole Roasted Chicken with Sweet Potatoes, Fennel, and Apple

Photo: Kelsey Hansen; Food Styling: Marianne Williams; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis
Whole Roasted Chicken with Sweet Potatoes, Fennel, and Apple Recipe

For an easy, autumnal dinner, this whole roasted chicken is the way to go. Perched on a bed of root veggies, fennel, apples, and mushrooms, this chicken becomes irresistibly crispy on the outside and succulent on the inside. Apples and mushrooms absorb the savory chicken fat and slowly break down throughout the slow-roasting process, making them almost melt-in-your-mouth delicious. The sheet pan will be crowded upon assembly, but don't fret, roasting will shrink the veggie and apple mixture's size.

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Apple Cider Doughnuts

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen
Apple Cider Doughnuts Recipe

Few things deliver fall comfort quite like sweet apple cider doughnuts. Gaining their distinct apple flavor from four sources—apple cider, freshly grated apple, apple butter, and apple cider vinegar—these homemade doughnuts are anything but bland. And, because there’s no yeast involved, you don’t even have to wait for the dough to proof; meaning, there’s less standing between you and your hot, fresh apple cider doughnuts. For the most robust apple flavor, be sure to use cider, not juice—and always shake the cider jug before measuring. To give them a perfect finishing tough, either toss the warm doughnuts with Pumpkin-Cinnamon Spice or coat the cooled cider doughnuts with a Buttermilk Glaze or Maple-Vanilla Icing. 

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Caramel-Apple Dessert Tacos

Photo: Daniel Agee; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro
Caramel-Apple Dessert Tacos Recipe

These decadent dessert tacos are essentially like having your own, individual apple pie (but way easier to make and more fun to eat). Start with our endlessly customizable Dessert Taco Shells, fill them with a gooey-good caramel apple filling, then top them off with even more caramel goodness. We finished our tacos off with the Caramel Whipped Cream detailed below, but a scoop of your favorite vanilla ice cream wouldn't be a bad call either. 

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Chicken Sausage with Fennel and Apples

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke
Chicken Sausage with Fennel and Apples Recipe
This is the perfect dinner for those nights when time is short and appetites are huge—also known as any weeknight. This easy meal comes together in under an hour, uses a handful of ingredients, and cooks on a single sheet pan, including the rice. If your family loves peppers and onions with sausage, they’ll love this delicious variation using fennel, apples and Italian chicken sausage links tossed with tangy apple cider vinegar. Fennel is crisp and slightly sweet and caramelizes beautifully when roasted in the oven. Be sure to reserve a few of the soft green fennel fronds and use them to top the finished dish for a pretty bit of green and more delicious fennel flavor.

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Caramel Apple French Toast Skillets

Photo: Daniel Agee, Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners, Prop Stylists: Audrey Davis
Caramel Apple French Toast Skillets Recipe

Say hello to apple season with the perfect breakfast or brunch option served up in miniature skillets! The warm and creamy brioche custard paired with baked apples and cinnamon makes for a marvelous flavor combination that is sure to delight everyone at the table. The cinnamon cream on top acts as a neutral cool topping to temper the sweetness of the dish. Comforting and homey, this french toast is also elegant with a spiral look that originates from the perfectly placed apples on top!

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Mom's Rhubarb-Apple Crisp

Mom's Rhubarb-Apple Crisp Recipe

Honeycrisp and Golden Delicious apples hold their shape well and won't get too mushy after baking. Brown sugar lends deep molasses flavor to the topping.

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Pork Chops with Sautéed Apples and Brussels Sprouts

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen
Pork Chops with Sautéed Apples and Brussels Sprouts Recipe

Guaranteed to be a fast favorite, this recipe plays on the sweet-savory match made in flavor heaven: pork + apples.

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Skillet Apple Chicken Thighs

Photo: Jennifer Causey
Skillet Apple Chicken Thighs Recipe

This dish is perfect for easing into fall and comes together in one pan to boot. To make the September 2016 cover recipe, use 4 (6-ounce) bone-in pork chops in place of chicken thighs. The thighs will finish cooking in the apple mixture, and the flavors will combine beautifully as they sit in the pot.

 

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Roasted Pork with Apples and Potatoes

Greg DuPree
Roasted Pork with Apples and Potatoes Recipe

This meal shows off the sheet pan at its most versatile: The protein, starch, vegetable, and pan sauce all cook to perfection in the same pan. Look for a large apple so the slices retain some texture after roasting. The pan needs to get very, very hot to get a good crust on the pork: Preheat the oven to 500°F first, then reduce to 450°F after adding the pork so it cooks evenly. The browned bits left in the pan will be incorporated into a luscious sauce.

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Turkey Sliders with Crunchy Green Apple Slaw

Victor Protasio
Turkey Sliders with Crunchy Green Apple Slaw Recipe

Sliders make any burger night more fun, especially since you get double the patties and double the creamy, crunchy slaw. Look for ground turkey rather than ground turkey breast--the former has a bit more fat and flavor from dark meat while still keeping a lean profile.

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Apple Galette with Vanilla Yogurt Drizzle

Photo: Jennifer Causey
Apple Galette with Vanilla Yogurt Drizzle Recipe

We save on sat fat and make the crust more tender by swapping in low-fat yogurt for some of the butter (use standard yogurt, not Greek-style). Make dough ahead and refrigerate or freeze (just remember to thaw completely before rolling). You can sub the scraped seeds from one vanilla bean pod or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for the vanilla bean paste.

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Apple Pumpkin Galette

Photo: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Karen Shinto
Apple Pumpkin Galette Recipe
Basically an open-face pie, this galette is a great dessert for fear pie crust. Here, the free-form crust is easy to handle—you don't even need a pie pan.
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Caramel Apple Cheesecake Tart

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Tart Recipe
It may look like a chore, but this cheesecake tart calls for a relatively straightforward preparation: First, press the crust into the tart pan. Next, mix the cream cheese filling, fill the tart shell, and bake. Finally, gild the pie with sautéed tart apples, and paint them with melted apple jelly for a jewelled effect.

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Apple Flatbread

Apple Flatbread Recipe
Apples star in this sweet-savory flatbread recipe—perfect for a quick appetizer or light meal. If you like, you can make your own pizza dough.

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Carrot-Apple Soup

Carrot-Apple Soup Recipe
The smart technique for this simple soup eliminates the need for sautéing the vegetables, which preserves the bright color and flavor of the carrots and results in a brighter, more refreshing soup.
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Apple Stack Cake

Apple Stack Cake Recipe
Use a mixture of tart Granny Smiths and crisp Braeburn or Honeycrisp apples to make the filling for this show-stopping stack cake. To save time, you can make the filling up to three days before you plan on assembling the cake.

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Apple Hello Dolly Bars

Photo:
Apple Hello Dolly Bars Recipe
Hello Dolly Bar fans will love this fresh twist that uses chopped apples, butterscotch morsels, and plenty of crunchy pecans and toasted coconut. Put these bars out at a party and they'll be gone before you know it.

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