Fall Apple Harvest Recipes Everyone Loves (Sweet & Simple)

Introduction

Ah, fall! The crisp air, cooler days, and the scent of fall harvest apples and cinnamon wafting from the oven feel like pure magic. Autumn has this wonderful way of pulling people together, and nothing captures the season better than apples. Whether you’re plucking them fresh from an orchard or snagging some at the farmer’s market, apples are fall’s favorite fruit—sweet, tangy, crunchy, and sometimes all at once! From pies to savory dishes, the possibilities are endless. Let’s explore some of the most delightful Fall apple harvest must-try recipes to celebrate this beautiful season!

Why Apples Are the Star of Fall

If Fall had a mascot, it’d be an apple. Hands down! With so many varieties and their versatility in both sweet and savory dishes, it’s no wonder apples steal the spotlight this time of year.

First off, there’s the variety. Oh, the choices! Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Fuji, Gala—each brings something different to the table. Need a crisp, tart bite for your apple pie? Granny Smith is your gal. Looking for a sweet snack or a salad topping? Honeycrisp will never disappoint. And they’re not just tasty; they’re healthy! Apples are packed with fiber and vitamins C and A, and they’re naturally low in calories. A crunchy, nutritious snack and a Fall apple harvest flavor bomb all in one?

But before we dive into some apple recipes, here’s a quick note. When it comes to apples, not all are created equal. Especially when it comes to baking vs. cooking, some hold up better under heat, while others become too mushy. If you want to enhance the flavor and texture of your dishes, the right variety choice is key. Granny Smith apples, with their firm texture and tart flavor, make them ideal for pies and crisps. Honeycrisp apples offer juicy sweetness and are ideal for salads, sauces, and fresh eating. Fuji apples are naturally sweet and hold their shape, making them great for tarts and baked goods. Gala apples are versatile, mildly sweet, and work well in cakes and muffins. Braeburn apples offer a balance of sweet and tart flavors, making them ideal for savory dishes like stuffing or pork roasts. Jonathan apples are slightly tart, perfect for baking in pies or crisps. McIntosh apples, though soft, blend beautifully into applesauce and apple butter. Pink Lady apples have a bright, sweet flavor with a hint of tartness, making them fantastic for salads and desserts. Golden Delicious apples are sweet and mellow, making them ideal for pies, tarts, and sauces. Finally, Empire apples have a crisp texture and a balanced sweet-tart flavor, making them suitable for both fresh dishes and baking. These varieties offer a wide range of options, from sweet treats to savory creations. So let’s take a look at what Fall apple harvest must-try recipes we have lined up for your fall cooking.

These are just a few of your most common apples. If you want to learn more about the many types of apples, go here: https://www.liveeatlearn.com/types-of-apples/

Sweet Fall Apple Harvest Must-Try Recipes to Bake This Fall

Now, let’s get to the good stuff: There’s nothing like the smell of apples and cinnamon wafting through the house to make it feel like Fall has truly arrived. These three recipes are guaranteed to make your kitchen the coziest place.

Classic Apple Pie with a Twist

Let’s start with a classic—but with a little extra flair! When it comes to Fall apple harvest must-try recipes, apple pie is probably the first recipe that crosses our mind. Well, this isn’t your grandma’s apple pie. We’re talking about a pie that’s equal parts nostalgia and gourmet.

Ingredients:

• 6 Granny Smith apples (peeled, cored, and sliced thin)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Your favorite pie crust (store-bought or homemade, we won’t judge!)
• Optional: caramel drizzle for serving

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F. Toss the apple slices with cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, brown sugar, flour, and lemon juice. Let them sit for a bit so the apples soak up all that goodness.
2. Roll out your pie crust and fit it into the pie dish. Pour the apple mixture in, making sure it’s evenly distributed.
3. Top with another crust, creating a lattice if you’re feeling fancy. (Pro tip: Sprinkle a little sugar on top of the crust for an extra sweet crunch!)
4. Bake the crust until it is golden brown. Approximately 45-50 minutes. Let it cool slightly before slicing. Optional but encouraged: drizzle with caramel for some extra indulgence. Maybe a scoop of ice cream if you are throwing caution to the wind. That first warm bite of apple pie? Heavenly Bliss!

Fall Apple Harvest Must-Try Recipe Perfection

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Next, we’ve got the perfect grab-and-go snack: apple cinnamon muffins. They’re the definition of Fall in a bite. Moist, sweet, and loaded with fresh apple pieces, these muffins are ideal for breakfast or a snack.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup white sugar
• ½ cup melted butter
• 1- large egg
• 1 cup milk
• 2- medium apples, peeled and diced

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners.
2. Whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in one bowl.   In a separate bowl, combine brown sugar, white sugar, butter, egg, and milk.
3. Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients. A gentle mix until dry and wet are combined. Fold in the diced apples.
4. Fill your muffin cups about ¾ full. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of a muffin. If the toothpick comes out clean, the muffins are done. Cool for a few minutes, then enjoy.

These muffins are perfect for busy fall mornings when you need something sweet but quick. Plus, your house will smell AMAZING.

This Fall Apple Harvest Must-Try Classic Recipe is Always a Winner

Classic Apple Crisp

If you love apple pie but don’t have time to roll out dough, apple crisp is your new best friend. It’s warm, buttery, crunchy, and, best of all, easy.

Ingredients:

• 5 Honeycrisp apples (peeled, cored, sliced)
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup flour
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup butter (cold, cut into cubes)
• Caramel sauce for drizzling

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Toss the apples with sugar and cinnamon. Spread the apple mixture evenly in a greased 9×9 baking dish.  In a separate bowl, mix the oats, flour, and brown sugar. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter (or your fingers!) until it forms a crumbly topping.
2. After sprinkling the topping over the apples, bake for 40-45 minutes. The apples should be bubbling, and the topping should be golden brown.
3. Drizzle with caramel sauce while it’s still warm.

Allow the Apple Crisp to cool slightly and set. Serve with vanilla ice cream. You’ll thank me later.

Let’s be honest—those recipes are the timeless classics we all love. But why stop there? I’ve got another apple gem or two up my sleeve that you need to try. Trust me, once you make these, they’ll earn a permanent spot in your recipe book. These aren’t just tasty! They’re the kind of recipes you pass down, the ones your family begs for at every gathering. So, grab those apples, and let’s dive into three of my absolute fall favorites. I promise, after one bite, you’ll wonder how you ever celebrated the season without them!

An Apple Dumpling Story

One of my favorite Apple Dumpling memories involves my best friend, Angie, and her younger brother, Johnny. They invited me to Depot Days, a fall festival in Milton, FL—just about an hour’s drive from Niceville, FL. Their mom, Lois, had sisters there, so while she caught up with them, the three of us headed straight for the festival. We had a plan, and by “plan” I mean a very food-driven strategy. We were all serious food lovers (still are), and what would be the grand finale of our day? Apple dumplings. Warm, flaky apple dumplings nestled under a scoop of ice cream, drenched in apple syrup and cinnamon. Heaven in a bowl.

But we had discipline! We decided to hit up all the craft booths first, saving our dumpling treat for last—something to savor before we left. So, off we went, browsing booths and plotting our dumpling triumph. Finally, with mouths watering and anticipation at its peak, we stepped up to the apple dumpling truck… only to be told they had just sold the last one. They were sold out! You could practically hear the sound of three grown adults having their hearts crushed in unison. Johnny, who had gone from excited to heartbroken in 0.5 seconds, looked like he might actually cry. Then, he did a 180 and looked like he was going to explode from pure frustration. The rest of us? That would be shock, followed by disbelief, and then finally laughter. But I’m telling you that disappointment stung all the way back to the car—and all the way home. So close to that Depot Day Delight, but no apple dumpling in sight! The moral of this memory is to have an apple dumpling at the beginning of your festival lest you face heartbreak. As we three surely did.

This is a simple, easy recipe for Apple Dumplings that Johnny’s sister, Angie, first made and introduced to me. This is a recipe you will make repeatedly for your family and friends. Just don’t forget the ice cream!

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Angie’s Easy Apple Dumplings

Nothing says Fall like hot Apple Dumplings and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. This is an easy-to-make recipe that your family and friends will love.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time45 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr

Course: Desserts

Cuisine: American

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 485kcal

Author: Angie Edge Zubick

Equipment

• 1 – 13 x 9 inch baking dish
• 1 apple slicer/corer

Ingredients

• 2 each Granny Smith apples
• 2 – 8 oz. cans of crescent rolls
• 1 cup butter (will need additional butter to grease the baking dish.)
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 12 oz. can Moutnain Dew A Sprite may be used instead of Mountain Dew
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350℉.
• Butter(grease) a 13×9 baking dish & set aside.
• Peel and core the 2 apples cutting each apple in half vertically. Cut each half of apple into 4 wedges. You will have a total of 16 apple wedges.
• Remove the 2 cans of crescent rolls from the refrigerator. Working quickly while they are cold, unroll the crescent dough onto a lightly floured surface and separate the perforated dough into 16 triangles. Place an apple wedge on the widest side of the dough triangle and roll the apple to the pointed end of the triangle allowing the remaining do to continue wrapping around the apple wedge. Continue with the remaining dough and apple wedges. Place these in the buttered baking dish.
• Melt 1 cup of butter in a small saucepan. Add the 1 1/2 cups of sugar and stir just enough to incorporate. Do not over-mix; we want it to look lumpy and grainy. Add the vanilla and just barely stir it in. Pour this mixture over the wrapped apples. Pour the 12 oz. Mountain Dew around the edges of the baking dish. Sprinkle cinnamon over the top of the wrapped apples.
• Place the apple dumplings in the preheated oven and bake until the dumplings are golden brown and crispy on top. Approximately 35 to 45 minutes
• Plate two apple dumplings in an individual serving dish, spoon some of the pan sauce onto the dumplings, and then serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

A single serving of 2 apple dumplings, pan sauce, and 1 scoop of vanilla ice cream is approximately 485 calories.

If you tried this recipe, don’t forget to scroll up and tapthose stars! I’d love to know how it turned out for you.”

Notes

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 485kcal

Fall Harvest Apple Salad with Maple Dressing

Not everything that falls has to be heavy and rich! This salad is a light, refreshing dish packed with fall flavors.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups mixed greens
• 2 apples (sliced thin)
• ¼ cup crumbled feta or goat cheese
• ¼ cup toasted walnuts or pecans
• ¼ cup dried cranberries

Maple Dressing:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Toss the greens, apples, cheese, nuts, and cranberries together in a large bowl.
2. Make your Maple Dressing and add to the salad just before serving.

It’s crunchy, sweet, tangy, and everything you want from a fall salad. Add some roasted chicken, and you will have a protein-packed salad that will satisfy everyone’s taste buds.

Fall Apple Harvest Must-Try Recipe Pairings and Tips for Fall Cooking

Before you rush off to the kitchen, here are a few tips and tricks for cooking and baking with apples this fall:

• Spice it up: Cinnamon and apples go together like peanut butter and jelly, but don’t forget about other spices! Nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice all add depth to both sweet and savory dishes.
• Keep them fresh: Prevent apples from browning by tossing them in a little lemon juice. And if you’ve got a big haul from the orchard, store them in a cool, dark place. Apples will stay fresh for weeks that way!
• Prep like a pro: Invest in an apple corer/slicer to make your life easier when working through large quantities.

Fall is a great time of year, and when the cool weather arrives, we seek out comfort food. I would categorize all of the above recipes as comfort food, but if you are looking for more, see my previous post, Classic Comfort Foods for Every Season.

Conclusion

Fall is the perfect time to get creative with apples. Whether you’re baking up something sweet or adding apples to a savory dish, they’re the star ingredient that brings a burst of fall flavor. So, go ahead—try out these Fall apple harvest must-try recipes, have fun in the kitchen, and embrace the coziness of the season.
Let me know which recipe you’re excited to try! And if you have any Apple-based favorites of your own, drop them in the comments below. Happy fall cooking!

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn commissions from qualifying purchases.