32 Fall Apple Recipes

Fall and apples are basically inseparable, aren’t they? The moment September rolls around, we’re all dreaming of crisp mornings at the orchard, baskets overflowing with Honeycrisp and Granny Smith apples, and that intoxicating smell of cinnamon and butter wafting from the kitchen.

There’s something magical about apple season that turns even the most casual bakers into domestic goddesses, armed with rolling pins and ready to conquer the world one apple dessert at a time.

This collection of 32 fall apple recipes celebrates everything we love about autumn’s most beloved fruit. From classic comfort foods that’ll make your grandmother proud to creative twists that’ll have your dinner guests asking for recipes, these dishes capture the essence of the season in every single bite.

Whether you’ve got a bushel from your latest apple-picking adventure or just grabbed a bag from the grocery store, these recipes will help you make the most of fall’s sweetest bounty.

Classic Apple Pie

Let’s start with the one that makes autumn official, shall we? This isn’t just any apple pie—this is the kind that makes people close their eyes on the first bite and let out that little satisfied sigh that means you’ve just tasted perfection.

The secret is all in the details. A mix of tart Granny Smith and sweet Honeycrisp apples creates the perfect balance of flavors and textures. The filling gets pre-cooked for just five minutes on the stovetop, which intensifies the apple flavor and prevents that dreaded gap between filling and crust.

A flaky, buttery double crust cradles the spiced apple mixture, creating that classic dome shape that screams “homemade with love”.

What makes this so quintessentially fall is how it captures the essence of apple-picking season in one gorgeous pie. The warm spices—cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice—smell like autumn afternoons, and serving it warm with vanilla ice cream is basically required by law in October.

Apple Crisp with Oat Topping

Sometimes you want all the flavors of apple pie but with half the work, and that’s where apple crisp swoops in to save the day. This version has that perfect golden, crunchy topping that contrasts beautifully with the tender, cinnamon-spiced apples underneath.

The magic is in the topping—a mixture of old-fashioned oats, brown sugar, flour, and cold butter that bakes up golden and slightly crispy. The apples get tossed with just enough sugar and spices to enhance their natural flavor without overwhelming it.

As it bakes, the apples release their juices, which bubble up through the topping and create this incredible caramelized layer.

This screams fall because it’s the kind of dessert that makes your house smell like everything good about the season. Plus, you can make it with whatever apples you have on hand, making it perfect for using up those orchard hauls.

German Apple Cake

This cake is like apple season decided to throw a party and invited all its friends—chunks of fresh apple, warm spices, crunchy pecans, and a thick layer of cream cheese frosting. It’s moist, tender, and absolutely irresistible.

The batter is loaded with diced apples and warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, creating this incredibly moist cake that’s studded with apple pieces. But the real star is that cream cheese frosting—rich, tangy, and sweet, it’s the perfect complement to the spiced apple cake.

The pecans add a lovely crunch that makes every bite interesting.

What makes this perfect for fall is how it combines the comfort of cake with the seasonal appeal of fresh apples. It’s elegant enough for company but homey enough for a Tuesday night dessert.

Apple Cider Donuts

These donuts taste exactly like those ones you get at the apple orchard, except you can make them in your own kitchen without fighting crowds or getting lost in a corn maze. They’re soft, cakey, and infused with concentrated apple cider flavor.

The secret is reducing apple cider on the stovetop until it’s thick and syrupy, which concentrates the apple flavor incredibly. This gets mixed into a tender cake donut batter along with warm spices.

After baking, they get rolled in cinnamon sugar while still warm, creating that classic apple cider donut experience.

This is fall perfection because apple cider donuts are basically the unofficial dessert of autumn. The concentrated cider flavor tastes like liquid apple pie, and the cinnamon sugar coating makes them impossible to eat just one.

Caramel Apple Crisp

Regular apple crisp is lovely, but caramel apple crisp? That’s what weekend mornings were invented for. The addition of homemade caramel sauce takes this from good to absolutely transcendent.

Instead of just using sugar to sweeten the apples, this version incorporates rich caramel sauce that adds incredible depth and complexity. The apples get tossed with the caramel before being topped with the classic oat streusel.

As it bakes, the caramel caramelizes even further, creating these pockets of intense sweetness throughout.

What makes this so fall-appropriate is how it combines two of autumn’s greatest flavors—apples and caramel. It’s like eating a caramel apple, but in crisp form, and somehow that makes it even better.

Apple Butter

This isn’t technically a dessert, but it’s so delicious and versatile that it deserves a spot on this list. Apple butter is basically concentrated apple happiness that you can spread on everything from toast to biscuits to vanilla ice cream.

The process is simple but magical—apples get cooked down with warm spices until they’re thick, dark, and intensely flavorful. The slow cooking process caramelizes the natural sugars in the apples, creating this rich, jammy spread that tastes like autumn in a jar.

An Instant Pot makes the process even easier.

This screams fall because apple butter captures the essence of apple season and preserves it in a way that you can enjoy all winter long. Plus, it makes incredible gifts for neighbors and friends.

French Apple Tart

This tart is elegance personified—thin slices of apple arranged in beautiful overlapping circles on a buttery pastry crust. It looks like it came from a French patisserie but is surprisingly doable at home.

The pastry shell gets partially baked, then filled with a simple custard base and topped with carefully arranged apple slices. A apricot glaze brushed over the top gives it that professional bakery shine.

The result is a tart that’s both beautiful and delicious, with tender apples and a rich, custardy base.

What makes this perfect for fall is how it elevates humble apples into something sophisticated and elegant. It’s the kind of dessert that makes people think you’re a much better baker than you actually are.

Apple Fritters

These fritters are like eating little clouds of apple-cinnamon happiness. They’re crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and packed with chunks of fresh apple throughout.

The batter is more like a thick cake batter than a typical fritter batter, which creates these incredible tender fritters.

Diced apples get folded in along with cinnamon, then the whole thing gets deep-fried until golden. A simple glaze made with powdered sugar and vanilla finishes them off perfectly.

This is fall comfort food because fritters have that homey, old-fashioned appeal that feels perfect for crisp autumn mornings. They’re the kind of treat that makes any breakfast feel special.

Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cake

This cake is pure autumn simplicity—light, fluffy, and loaded with fresh apples, then topped with a magical cinnamon sugar layer that gets crispy in the oven. It’s the kind of cake that makes any day feel a little more special.

The batter is tender and not too sweet, letting the apples be the star. But the real magic happens with that cinnamon sugar topping—it creates this incredible crispy layer that contrasts beautifully with the soft cake underneath. It’s like having a built-in streusel topping.

What makes this so fall-perfect is how it celebrates apples in their simplest form while adding just enough sweetness and spice to make it feel special. It’s excellent with coffee and even better with a cozy sweater.

Apple Galette

A galette is basically a rustic tart that looks incredibly impressive but is actually quite forgiving to make. This apple version showcases the fruit beautifully while being approachable enough for novice bakers.

Thin slices of apple get arranged on a simple pastry dough, then the edges get folded up to create this beautiful rustic border. A sprinkle of sugar and cinnamon is all the apples need, letting their natural flavor shine. The pastry bakes up golden and flaky while the apples become tender and slightly caramelized.

This screams fall because it has that rustic, harvest-time appeal that feels perfect for the season. Plus, it’s the kind of dessert that looks like you spent hours making it but actually comes together quite quickly.

Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake

This cake is basically dessert magic—you make it upside down, then flip it to reveal this gorgeous caramelized apple topping that looks like professional bakery work. But it’s actually quite simple to make.

Butter and brown sugar get cooked together until caramelized, then apple slices get arranged on top before the cake batter goes in. After baking and cooling slightly, you flip the whole thing over to reveal the most beautiful apple topping you’ve ever seen. The caramel soaks into the cake, making it incredibly moist and flavorful.

What makes this perfect for fall is how it turns simple ingredients into something that looks and tastes spectacular. It’s the kind of cake that makes people think you’re a baking genius.

Apple Cobbler

Cobbler is like apple crisp’s more rustic cousin—instead of a crumb topping, it has dollops of biscuit-like dough that bake up golden and fluffy. It’s comfort food at its finest.

The apple filling is similar to crisp—spiced apples that bubble and become tender as they bake. But the topping is what sets cobbler apart. It’s more like a cake batter that gets spooned over the fruit, creating these irregular, rustic mounds that bake up golden and slightly crispy on top while staying soft underneath.

This is fall perfection because cobbler has that homey, old-fashioned appeal that feels perfect for crisp autumn evenings. It’s the kind of dessert that makes you want to curl up with a blanket and a good book.

Homemade Apple Cider

Nothing says fall quite like a mug of warm, spiced apple cider. This homemade version is infinitely better than anything you can buy, and it makes your house smell absolutely incredible while it simmers.

A variety of apples get combined with oranges, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and other warm spices, then simmered for hours until all the flavors meld together. The result is rich, complex cider that tastes like autumn in a mug. You can make it in a slow cooker, on the stovetop, or even in an Instant Pot.

This screams fall because apple cider is basically liquid autumn. The warm spices and rich apple flavor are exactly what you want when the weather starts turning cool.

Apple Cinnamon Scones

These scones are like a cross between a biscuit and a muffin, studded with chunks of fresh apple and loaded with cinnamon flavor. They’re perfect for weekend breakfast or afternoon tea.

The dough comes together quickly with cold butter that creates flaky layers, similar to biscuits. Fresh apple chunks and plenty of cinnamon get folded in, then the scones get brushed with cream and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar before baking. They emerge golden and tender with crispy tops.

What makes these so fall-appropriate is how they combine fresh apples with warm cinnamon in a format that’s perfect for cozy mornings. They’re elegant enough for company but simple enough for regular weekend breakfast.

Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars

These bars have all the flavors of apple pie but in a more portable, party-friendly format. They start with a buttery shortbread crust, get topped with spiced apple filling and streusel, then finished with salted caramel.

The shortbread base is rich and buttery, providing a perfect foundation for the spiced apple filling. A generous streusel topping adds texture and crunch, while homemade salted caramel drizzled over the top takes them completely over the edge. They’re easier than pie but just as delicious.

This is fall indulgence at its finest because it combines apple pie with salted caramel—two of autumn’s greatest hits. The bars are perfect for feeding a crowd and much easier to serve than traditional pie.

Apple Spice Waffles

Who says apples are just for dessert? These waffles bring apple flavor to breakfast in the most delicious way possible. They’re fluffy, spiced, and absolutely perfect for lazy weekend mornings.

The waffle batter gets enriched with applesauce and warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, creating waffles that taste like apple pie for breakfast. Fresh apple chunks add texture and bursts of fresh apple flavor throughout. Serve them with maple syrup and butter for the ultimate fall breakfast.

What makes these perfect for fall is how they bring apple season to the breakfast table. The warm spices and apple flavor make any morning feel special, especially when served with hot coffee and real maple syrup.

Easy Apple Cake

Sometimes the best recipes are the simplest ones, and this easy apple cake proves that point beautifully. It’s a one-bowl cake that’s moist, tender, and loaded with fresh apples.

The batter comes together quickly with oil instead of butter, which keeps the cake incredibly moist. Diced apples get folded in along with warm spices, creating a cake that’s studded with tender apple pieces. It’s the kind of cake that gets better the next day, making it perfect for meal prep.

This screams fall because it’s the kind of homey, comfort food cake that feels perfect for the season. It’s simple enough to make on a whim but delicious enough to serve to company.

Apple Cider Snickerdoodles

These cookies take the classic snickerdoodle and give it a fall makeover with concentrated apple cider flavor. They’re soft, chewy, and taste like autumn in cookie form.

The cookie dough gets enhanced with apple pie spice and concentrated apple cider (made by reducing regular cider), creating cookies that taste distinctly of apples and warm spices. They get rolled in cinnamon sugar before baking, creating that characteristic snickerdoodle coating.

What makes these so fall-appropriate is how they capture the essence of apple cider season in a handheld treat. They’re perfect for apple picking trips or cozy evenings at home.

Stovetop Cinnamon Apples

These aren’t a dessert on their own, but they’re the perfect topping for pancakes, waffles, ice cream, or just eating with a spoon. They taste like apple pie filling but come together in just 15 minutes.

Diced apples get sautéed with butter, cinnamon, maple syrup, and a touch of vanilla until they’re tender and caramelized. The result is these incredible cinnamon-sugar apples that taste like the best parts of apple pie without any of the work.

This is fall versatility at its finest because these apples can turn any ordinary breakfast or dessert into something special. They’re also perfect for using up apples that are getting a little soft.

Apple Fritter Bread

This bread captures all the flavors of apple fritters but in a loaf form that’s perfect for slicing and sharing. It’s tender, moist, and has ribbons of cinnamon sugar throughout.

The bread batter is similar to a quick bread, enriched with chunks of fresh apple. But the magic happens with layers of cinnamon sugar that get swirled throughout the batter, creating these beautiful ribbons of sweet spice. A simple glaze finishes it off perfectly.

What makes this perfect for fall is how it brings the beloved apple fritter into a more shareable format. It’s perfect for breakfast, snacks, or even dessert with a cup of coffee.

Caramel Apple Dessert Cups

These individual dessert cups are like portable apple pie parfaits. They layer vanilla wafer crust, caramel mousse, cinnamon apples, and salted caramel into perfect little servings.

Each element is simple but delicious—crushed vanilla wafers mixed with butter for the crust, instant pudding enhanced with caramel for the mousse, and sautéed cinnamon apples for the fruit layer. Everything gets layered in individual cups and topped with more caramel.

This screams fall because it takes all the classic apple-caramel flavors and makes them party-ready. They’re perfect for entertaining and look incredibly elegant despite being quite simple to make.

Old-Fashioned Apple Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting

This cake is pure nostalgia—the kind of simple, homey dessert that tastes like it came from someone’s grandmother’s recipe box. It’s loaded with apples and topped with the most incredible brown sugar frosting.

The cake is a one-bowl wonder, loaded with chopped apples and walnuts that give it incredible texture and flavor. But the brown sugar frosting is what makes it special—it’s like eating velvet fudge that’s been flavored with caramel. It’s rich, sweet, and absolutely irresistible.

What makes this so fall-appropriate is how it captures that old-fashioned, homemade quality that feels perfect for the season. It’s comfort food in cake form.

Apple Butter Apple Galette

This galette takes the rustic tart concept and adds a layer of apple butter underneath the fresh apple slices, creating incredible depth of flavor. It’s like eating concentrated apple season.

A layer of homemade or store-bought apple butter gets spread on the pastry before the fresh apple slices go on top. The apple butter intensifies the apple flavor while adding sweetness and moisture. The whole wheat pastry crust adds a nutty flavor that complements the apples perfectly.

This is fall sophistication because it takes simple ingredients and combines them in a way that creates something greater than the sum of its parts. The apple butter makes it taste like you’ve been cooking apples all day.

Mulled Apple Cider

This version of apple cider takes the basic recipe and elevates it with warm spices and citrus. It’s the kind of drink that makes any evening feel special and cozy.

Apple cider gets simmered with cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice, orange peel, lemon peel, and maple syrup until all the flavors meld together beautifully. The result is incredibly fragrant, warming cider that tastes complex and sophisticated. A splash of rum turns it into the perfect adult beverage.

What makes this perfect for fall is how it captures all the warming spices and flavors we associate with the season. It’s the kind of drink that makes you want to sit by a fireplace and watch the leaves change.

Sugar-Crusted Apple Cobbler Cake

This dessert is like cobbler and cake had a baby, and the result is absolutely magical. The top forms this incredible sugar crust while the bottom stays tender and custardy.

The batter is quite liquid, more like a custard than a typical cake batter. As it bakes, it separates into layers—a crispy, crackly top and a tender, almost custard-like bottom. The apples float throughout, creating pockets of fruit in every bite.

This screams fall because it’s the kind of rustic, homey dessert that feels perfect for apple season. The sugar crust is almost addictive, and the tender apples make every bite different.

Apple Cider Sangria

Who says apple recipes have to be desserts? This sangria takes apple cider and turns it into the perfect fall cocktail that’s ideal for entertaining.

Apple cider gets combined with white wine, brandy, and fresh fruit to create this gorgeous, seasonal sangria. The apple cider adds sweetness and that distinctive fall flavor, while the wine keeps it sophisticated. Fresh apple slices and cinnamon sticks make it look as good as it tastes.

What makes this so fall-appropriate is how it takes apple cider—the unofficial drink of autumn—and turns it into something perfect for parties and gatherings.

Apple Pie Bars with Salted Caramel

These bars take all the work out of apple pie while delivering all the flavor. A buttery shortbread crust gets topped with spiced apple filling, streusel, and salted caramel.

The shortbread base is rich and buttery, similar to shortbread cookies but in bar form. The apple filling is classic apple pie filling—diced apples with cinnamon, sugar, and a touch of flour. The streusel topping adds crunch, while the salted caramel takes everything over the top.

This is fall convenience food at its finest because you get all the flavors of apple pie in a format that’s much easier to make and serve. The salted caramel makes them feel special occasion-worthy.

Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake

This coffee cake is perfect for those mornings when you want something special but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen. It’s tender, moist, and has apple and cinnamon throughout.

The cake batter is simple but delicious, enriched with sour cream that makes it incredibly tender. Diced apples and cinnamon get folded throughout, while a cinnamon streusel topping adds crunch and extra sweetness. It’s perfect with coffee or tea.

What makes this so fall-perfect is how it brings apple season to the breakfast table in a way that feels special but not too indulgent. It’s the kind of cake that makes any morning feel like a weekend.

Dreamy Apple Pie

This apple pie lives up to its name—it’s absolutely dreamy thanks to the addition of heavy cream in the filling. The cream makes the filling incredibly rich and luxurious while keeping the apples tender.

The filling combines sliced apples with cream, brown sugar, and warm spices, creating something that’s richer and more indulgent than traditional apple pie. A crumb topping instead of a top crust makes it easier to make while adding textural interest.

This screams fall because it takes the classic apple pie and makes it even more decadent and comforting. The cream makes it taste almost like apple pie ice cream, which is basically perfect.

Apple Strudel

This strudel looks incredibly impressive but is actually quite doable, especially if you use store-bought phyllo pastry. Layers of flaky pastry surround a filling of spiced apples and nuts.

The filling combines sliced apples with sugar, cinnamon, and chopped walnuts, creating something that’s similar to apple pie filling but with added crunch from the nuts. Layers of buttered phyllo pastry create an incredibly flaky exterior that shatters beautifully when you cut it.

What makes this perfect for fall is how it elevates apples into something that feels European and sophisticated. It’s the kind of dessert that makes people think you went to pastry school.

Apple Cider French Toast

This French toast takes regular weekend breakfast and makes it feel like a special occasion. The apple cider in the custard base adds incredible flavor while keeping the toast tender and custardy.

The custard base combines eggs, milk, apple cider, and warm spices, creating this incredible mixture that infuses the bread with flavor. Thick slices of brioche or challah soak up the custard, then get cooked until golden and slightly crispy on the outside while staying tender inside.

This is fall breakfast perfection because it brings apple cider flavor to the most beloved weekend breakfast. It’s special enough for guests but easy enough for family.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake

This cheesecake combines two fall favorites—apples and caramel—with rich, creamy cheesecake. It’s the kind of dessert that makes people remember your dinner parties.

The cheesecake base is classic—rich, creamy, and not too sweet. A layer of cinnamon-spiced apples goes on top, followed by a generous drizzle of homemade caramel sauce. The combination of tangy cheesecake, tender apples, and rich caramel is absolutely irresistible.

What makes this so fall-appropriate is how it takes two of autumn’s signature flavors and combines them with decadent cheesecake. It’s elegant enough for special occasions but approachable enough for regular entertaining.