17 Apple Recipes That Are Ripe For Fall

Side angle view of tarte tatin
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

Leaf-covered walkways and a chill in the air means it’s apple-picking season again. Whether you’re lugging home crates from an orchard or just a few bags from the farmers market, it’s hard not to jump on the (apple) bandwagon when it comes to cooking with this quintessentially fall fruit. Here we have apple in all its glory—baked into desserts, stuffed into pork loin, braised with cabbage, and even turned into mulled cider and cocktails that taste like autumn in glass. Keep reading for some of our favorite apple recipes, and cheers to fall!

Perfect Apple Pie

Overhead shot of a baked apple pie.
Serious Eats / Qi Ai

This take on the all-American classic is guaranteed to turn out perfect every time.

Easy, Old-Fashioned Apple Pie

Easy, old-fashioned apple pie
Vicky Wasik

This classic apple pie has a golden crust and a thick filling, and unlike the previous recipe, doesn’t require precooking apples.

Tarte Tatin

Overhead view of finished tarte tatin
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

The French classic Tarte Tatin can be a tricky dessert to make. However, the right techniques can yield virtually foolproof results.

The Best Applesauce

A opened mason jar of homemade applesauce
Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

With the right ingredients, applesauce can be so much more than meets the eye.

Miso-Squash Soup With Sesame-Ginger Apples

Overhead shot of a bowl of miso-squash soup with sesame-ginger apples
Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

Inspired by a classic Japanese appetizer, this soup zeroes in on the nutty, earthy flavors of squash by simply simmering it in an aromatic dashi broth.

Wild Rice Salad With Dried Cranberries, Pickled Apples, and Pecans

A bowl of wild rice salad with dried cranberries, pickled apple, and pecans
Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

Whether you call it a salad, a dressing, or a stuffing, wild rice studded with plump cranberries and tart pickled apples is the perfect addition to an autumn table.

Garlic- and Herb-Roasted Pork Loin With Crackling and Spiced Apple Chutney

Whole Roasted Pork Loin on a wooden platter
Serious Eats / Emily Clifton

Sweet and tart apple chutney is the perfect accompaniment to rich pork with crackling.

Apple Compote

A dish of apple compote
Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

Carefully shaped apple slices poached in an aromatic syrup flavored with caramel, cider, and spices proves that attention to detail can elevate even the humblest recipe. Tip: Save the poaching liquid your favorite fall cocktails.

Mela d’Alba (Apple Brandy Negroni)

Apple Brandy Negroni served in a rocks glass
Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

This apple brandy–based variation on the classic Negroni cocktail is spicy, rich, and bittersweet. If you like Boulevardiers, then this cocktail is a cool-weather essential.

Sparkling Apple Sherry Cocktail

Sparkling Apple Sherry Cocktail served in a tall glass with an apple slice garnish perched on top
Serious Eats / Elana Lepkowski

Juicy apples meet bubbly prosecco, rich sherry, and sweet orange liqueur in this cocktail that’s like autumn in a glass,

Gâteau Invisible (Invisible Apple Cake)

Overhead shot of a slice from a loaf of invisible apple cake, with a jar of caramel on the side
Serious Eats / Tim Chin

This French dessert gets its name from the way its layers of thinly sliced apple seem to disappear into the light batter that binds them. In a nod to the popularity of gateau invisible in Japan, it’s subtly flavored with salty-sweet white miso, and served with a miso caramel sauce.

The Best Apple Cider Doughnuts

Apple cider donuts with a side of apple cider
Serious Eats / Sarah Jane Webb

These doughnuts are hearty but light, with a sweet-tart coating of apple cinnamon sugar.

Baked Brie en Croûte With Apple and Pear Compote

20170124-Baked-Brie-Apple-Compote-1-matt-emily-clifton.jpg
Emily and Matt Clifton

Pastry-covered melty cheese with an autumnal twist—this baked brie is the ultimate party pleaser.

Spiced Mulled Apple Cider

A glass of spiced mulled apple cider with a cinnamon stick floating inside
Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

There’s more to good mulled apple cider than swirling in a couple sticks of cinnamon!

Apple Pie Ice Cream

A scoop of apple pie ice cream in a ceramic cup
Serious Eats / Max Falkowitz

This ice cream has all the flavor of apple pie without all the hassle of baking it.

Homemade Caramel Apples

Caramel-dipped green apples on a stick
Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

When it comes to caramel apples, you’ll want a caramel that’s thick enough to generously coat the apple, but soft enough to bite through.

The Best Apple Crisp

20140929-apple-crisp-vicky-wasik-26.jpg
Vicky Wasik

A crumbly, buttery topping full of contrasting flavors and textures, soft fruit, notes of lemon and nutmeg and caramel—this is an apple crisp that just might be better than a pie.