21 Fall Apple Dessert Recipes

Fall means apple season and there’s nothing better than filling your kitchen with the smell of cinnamon and baked apples. These recipes use up all those apples you picked at the orchard or bought in bulk cause they were cheap. Most apple desserts actually taste better the next day after the flavors have time to mix together. Perfect for when the weather gets cold and you want something warm and comforting.

Classic Apple Pie

This is the gold standard that everything else gets compared to. The trick is mixing different apple varieties – some that hold their shape and some that break down into sauce. Don’t skip the egg wash on top cause that’s what makes it golden and shiny. Making your own crust is worth it but store-bought works fine if you’re in a hurry. Always serve with vanilla ice cream, that’s not negotiable. Find the recipe here.

Apple Crisp with Oat Topping

Way easier than pie cause there’s no bottom crust to worry about. The oat topping gets all crunchy and golden while the apples underneath get soft and jammy. You can throw this together in like 15 minutes and it bakes itself. Granny Smith apples work best cause they don’t turn to mush. Perfect for weeknight dessert when you want something homemade but simple. Find the recipe here.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake

This combines two amazing things and somehow makes them even better together. The graham cracker crust is easy and the cheesecake filling is just cream cheese, eggs, and sugar basically. The caramel sauce on top soaks in a little and the apples add texture. These need to chill overnight so plan ahead. Great for special occasions when you want to impress people. Find the recipe here.

Apple Cinnamon Bread

This is more like cake than bread but nobody’s complaining. It’s super moist from all the apples and the cinnamon makes your house smell incredible. You can add a simple glaze on top or just dust with powdered sugar. This keeps well for days wrapped up tight. Perfect for breakfast, snack, or dessert – it works anytime. Find the recipe here.

French Apple Tart

This looks fancy but is actually pretty straightforward once you get the hang of it. You arrange thin apple slices in overlapping circles on pastry cream. Takes some patience to slice the apples thin enough but it’s worth it for how pretty it looks. The pastry cream is just milk, eggs, and sugar cooked together. Brush with apricot jam at the end for that shiny bakery look. Find the recipe here.

Apple Crumble Bars

These are like apple crisp but in bar form so their easier to serve and pack for lunches. The bottom layer is basically shortbread, then apples, then more crumble on top. They hold together better than regular apple crisp. You can cut them into neat squares which makes them good for potlucks. The brown butter in the crumble topping makes them taste extra special. Find the recipe here.

Baked Cinnamon Coconut Sugar Apples

The simplest apple dessert ever – just core apples, stuff with cinnamon, coconut sugar and butter, then bake. They get all tender and the filling caramelizes. You can add oats or nuts to the stuffing if you want more texture. These feel healthy enough to eat for breakfast but sweet enough for dessert. Great for when you want something quick and don’t have many ingredients. Find the recipe here.

Apple Cake with Brown Butter Frosting

This is a one-bowl cake that’s super moist from all the apples mixed in. The brown butter frosting takes it from good to amazing – browning the butter adds this nutty flavor that’s perfect with apples. The cake is pretty forgiving so even if you mess up the measurements a little it’ll still taste good. Perfect for birthday parties or just cause you want cake. Find the recipe here.

Apple Galette

A galette is basically a rustic pie that you don’t put in a pie pan. You roll out pastry, pile apples in the center, and fold the edges up. It’s supposed to look imperfect which takes all the pressure off. Way easier than a proper pie but just as delicious. The free-form shape makes it look fancy even though it’s actually simpler to make. Find the recipe here.

Caramel Apple Upside-Down Cake

The caramelized apples on top of this look gorgeous when you flip it out of the pan. You cook apples with brown sugar and butter first, then pour cake batter over. When it’s done you flip the whole thing over. Sometimes the apples stick a little but that just adds to the rustic charm. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream. Find the recipe here.

Apple Cider Donuts

These taste like fall in donut form. The apple cider gets reduced down to concentrate the flavor and the spices make them smell amazing while frying. You can bake them instead of frying if you want but they won’t taste quite the same. Roll in cinnamon sugar while their still warm. These are my personal favorite cause they remind me of going to apple orchards as a kid. Find the recipe here.

Apple Strudel

This looks intimidating but it’s mostly just rolling thin pastry around spiced apples. You can use phyllo dough from the store instead of making your own which saves tons of time. Brush each layer with butter so it gets all flaky and golden. The key is not overfilling it or it’ll split open while baking. Dust with powdered sugar before serving. Find the recipe here.

Apple Cobbler

Different from apple crisp cause cobbler has more of a biscuit topping instead of crumbs. Some people drop spoonfuls of biscuit dough on top, others roll it out and cover the whole thing. Either way works fine. The biscuit topping gets golden on top but stays soft where it touches the fruit. Cobbler is more homestyle and comforting than crisp. Find the recipe here.

Apple Butter Cookies

These soft cookies taste like eating apple butter in cookie form. The apple butter keeps them super moist and adds tons of flavor. You can buy apple butter or make your own if you got lots of time. These cookies actually get better after a day or two when the flavors develop. Good for packing in lunches cause they don’t crumble everywhere. Find the recipe here.

Spiced Apple Cupcakes

These are like little individual apple cakes with cream cheese frosting. The batter has diced apples mixed right in plus all the good spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. They’re moist and fluffy and the frosting adds just the right amount of sweetness. Perfect for school parties or when you want portion control but still want something special. Find the recipe here.

Apple Cranberry Crisp

Adding cranberries to apple crisp gives you little bursts of tartness that balance the sweet apples. You can use fresh cranberries when they’re in season or dried ones year-round. The red color looks really pretty mixed with the golden apples. The cranberries also add extra moisture so the crisp doesn’t dry out. Great for Thanksgiving when you want something different from pumpkin pie. Find the recipe here.

Apple Fritters

These are basically apple donuts but irregular shaped and loaded with apple pieces. The batter is thick so the apples don’t sink to the bottom. You fry spoonfuls of the mixture until golden brown then glaze while warm. They’re messy to eat but totally worth it. Best served warm and fresh – they don’t keep well but they won’t last long anyway. Find the recipe here.

Apple Cinnamon Rolls

Regular cinnamon rolls but with diced apples mixed into the filling. The apples add moisture and make them taste more special. You can use store-bought dough if you don’t want to make your own from scratch. The apples get all soft and caramelized while baking. These are perfect for weekend breakfast when you want something fancy but not too complicated. Find the recipe here.

Apple Pecan Tart

This is like pecan pie but with apples too. The pecans add crunch and the apples add moisture and flavor. The filling is basically corn syrup, eggs, and butter like regular pecan pie. Arrange apple slices on the bottom then pour the pecan mixture over. The combination is really good together and feels more sophisticated than plain pecan pie. Find the recipe here.

Apple Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze

This is a simple sheet cake that feeds a crowd. The spices make it taste warm and cozy and the cream cheese glaze adds richness without being too sweet. You can serve it right from the pan which makes it good for potlucks. The cake gets more moist the next day after the glaze soaks in a little. Super easy but still feels homemade and special. Find the recipe here.

Salted Caramel Apple Hand Pies

These are like individual apple pies you can eat with your hands. The salted caramel adds a fancy touch and the salt balances the sweet filling. You can use pie crust or puff pastry depending what you prefer. Brush the tops with egg wash so they get golden and shiny. These freeze really well so you can make a batch and bake them as needed. Find the recipe here.