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    Home » Apple Recipes

    What to Do with Apples

    Published: Aug 19, 2022 · Modified: Aug 12, 2024 by Jessica Fisher

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    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more details, please see our disclosure policy.

    Apple season is beginning! While the timing and length of the season depends on the climate and weather where you live, now is the perfect time to start planning what to do with apples this harvest season.

    There are so many great ways to enjoy apples, fresh, cooked, or baked into your favorite recipes. Apple recipes can be sweet as in apple cake or savory, served alongside pork chops or ham. Learn how best to buy, store, and serve apples.

    an array of red apples and apple muffins cooling on a steel wire rack on a black table top. this …

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    Table of Contents
    • Why It Matters
    • Buying Tips
    • Storage
    • Serving Ideas
    • Apple Recipes that Contain Applesauce
    • FAQs

    It wasn’t until adulthood that I encountered a fresh-from-the-tree apple. Wow! was my life changed!

    Since then, I’ve looked forward to apple season with much anticipation, knowing there were so many tasty apple recipes.

    If you’ve not yet enjoyed a homemade apple pie or drank fresh pressed apple cider, make this your year to enjoy new apple recipes and a local orchard harvest.

    Why It Matters

    It’s affordable. Since they grow in more than 30 states and can keep for up to a year in cold storage, it’s a generally affordable fruit to enjoy which provides fiber and nutrients. Apples deserve a spot on your budget grocery list. Stock up on these fruits when you see a great price, generally under a buck per pound or go pick your own if you have the chance.

    It’s delicious. Apples are a great food to enjoy on the go as well as at home. There is no end to what to do with apples!

    Buying Tips

    If you don’t have a tree in the backyard or friends who want to give you them for free, you’ll likely need to buy your apples, either from the grocery store, farmer’s market, farm stand, or pick-your-own orchard. Keep these tips in mind for best results:

    • Choose fruit that are firm and well colored.
    • Avoid musty- or alcohol-scented fruit, but those with a fresh aroma that smells of apple.
    • Pick firm fruit with smooth skin, no bruises or gashes. Scald (a dry, brownish area on the skin) isn’t usually bad.
    • Select varieties based on how you plan to use them. For instance, Braeburn and Gala are good all-purpose apples. Golden Delicious and Fuji are good for applesauce, while Rome Beauty is the classic choice for baked apples.
    bags of apples fresh from the orchard.

    Storage

    Apples can keep for a very long time, depending on how they are stored. A cool, dark place is ideal. Short of a cellar, store your apples in a plastic bag in the fridge. There is a small issue of off-gassing with apples, so if you can store them in their own drawer in the fridge, that is ideal.

    You cannot freeze whole apples, but you can process apples in such a way that they may be frozen. You can pack sliced apples in syrup, blanch them, or cook them into applesauce.

    Unbaked apple pies are one of my favorite things to stock in the freezer. I’ve been doing this for over a decade. It is just so fun to go to the freezer and pull out a pie, especially once the weather starts to chill a bit. An hour later we have a piping hot apple-scented slice of heaven ready to emerge from the oven without doing any work. Yum!

    Serving Ideas

    There’s no shortage of what to do with apples! They are delicious eaten fresh, cooked, or baked. In many instances, you can freeze the cooked or baked item to enjoy later as well.

    two jars of applesauce next to an apple and a ramekin of sauce.

    Fresh Apple Recipes and Ideas

    I love it when my kids ask for something to eat because now I have a good, healthy answer. Apples! I keep the crisper filled with apples and the kids know that they can eat them whenever they want.

    There are so many great ways to serve fresh apples! And so many easy ways to slice apples for serving. Don’t get stuck in a rut.

    Serve apple slices with peanut butter, almond butter, or sunflower seed butter or dip them in maple whipped cream. It makes for a lovely, nutritious snack.

    While you can make caramel apples, it’s easier and more fun to serve Apple Slices with Caramel Sauce and topped with whipped cream and a cherry, like an ice cream sundae, but with apples instead of ice cream.

    Fresh apple are also delicious chopped or sliced into salad. You can make a cabbage and apple salad, a riff on coleslaw, or stir chopped Granny Smith apples into chicken salad for a little twist.

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    Want to add something crisp and fresh to the table tonight? Stir up a batch of this super yummy Coleslaw with Apples and Almonds.
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    Apple slices with caramel are a fun and healthier alternative to traditional caramel apples. Serve them for a fun, no-bake dessert for the whole family.
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    Salads never need to be boring, especially when you top them with your favorite flavor combinations. Curried chicken and apple make a great combo.
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    Dessert will be fresh and easy when you serve a Winter Fruit Tray, laden with seasonal fruit. Follow these serving tips to make it simple for your guests.
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    Cooked Apple Recipes and Ideas

    There are myriad ways to cook apples. Simple baked apples are a classic dessert, but don’t stop there!

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    Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal
    With steel cut oats, apples, and cinnamon, Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal comes together easily. Make it in advance (and even freeze it!) for quick breakfasts.
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    Puffed Pancake with Apples
    This Puffed Pancake bakes in the oven for the easiest breakfast ever. Bake apple compote in a dish alongside for the ultimate comfort breakfast.
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    Gluten Free Apple Crisp
    Cozy up with a delicious and easy Gluten Free Apple Crisp. It mixes up quickly, freezes well, and adds just the right sweet ending to any meal.
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    Baked Oatmeal Cups with Apple
    Apples, oats, and a little bit of spice join forces in a portable baked oatmeal cake. Delicious in a bowl of cream or just eaten out of hand.
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    Baked Apple Compote
    This Baked Apple Compote is delicious. Apples scented with rich butter and spices cook up tender and full of flavor.
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    Apple Cinnamon Muffins
    Dotted with apples and topped with a sweet, crunchy cinnamon sugar topping, these muffins are a fun addition to breakfast or tea time. Bake them now or freeze them for later, you've got lots of ways to enjoy these delicious Apple Cinnamon Muffins.
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    Slow Cooker Applesauce
    This delicious, lightly sweetened Slow Cooker Applesauce practically cooks itself, allowing you time to do other things. Load up the slow cooker and in a few hours, come back to warm, comforting applesauce.
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    This easy to prepare slab apple pie takes just minutes. It’s delicious and simple, and a huge hit for fall.
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    Gramma John’s Blue Ribbon Apple Pie is one of the simplest desserts that packs the biggest punch in flavor and texture. Make one today!
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    Jams, jellies, and other spreads offer great flavor to sandwiches, toast, and appetizers. This Small Batch English Pickle recipe is tangy and sweet, a welcome change to the preserves you usually serve. And it’s made with pantry staples, making it easy to whip up a batch anytime.
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    Apple Recipes that Contain Applesauce

    Whether you make homemade applesauce (you should) or buy it on sale (also a good call), there are loads of delicious recipes that use applesauce!

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    Easy Apple Turnovers
    Homemade applesauce and frozen puff pastry come together for Easy Apple Turnovers that will wow your friends and family.
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    Simplest Apple Sorbet
    Freezing smooth, homemade applesauce in an ice cream maker creates the simplest apple sorbet.
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    Eggless Pancakes
    Enriched with cottage cheese and applesauce, these eggless pancakes are the perfect breakfast. They cook quickly, reheat well, and freeze beautifully.
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    Protein Cookies
    Start the morning right — with protein cookies! Loaded with cottage cheese, eggs, oats, whey protein, and quinoa flakes, this easy Protein Cookie Recipe is just the ticket for starting the day right.
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    Sugar-free Cinnamon Waffles
    What do you get when you combine greek yogurt, beaten eggs whites, cinnamon, and applesauce into a waffle? A flavorful, light and fluffy, sugar-free breakfast treat.
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    Vegan Baked Oatmeal
    Start the morning with a cheerful breakfast. This Vegan Baked Oatmeal is easy to bake and full of delicious sweet-tart raspberries.
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    Applesauce Walnut Bread with Cinnamon Orange Glaze
    Enjoy an afternoon break, snacking on this tender Applesauce Walnut Bread topped with a Cinnamon-Orange Glaze. Better yet, bake two!
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    FAQs

    What to do with apples after picking?

    As soon as you get your apples home from the orchard, you’ll want to store them in a cool place. Check to make sure there are no bruised and cut apples in the batch as these will decay and cause other apples to rot as well. Remove those from the apples you plan to store. Ideally place them in their own drawer in the fridge or in a plastic bag.

    What to do with apples without an oven?

    You don’t need an oven to enjoy tasty apple dishes. You can cook them in butter, sugar, and spices, either as a compote, applesauce, or apple butter. You can also cook them in the slow cooker, instant pot, or air fryer. Apples are also delicious eaten fresh with salted caramel sauce. A no-bake apple crisp recipe option is to prep a compote and top it with granola.

    What to do with apples that are going soft?

    Apples that are going soft can still be used, provided they aren’t total mush or starting to mold. Peel them and cook them down into applesauce or apple butter.

    pan of apple crisp surrounded by whole apples, a bowl of whipped cream, and plates for dishing up.

    This post was originally published on October 1, 2012. It has been updated for content and clarity.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Dina S

      February 18, 2015 at 3:27 am

      What is the difference between apple sauce and apple butter? Is it just that the butter cooks much longer and gets an immersion blender not the fork?

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        February 26, 2015 at 6:36 am

        Apple butter cooks down so much it becomes like a jam.

        Reply
    2. Linda

      August 21, 2013 at 10:23 pm

      My apple butter is taking forever to thicken. Since I added the maple syrup and vanilla it’s been cooking for 9
      hours. It’s condensed quite a bit , but I think it has lost the vanilla maple flavor. Any suggestions?

      Reply
      • Jessica

        August 22, 2013 at 9:45 am

        I’m not sure. Did you do it in the slow cooker?

        Reply
    3. Jan

      October 01, 2012 at 5:45 pm

      I’m sort of an apple snob every since I’ve discovered Honey Crisp … no appleauce, no apple butter, no nothing but a nice chilled apple that is cut into 8 pieces with one of them handy dandy apple cutters … and maybe, just maybe, I’ll toss a few slices in with a glass of white wine, but not very often … serve them cold and plain is my motto! 🙂

      Reply
    4. Wendy

      October 01, 2012 at 5:06 pm

      I also do the apple pie filling. But we use it as a side instead. Kinda like Cracker Barrels fried apples. Goes great with pork. Only thing when canning anything don’t use thickeners or any kind of oil. It promotes botulism.

      Reply
      • Jessica

        September 12, 2015 at 4:28 pm

        You can use a commercial canning thickener called Clear Jel which is safe to can with. It can be purchased from Golda’s Kitchen website. 🙂 Makes beautiful apple pie filling and no spoilage or botulism risk.

        Reply
        • Susan Moses

          February 09, 2022 at 2:08 pm

          You don’t want to use canning thickener for apple butter. One trick is to put it in a larger pan so that more surface is exposed. An electric fry pan works good. It will evaporate fairly quickly. Apple butter is done when it goes ploop ploop.

    5. Charli

      October 01, 2012 at 8:30 am

      Your timing is great! I’ve been canning apples for the past two weeks – applesauce, apple butter, apple pie filling, dried apples – and I still have half a bushel left! I’m not complaining, we haven’t had a great apple harvest like this in years. I’m trying this recipe today. Thanks!

      Reply
    6. Kathy

      October 01, 2012 at 4:36 am

      Can the apple butter be frozen? I usually freeze applesauce, but I was not sure about apple butter.

      Reply
      • Jessica

        October 01, 2012 at 8:48 am

        I would think so, but I haven’t tried it. I know you can freeze jam, so I don’t know why not.

        Reply
    7. Carrie @ In the sweet sunshine

      October 01, 2012 at 3:39 am

      I made apple butter for the first time last year in the crockpot, and gave small jars of it away with fresh bread at Christmas. Not gonna happen this year though… apples are WAY too expensive here! Even a gallon of apple cider is $5-6! But I’ll save your recipe for another year — I never thought of putting vanilla in it, yum!

      Reply
      • Fishmama

        October 01, 2012 at 8:05 am

        @Carrie @ In the sweet sunshine, i never buy cider, so I don’t know what that price is. How much are apples where you are?

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Jessica! I'm a 4x cookbook author and 6x mom. I know what it is to be in a hurry and on a budget. I believe anyone can prepare delicious meals -- no matter what's on their plate. I've been featured on Good Morning America, PBS News Hour, and NBC.

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