Pancakes
25 Straightforward Apple Recipes
One of our favorite desserts, apple crisp is straightforward to mix with layers of tender juicy apples and a sweet crunchy topping. It's a standby!
Celebrate fall’s golden girl, the apple, with over 30 straightforward apple recipes! Enjoy this accommodating fruit in everything from exciting cocktails to rich main dishes.
Which Apples Work Best for Recipes?
This is a question we are frequently asked. There’s no right answer. Different recipes call for different types of apples. We try to specify on the recipe card what type of apple would work best for that particular recipe.
Not all apples are created the same. Some apples have firm, crisp flesh; others are softer and break down more easily. Apples can be tart or sweet. The peel can be green, red, golden, or a blend. Some varieties keep well; others are more perishable. Here’s a brief and definitely not comprehensive list of common varieties.
Snacking Apples
If you’re looking for a sweet crisp apple to snack on, or to dip into our rich apple dip, you can’t go wrong with Honeycrisp, SweeTango, Piñata (our personal favorite), or Pink Lady. These varieties are excellent in salads, too.
Baking Apples
Apples that are popular for baking pies or crisps have a firm texture that doesn’t turn to mush when cooked. Try Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Jonathan, or Northern Spy. We usually choose Honeycrisp to make our popular apple crisp.
Sauce Apples
To make a great applesauce, you want an apple that does break down when cooked. Choose Mutsu (Crispin), Cortland (our favorite), McIntosh, Ida Red, or Rome. Try Instant Pot applesauce to make the easiest applesauce ever. It’s infinitely better than store-bought applesauce!
How To Store Apples
Refrigerating Apples
Store unwashed apples in a cool dry location. It’s important to not wash them until you’re ready to eat them. The crisper drawer of your refrigerator is a reliable place to store apples. It’s best to store apples separately from other produce because apples naturally emit ethylene which promotes ripening and spoilage. If you put the apples in a plastic bag, be sure there are holes in the bag for good air circulation.
Apples will keep for several weeks if they are in good condition (no soft or rotten spots) and stored properly.
Freezing Apples
If you happen to have an abundance of fresh apples, you can freeze them to use later in pies, crisps, cakes, muffins, and compotes (in recipes where the apples are cooked). They’ll keep for at least 3 months. Don’t worry if you notice a bit of browning. That’s natural and will disappear completely when you cook the apples.
Peel the apples, and either slice them or cut them into chunks, depending on how you want to use them. Arrange them in a single layer on a tray that will fit into your freezer and freeze until firm. Transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag. If you’re not interested in having the frozen apples stay separate, you can skip the first step.
The apples can be used directly from the freezer or thawed overnight in the fridge.
Enjoy apples in all their glory! Try our straightforward apple recipes today.
