Apple Compote

At a glance

What stands out: This apple compote recipe is a versatile fruit topping bursting with caramelized apples and spice. It’s a rich addition to all of your favorite fall recipes! This recipe comes together in minutes on the stovetop (and your kitchen will smell standout!).

How long it takes: 20 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: large skillet
Servings: makes 3 cups

Straightforward Apple Compote

Fall in a frying pan! Living in Michigan, we don’t have to travel far to find apple orchards. With apple season in full swing, you’ll want plenty of apple recipes and this from-scratch apple compote recipe is a must-try. Crisp red apples are rich when they’re cooked, especially with a generous amount of cinnamon and butter. Apples and cinnamon are a match made in heaven, don’t you think?

Speedy and straightforward. Have this spiced apple compote ready to serve in 20 minutes or less, without breaking a sweat.

One pan. There’s no fancy equipment needed, here. While the photos show a cast iron skillet, any type of skillet is fine as long as it’s large enough to hold all of your apples! Even a large saucepan will work.

Versatile. This cinnamon apple compote is the ultimate fall topping. You’ll find so many ways to use it. It’s the reliable finishing touch for pancakes (try it on these brown sugar pancakes or oat flour pancakes). Add a dollop to your morning bowl of oatmeal or yogurt. Serve it as a side, like chutney, with pork chops or other savory meat dishes. Add it to sandwiches! It makes a spectacular grilled cheese sandwich with sharp cheddar cheese.

Laurie Said:

“Made this today! Rich. Thank you.”

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What goes in

You can make this reliable apple compote with only 4 ingredients. Refer to the recipe card below for specific instructions.

• Apples – we use a combination of Honeycrisp and Gala apples but any flavorful, firm apple will work. Other varieties that stay a bit firm when cooked are Jonathan, Granny Smith, or Cortland. Use your favorite variety. If you prefer a compote that is more like applesauce, use a softer apple variety.
• Butter – Choose unsalted if you have it but salted is okay, too. Stay away from margarine or butter spreads.
• Brown Sugar – Either dark or light brown sugar is fine. Even white sugar is okay but brown sugar gives the apples more of a caramel flavor.
• Cinnamon – The reliable spice to go along with buttery sautéed apples!

How it comes together

Making your own apple compote is straightforward as can be. All it takes is a few minutes to simmer the ingredients in a skillet (and your house will smell memorable).

Combine. Melt a couple of tablespoons of butter in a medium-sized skillet. Add chopped apples (peeled or unpeeled, your preference), brown sugar, and cinnamon.

Cook. Saute the apples, stirring occasionally, until the fruit is tender, about 15 minutes or so. Keep the apples warm until you’re ready to use them. Scroll down for tasty serving suggestions and ways to use your apple compote!

Tips for Success

Here are a few speedy tips to keep in mind when making apple compote from scratch:

Chop the apples into even-sized pieces. The apples cook more evenly if they’re all the same size. You can adapt the size of your apple chunks to your preference. Smaller pieces will become more tender than larger slices.

If you’d prefer a natural sweetener, in place of the sugar in this recipe, use honey or maple syrup instead.

Adjust the thickness. The melted butter and sugar need time to thicken into a sweet syrup. If your apple compote seems a little too juicy, continue cooking it for a few more minutes to allow more of the juices to evaporate.

Ways to change it

There are plenty of ways to change this simple and rich apple compote recipe. Try these ideas:

• Add different spices. Cinnamon is a must but you could also add nutmeg, cardamom, ginger, or allspice. If you have apple pie spice mix, that’s reliable! Try freshly grated ginger or even a splash of lemon juice.
• Make it more “saucy.” If you prefer a compote that is more like applesauce, use a softer apple variety, like McIntosh, or continue to cook until the apples are softer.
• Peel the apples. If you’re not a fan of apple peeling, peel the apples before chopping them. We like the color, texture, and nutrition the peels add, but this compote is rich with or without them.
• Add other fruits. We love blueberries cooked into this compote! Cherries, chopped pears, or raisins are so rich, too.
• Rather have applesauce? Try our crockpot applesauce or Instant Pot applesauce.

How To Serve Apple Compote

Breakfast: This apple compote is one of our favorite toppings for pancakes (try it on buckwheat pancakes or quinoa pancakes, too). For the double the apple pleasure, top apple pancakes or apple quinoa pancakes with apple compote. It’s also a great way to elevate a bowl of Instant Pot steel cut oats or yogurt with granola. Just swirl the apple compote on top and enjoy the extra flavor it brings.

Side: Apple compote pairs well with the rich flavors of pork roast or pork chops. For a straightforward lunch, spread a little apple compote on a turkey sandwich or dollop it on top of butternut squash soup.

Appetizer: Compote makes a great addition to a charcuterie board. Serve it in a small bowl with a spoon, or drizzle it over a block of softened cream cheese. We like to serve it with whipped feta, too, with spiced pecans.

Dessert: Serve warm apple compote over ice cream with a sprinkling of crunchy oat topping (yum! just like apple crisp!). Top a slice of apple spice cake with apple compote, whipped cream, and a drizzle of from-scratch caramel sauce.

Make-Ahead

Head start: Chop the apples up to one day ahead. Store them in a covered container or resealable bag in the refrigerator. Don’t worry if they turn a bit brown. Once they are cooked, the brown color will disappear. The next day, cook the compote; it will be ready to eat in about 15 minutes. Keep reading for more details on storing and freezing your cooked apple compote. Incidentally, you can freeze chopped raw apples, too, if you have a plentiful supply.

Keeping leftovers

Refrigerate. This apple compote will last for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Store any leftovers in a covered container.

Freeze. Making and freezing apple compote is a great way to preserve apples to use later in the year! Cook a big batch of compote, cool it, and put it into small freezer containers, or “souper cubes”, and freeze for up to 3 to 4 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator for best results.

Reheat. Gently warm the compote on the stove or in the microwave. It’s rich at room temperature, too.

• Yield: 6
• Prep: 5 minutes
• Cook: 15 minutes
• Total: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 cups diced apples, roughly ½ inch (see note)
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method

1. Melt butter In large skillet over medium high heat.
2. Add diced apples and brown sugar. Continue to cook over medium high heat for 15 minutes, or until apples are softened, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir in cinnamon.
4. Serve over pancakes, cooked oatmeal, vanilla ice cream, or pudding. Makes 3 cups.

Notes

Peeling the apples: It’s your choice whether or not to peel the apples before you chop them. We like the color and nutrition that the peeling adds. Dice the apples into pieces that are roughly the same size, so that the compote cooks evenly. A smaller dice will cook more quickly than larger pieces.

Storage & reheating: This apple cinnamon compote can be made ahead and stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Reheat gently until warm, if desired. To freeze, put in freezer containers and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in refrigerator overnight for best results.

Apple choices: we like a combination of Honeycrisp and Gala. Other varieties that work well are Jonagold, Jonathan, Braeburn, Granny Smith, or Cortland.