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Apples are perfect eaten out of hand, but they really strut their stuff when you turn them into dessert. Their natural sweetness gets amplified as they meet the heat, and their crisp structure turns meltingly soft and sumptuous. And although they are an iconic fall flavor, apples are readily available all year long, so you can enjoy apple desserts whenever you like. We've rounded up our very best recipes for apple desserts ? the ones our community of home cooks clicked on, cooked up, rated, and reviewed the most. From classic apple pie to cozy apple dumplings, easy apple cakes, and snappy apple cookies, these recipes offer you the sweetest way to get your apple-a-day.
Apple Squares
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Photo by Cristi
These cookie bars are filled with apples and walnuts and topped with cinnamon and sugar. Reviewers like to use Granny Smith apples and top these bars with caramel or butterscotch drizzle. And reviewers say to double the recipe because they won't last long!
Autumn Cheesecake
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Photo by chibi chef
This fall-flavored cheesecake has a graham cracker, pecan, and cinnamon crust topped with a cream cheese mixture and cinnamon-sugar coated apples. Reviewers suggest doubling the cream cheese mixture to make the filling thicker and microwaving the apples to soften them before baking. "YUM! This is one of the best cheesecakes I've ever eaten! It is very easy to make and looks beautiful when finished! Everyone loved this," says home cook ASHBERRY95.
Apple Pie by Grandma Ople
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Photo by Holiday Baker
Grandma Ople's apple pie is no stranger to the spotlight, and with over 13,000 5-star reviews, it's a must-make this season. This recipe only calls for six ingredients, plus your favorite double-crusted pie crust recipe. This apple pie is made with Granny Smith apples, but reviewers have used Red Delicious to eliminate the tartness.
Baked Apple Roses
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Photo by Ariel Liberda
Chef John's Baked Apple Roses are an elegant puff pastry dessert. The wow-worthy apple roses look like you spent all day in the kitchen, but reviewers say they are quite easy to make. If you want a sweeter treat, use jam to glue the rose together. "I followed the recipe exactly and the roses came out looking just gorgeous! Crispy on the outside and quite tasty," says home cook lubatime.
German Apple Cake I
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This recipe gives you a perfectly moist, dense cake every time. Reviewers like to dust this cake with confectioners' sugar or top it with caramel glaze or cream cheese frosting. "DELICIOUS! I followed the directions exactly and it came out so wonderfully with a delicious crispy topping," says reviewer eyp1175.
Apple Crisp with Oat Topping
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"This is the best dessert for the early fall when the sweet and firm apples are just in season. Within ten minutes of going in the oven the scent will fill the house and neighbors you loaned things to years ago will return them just to invite themselves in and wonder aloud if there is any left (Note: there isn't). Optional accompaniments would be caramel sauce, ice cream, and whipped cream," says recipe creator realnakedchef.
Apple Turnovers
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Photo by Allison TX
Puff pastry dough and Granny Smith apples are used to make these simple, yet classic Apple Turnovers. Some reviewers suggest doubling the cinnamon and serving the turnovers with vanilla ice cream. "Wow, these ARE better than the bakery! I used Honey Crisp apples and added a dash of nutmeg. Really easy and good," says reviewer chrolivi.
French Apple Tart (Tarte de Pommes a la Normande)
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"My mother used to cook this for us all, usually to go with Sunday dinner. I was hooked. Haven't had it in ages and I was wanting to bake something special for a special someone so I asked mum for the recipe. Tried it out today, and it's just as I remember. The thing that makes it for me is the frangipane. Hope you like it as much as me." —Peter Lovering
Gramma's Apple Bread Pudding
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Photo by Kim's Cooking Now
Looking for a way to use up your bread and apples? Try this comforting apple bread pudding. You can use whatever bread and apples you have on hand and you can top the bread pudding with vanilla sauce per the recipe or vanilla ice cream. "Wow!! I wish I could give it more than just five stars. This was truly extra special!! I had a mixture of whole wheat and white hot dog buns to use up and a couple pieces of cinnamon bread," says home cook katydid2483.
Applesauce Bars
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Photo by Sarah Larsen
All your favorite fall flavors in one easy bar. Reviewers love to add raisins to these applesauce and pumpkin spice bars and top with cream cheese frosting. "Truly excellent. Easy enough to whip up for a quick dessert anytime but moist and tasty enough to serve to company along with after-dinner coffee. Frosting is optional — this cake really is that good," says reviewer Jennifer Strange.
The Best Caramel Apples
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Photo by sunshineNdaizies
This nostalgic treat is perfect to serve at your next fall party, and easier to make than you think. You can add any other toppings that you would like to these caramel apples, including peanuts, M & M's, or chocolate drizzle. "The caramel recipe alone gets five stars! It was fun to make and tasted delicious," says reviewer Sarah Waltrip.
Apple Coffee Cake
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Photo by Tammy Ostermann
Start your day off with this delicious Apple Coffee Cake with cinnamon streusel. This cake is made with vanilla yogurt and sour cream, but if you don't have vanilla yogurt you can use more sour cream or Greek yogurt with a dash of vanilla.
Apple Pecan Cobbler
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Photo by Jen
"DELICIOUS! This has become my favorite cobbler recipe. Followed the directions exactly but had a little more apples than it called for so I put it all in a 9×13 pan. Family raved over it," says home cook MAGNIFCANT7.
Glazed Apple Cookies
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Photo by Alberta Rose
Spiced apple and walnut cookies are topped with a simple confectioners' sugar glaze to make these tasty cake-like fall cookies. Some reviewers like to replace the shortening with butter or margarine. "These are delicious cookies that were a hit with everyone. Lightly spiced with a little crispy outside and soft chewy center," says reviewer Alberta Rose.
Chef John's Caramel Apple Pie
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Photo by Chef John
Chef John turns the iconic fall treat of caramel apples into a pie with his recipe. You can use your favorite double-crust pie crust, but Chef John recommends this Easy Homemade Pie Crust recipe. “This is the first pie I have ever made and it turned out really well! Even the little boy who announced that he ‘did NOT like pies’ said ‘but I LIKE this pie,'” says home cook Danita Banko.
Apple Bundt Cake
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Photo by Lisa Marie Loranc
Reviewers say this spiced Apple Bundt Cake is dense, yet moist and perfect served with a dusting of confectioners' sugar. "This was a great recipe. The cake came out with a crunchy top (I used a rose Bundt pan) and soft dense middle!!! It is easy to make and my kids loved it," says reviewer robin.
Apple Bavarian Torte
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Photo by Kim's Cooking Now
This three-layer torte starts with a simple crust, topped with a cream cheese mixture, and finished off with cinnamon sugar-coated apples and sliced almonds. Reviewers recommend cooking the apples first to soften them before baking. "This was *THE* most gorgeous dessert I've ever personally made. It came out looking like I had spent a gazillion dollars on it at some fancy bakery. The bottom crust and the cream cheese part was to die for," says home cook GRETCHEN01.
Fried Apple Pies
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Photo by Sarah Smith
If you're a fan of McDonald's apple pie, you have to try these fried apple hand pies. This recipe uses pastry dough made from scratch, but you can also use store-bought biscuit dough and stuff it with the three-ingredient filling. "I love McDonald's fried apple pies, but my nearest Mcdonald's is a loooong way away. pies came out DELICIOUS!!! The pie dough came out perfect! They were golden and crunchy on the outside and moist and chewy on the inside," says reviewer babooshka76.
Apple Hermits
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Photo by smcnairy
These cake-like cookies are spiced with cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg and stuffed with apples, walnuts, and raisins to make a delicious fall treat. These cookies are kid-approved as is, but you can also add chocolate chips if you would like.
Country Apple Dumplings
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Photo by abbaplez
The secret ingredient in this top-rated recipe is a can of Mountain Dew — but don't knock it until you try it! Simply stuff crescent roll dough with an apple slice and cover with butter, cinnamon, sugar, and Mountain Dew. It couldn't be any easier.
Chef John's Apple Fritters
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Photo by Chef John
Chef John uses cooked Granny Smith apples and sparkling apple cider to make his fried apple fritters. Top the apple fritters with a cinnamon, confectioners' sugar, and sparkling apple cider glaze. "Were really good and not too complicated. This was my first time making them and while they didn't look exactly like the picture they still turned out really tasty; I'll definitely make them again," says home cook Julienne Holmes.
Skillet Apple Brownie
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Photo by Nobody'sGirl
"This is a warm, chewy apple dessert with a brownie-like texture. Served in a cast iron skillet, it's an impressive presentation, perfect for company. Serve with good quality vanilla ice cream," says recipe contributor MomZilla (Evin).
Apple Banana Cupcakes
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Photo by LaurenM
These fall buttermilk cupcakes are the perfect way to use your ripe bananas and apples. While this recipe doesn’t give specific instructions for frosting, reviewers suggest using this Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting. “An unexpected but great combination of apples and bananas! The cake is extremely moist and flavorful a great complement to the fruit,” says reviewer JessKnight.
Cottage Pudding – Upside Down Cake
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Photo by crys
Give pineapple upside-down cake a fall-inspired twist with this apple upside-down cake. This recipe is easy to make, uses pantry staples, and is ready in just over an hour. Recipe creator Sandra recommends serving this cake warm with ice cream.
Grandma's Iron Skillet Apple Pie
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Photo by Kim's Cooking Now
This three-layer skillet apple pie is a Southern favorite and only takes 15 minutes to prep. The secret to this apple pie is the third pie crust hidden in the middle — and you can make it extra easy by using store-bought pre-rolled pie crust. "My husband & I just loved this apple pie. I don't think I will ever bake an apple pie in a pie plate again," says reviewer denise wincz.
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