Apple Dessert Recipes - Cooking Light

Photo: José Picayo

Apple Pie, Apple Crisp, and More

Once the weather starts to cool down, you can’t go wrong with apple desserts. Apples get tender when baked, but still hold their form, making them one of our favorite fruits to bake with. Whether you are cooking for the holidays, or just making a quick sweet treat for tonight, you will love these scrumptious dessert ideas.

First up, we have a traditional apple dessert. We like the flavor combo of sweet Golden Delicious and tart Granny Smith apples, but you can use any apple (or combination of apples) you like. Purchased piecrust dough is a convenient time-saver.

View Recipe: Rustic Apple Tart

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Double-Crusted Apple Pie

With crust above and below, this classic apple pie offers ample flaky crispness as a counterpoint to the soft, moist, tart-sweet filling made of Granny Smith apples.

View Recipe: Double-Crusted Apple Pie

Photo: Johnny Autry

Chocolate-Toffee Apples

These candied apples combine the buttery richness of caramel apples with the fun crunch of candied ones—two old standards twisted together.

View Recipe: Chocolate-Toffee Apples

Photo: Randy Mayor

Apple-Buttermilk Custard Pie

Warm, cinnamon apples combine with a creamy custard for a fun twist on apple pie. Tip: The key to both a flaky piecrust and crisp streusel topping is to keep them as cold as possible before putting them into the oven.

View Recipe: Apple-Buttermilk Custard Pie

Cinnamon-Apple Cake

Originally appearing in an issue from 1997, this Cinnamon-Apple Cake is one of our most loved recipes and can be served as dessert or a breakfast coffee cake. The cream cheese in the batter gives the cake lots of moisture. We recommend using mild-tasting Rome apples.

View Recipe: Cinnamon-Apple Cake

Photo: Randy Mayor

Caramel-Apple Cheesecake

This creamy cheesecake combines the pleasant tartness of fall apples with the buttery sweetness of caramel to really showcase fall flavors.

View Recipe: Caramel-Apple Cheesecake

Maple-Walnut Apple Crisp

A crispy crust and gooey, sweet center make this wholesome treat something to write home about.

View Recipe: Maple-Walnut Apple Crisp

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Cast-Iron Apple Cobbler

Entertaining a smaller crowd? This homey apple cobbler recipe can be easily halved and baked in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet.

View Recipe: Cast-Iron Apple Cobbler

Candied Apples

When we prepared these Candied Apples in our Test Kitchens, we were won over by their simple charm. In particular, we liked the way the cinnamon candy coating complemented the sweetness and cool crunch of the fruit in a classic flavor match. Our recipe uses cinnamon candies (Red Hots are a good choice) instead of the cinnamon and red food coloring used in other versions.

View Recipe: Candied Apples

Photo: Jonny Valiant

Apple Kuchen

The sweet flavors of fall are found in this dessert. Sweet fuji apples flavored with the fruit's classic spice of choice, cinnnamon, will make for a pleasing after-dinner treat.

View Recipe: Apple Kuchen

Photo: Gentl & Hyers

Apple Upside-Down Cake

Mild Rome apples are great for baking this scrumptious upside-down cake however you can also use Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, or Jonagold apples. Dollop the cake with a bit of whipped cream, if desired.

View Recipe: Apple Upside-Down Cake

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Amaretto Apple Streusel Cupcakes

Top tender apple cupcakes with a sweet and crunchy topping of brown sugar and almonds, then drizzle with a powdered sugar glaze. The amaretto adds an even more distinct almond flavor to the cupcakes, but if you don't have it, you can use almond extract instead.

View Recipe: Amaretto Apple Streusel Cupcakes

Photo: Randy Mayor

Rhubarb Apple Pie

Spring is the season for fresh rhubarb. So take advantage of this seasonal fresh flavor and dish up homemade Rhubarb-Apple Pie.

View Recipe: Rhubarb Apple Pie

Photo: Randy Mayor

Apple-Cinnamon Coffeecake

This coffee cake is best served warm. To prepare ahead, cool completely, wrap (still in the pan) in foil, and leave out at room temperature for up to one day, or freeze for up to three months. To reheat thawed cake, unwrap and bake at 250° for 15 to 20 minutes.

View Recipe: Apple-Cinnamon Coffeecake

Photo: Charles Masters

French Apple Tart

The free-form apple tart is mighty easy because it works from a store-bought crust—yet it's just spectacular, and so evocative of the season.

View Recipe: French Apple Tart

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Apple Marzipan Galette

The scrumptious pie has a caramel apple flavor and is a welcomed variation of classic apple pie. Marzipan (sweetened almond paste) can be found with other baking ingredients in the supermarket. Look for it packaged in a small box or can.

View Recipe: Apple Marzipan Galette

Apple Desserts

Apple Pie, Apple Crisp, and More

Double-Crusted Apple Pie

Chocolate-Toffee Apples

Apple-Buttermilk Custard Pie

Cinnamon-Apple Cake

Caramel-Apple Cheesecake

Maple-Walnut Apple Crisp

Cast-Iron Apple Cobbler

Candied Apples

Apple Kuchen

Apple Upside-Down Cake

Amaretto Apple Streusel Cupcakes

Rhubarb Apple Pie

Apple-Cinnamon Coffeecake

French Apple Tart

Apple Marzipan Galette