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20 Best Easy Apple Recipes

ByTiffany Dahle Published: Last Modified:
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These are the best easy apple recipes for busy families with picky kids. Don't miss these fantastic apple desserts, apple snacks, and apple dinner ideas that help make apples part of every meal.

A bowl full of Granny Smith apples sits on a table.

It is one of our family's favorite traditions to go to the pick-your-own apples orchard each fall.

Our favorite apple orchard happens to be on a gorgeous mountain top in North Carolina. I take dozens of pictures of the kids and the pretty trees and we come home with bags overflowing with delicious fresh apples.ย 

We could eat the apples straight-up as a healthy snack or we can use them as the perfect excuse for trying new apple recipes. I'm pretty sure you can guess which way it goes in our house!

We have a few select favorite recipes that the apples disappear into each fall, but it's always fun to try something new. 

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Easy Apple Desserts

From classic apple crisp to an all American apple pie, find the best apple dessert bars and other sweet treats your kids will love right here.

Freezer Friendly Apple Crisp

The MOST POPULAR apple recipe on this entire site for the last 10 years. See why readers come back again and again for this top recipe.

Freezer Friendly Apple Crisp
This freezer apple crisp will change your holiday baking forever. Make one big batch but split it into two smaller desserts -- one to bake now and one to stash in your freezer for later. Perfect quick and easy Thanksgiving dessert.ย 
4.34 from 86 votes
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A freezer-friendly metal pan holds an 8x8-inch apple crisp with crumble topping.

Fresh Apple Cake

You can make my fresh apple cake with or without the brown butter frosting on top but I think it adds so much flavor, especially when you garnish it with chopped pecans.

Fresh Apple Cake
This easy apple cake is bursting at the seams with fresh apples. Itโ€™s the perfect way to use your orchard haul this fall. Top it with nutty brown butter frosting or easy cream cheese frosting and chopped pecans for an amazing make-ahead Thanksgiving dessert.
5 from 6 votes
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A square slice of apple cake topped with soft frosting and pecans sits in front of the metal baking pan it came from. A bite is missing.

Taffy Apple Pizza

My taffy apple pizza has a sugar cookie crust and a brown sugar and cream cheese sauce to hold all those crunchy fresh apples in place.

Taffy Apple Pizza
This ooey-goey caramel apple pizza with sugar cookie crust is such a fun way to use up leftover Halloween candy for a dessert your kids will love.ย 
5 from 1 vote
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A sugar cookie baked in a pie skillet is topped with fresh chopped apples, chopped snickers candies, and is drizzled with caramel sauce over the top.

Apple Slab Pie

This freezer-friendly apple slab pie is perfect for making ahead for the holiday season.

Apple Slab Pie
This freezer-friendly apple slab pie is a delicious fresh apple dessert any time of year. The flaky pie crust and juicy apples are great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top!
5 from 9 votes
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A square piece of apple pie has a fork taking a bite.

Apple Crisp Bars

My apple crisp bars recipe has a secret ingredient -- butterscotch chips! Tons of oats help keep the crust nice and chewy.

Apple Crisp Bars
Homemade apple crisp bars with pecans, oats, and the special secret ingredient: butterscotch chips! This delicious dessert bar is the perfect treat for a fall dinner, Halloween, or even an easy Thanksgiving dessert.
5 from 6 votes
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Tiered cake plate serves squares of apple crisp bars with an oat crumble topping and butterscotch chips.

Apple Crumble Bars

Buttery apple crumble bars taste great on their own but I love them with a little drizzle of salted caramel sauce over the top, too.

Apple Crumble Bars
These deliciously easy apple crumble bars have a light and flaky apple crumble topping that comes together with just three ingredients. Bake these with your kids for a simple Thanksgiving dessert.
5 from 2 votes
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A square of apple crumble bars is served on a white plate with a drizzle of caramel sauce over the top.

We fell in love with King Arthur's apple pie filling but I confess sometimes I make it with a store bought pie crust to keep it easy.

King Arthur's Apple Pie Filling
Pair this amazing apple pie filling with your favorite crust recipe for the perfect apple pie.
5 from 1 vote
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A deep dish pie pan has pie crust draped over the side and a mound of sliced apples coated in cinnamon and butter.

Apple Recipes for Dinner

Make a batch of homemade applesauce as a simple weeknight dinner side dish or family dessert. Then pair it with my easy apple based dinner ideas for a fun fall meal.

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Microwave Applesauce

Easy microwave applesauce in under 10 minutes. You can leave it chunky or puree it smooth.

Microwave Applesauce
This easy applesauce is made right in the microwave in just minutes. Mix in your favorite apple pie seasonings or simply use the brown sugar and cinnamon combination.
5 from 5 votes
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A serving of applesauce with a spoon.

Roasted Pork in Applesauce

You can use the homemade applesauce recipe above or a store bought variety for the sweet and savory pork in applesauce.

Roasted Pork in Applesauce
This sweet and savory pork tenderloin is browned on the stove top but finished in the oven. It is wonderful served with mashed potatoes or your favorite fall side dishes.
4.58 from 7 votes
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Two pork tenderloins in a dutch oven.

Roasted Sausages and Potatoes with Apples

Roasted sausages with apples is the first fall recipe we make each year! I love pairing it with a few mustards for sampling, including my homemade raspberry mustard dip.

Roasted Sausages, Potatoes & Apples
This fall comfort food classic is a hit with kids and parents alike. The easiest weeknight dinner with some fresh apples and spicy sausages from the market. ย  ย 
5 from 8 votes
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A baking dish is filled with roasted sausages, potatoes, and apples. A jar of mustard and a platter of baked pretzels are in the background.

Apple Pear Salad

Perfect for serving as a salad for Rosh Hashanah with a sprinkle of pomegranate seeds, a lovely Thanksgiving side dish with dried cranberries, or at home on your Christmas dinner menu, we love this festive apple pear salad.

Apple Pear Salad
T๏ปฟhis festive salad features sweet and crispy red and green fruits and toasted almonds with a mustard vinaigrette dressing. Perfect for serving for Christmas or Thanksgiving as a festive holiday salad.
4.50 from 4 votes
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A platter of prepared apple and pear salad.

Apples & Cheddar Snack Board

Slice up a bunch of raw apples in different varieties and add them to the ultimate cheddar snack board.

Cheddar Snack Board
This delicious snack board is inspired by the Ultimate Cheddar Snack Board from Stunning Spreads by Chrissie Nelson Rotko.
5 from 1 vote
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A round snack board has sliced green apples, spreadable cheese, slices of cheese, ruffled slices of various meats, and a bowl of fresh blackberries.

Acorn Squash with Apples and Dried Cranberries

Slowcooker acorn squash and apples is a perfect side dish for fall, I love it as an easy Thanksgiving side dish because it cooks by itself while I'm busy with the rest of the dinner prep.

Slow Cooker Acorn Squash with Apples and Raisins
This easy side dish is perfect for Thanksgiving or other fall dinners. Pop the acorn squash and apples into the crockpot and enjoy a sweet side dish with turkey or pork.
5 from 5 votes
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A sliced open acorn squash has been filled with red dried cranberries and a spoonful of brown sugar.

Carrot Apple Salad

This vinegar based carrot apple salad makes a perfect barbecue side dish if you're planning to serve a spicy pulled pork or Crockpot bbq chicken thighs.

Carrot Apple Salad
Easy carrot apple salad is a vinegar based slaw that tastes amazing with savory barbecue dishes or grilled meats. Use it to top a pulled pork sandwich or spoon some over spicy barbecue chicken. This is a great side dish to bring to a potluck!
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Colorful shredded cabbage, carrots, cilantro, and green onions are mixed in a bowl.

Authentic Snicker Salad

This classic Minnesota salad is filled with crisp fresh apples under all that creamy goodness. Is it a dessert or is it a dinner side dish? Only you know . . .

Snicker Salad
Snicker salad is right at home on your holiday table. Is it a side dish or is it a dessert? No one knows for sure, but no matter what it is a tasty part of your holiday meal.
4.77 from 34 votes
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A bowl of Snicker Salad next to marshmallows and green apples.

Easy Apple Snacks

Apples make such a wonderful after school snack just by themselves but try these easy snack recipes, too:

Dried Apple Slices

These easy dried apple slices make an excellent easy apple snack for after school.

Dehydrated Apple Slices
These sweet crispy oven dried apple slices are the perfect fall snack to bake with the kids. Use them in a snack mix, to top a salad, or to make a fall yogurt parfait.
5 from 1 vote
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A baking pan has thinly sliced apple circles sprinkled with cinnamon ready for baking.

Apple Cinnamon Chex Mix

Once you've got the dried apple slices, break them up and add them to my apple cinnamon Chex mix with yogurt covered raisins and fresh apple cider.

Apple Cinnamon Chex Mix
This sweet Chex Mix has all the flavors of a classic hot apple pie with dried apple chips and yogurt covered raisins mixed with cinnamon Chex baked with apple cider.
5 from 1 vote
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A pan of apple pie chex mix has yogurt covered raisins mixed in with a wooden spoon next to a green striped towel.

Peanut Butter Apple Dip

Dunk crisp fresh apples into this creamy peanut butter apple dip topped with honey roasted peanuts and a few salted pretzels on the side.

Creamy Peanut Butter Apple Dip
This fluffy and creamy peanut butter dip is the perfect after school snack with fresh crispy apples and salty pretzels.
5 from 1 vote
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A serving bowl has creamy peanut butter apple dip and is topped with salted peanuts. There are green apple slices in the dip and on the plate with pretzels.

More Fall Baking Ideas

The photo collage shows 4 apple recipes including pork in applesauce, an apple salad, a taffy apple pizza, and apple crumble bars.

4 Comments

  1. Pingback: This freezer friendly easy apple crisp will change your fall baking forever
  2. Pingback: This caramel apple pizza can be made in just minutes
  4. Pingback: This Snicker Salad will make you wish you were from Minnesota

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