• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Pretty. Simple. Sweet.
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Baking Course
  • About Me
  • Newsletter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Baking Course
  • About Me
  • Newsletter
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • Recipes
    • Baking Course
    • About Me
    • Newsletter
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Dessert » Fruit Desserts & Dishes

    Best Apple Desserts (20 Amazing Recipes)

    Published: Aug 28, 2023 · Modified: Oct 12, 2024 by Stephanie @ Pretty.Simple.Sweet. · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

    I am often asked about my best apple dessert recipes so I created this list for exactly that purpose. My favorite apple recipes now have a home together on one page. Just in time for fall harvest and apple picking, I’m sure you’ll find a delicious recipe on this list.

    best apple dessert recipes best apple desserts

    One of the reasons I love fall so much is for all the amazing seasonal desserts. I love baking with ingredients like pumpkin, maple syrup, and of course, apples. Don’t get me wrong, I love summer desserts, too, like cherry pie and chocolate cookie ice cream sandwiches (I’m an equal opportunity dessert lover), but ’tis the season for warm and cozy treats. So bring on the apples!

    Here are my top favorite easy apple dessert recipes on the blog. They’re simple to make and perfect for all of the fall and winter holidays, or really whenever you have a craving for something sweet and comforting.

    1. Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake

    This exquisite apple upside down cake is made with a bottom layer of gooey, caramel apples that becomes the top after baking. It’s incredibly moist, decadent, and always a showstopper due to the beautiful pattern of apples that adorns the top. It’s one of the BEST apple dessert recipes and perfect for impressing guests this holiday season!

    apple upside down cake

    2. Baked Apple Cider Donuts

    These taste just like the apple cider donuts you ate at the pumpkin patch as a kid! They’re one of my favorite apple desserts, are soft and incredibly tender. Made with concentrated apple cider for amazing apple flavor, they’re dipped in melted butter and coated in a sugar spice mix after baking which makes them irresistibly good. Here’s a pro tip: always make an extra batch – they go quick!

    Baked Apple Cider Donuts

    3. Caramelized Apple Blondies

    This is one of most highly requested desserts from friends during the fall – they really are that good! These chewy, decadent blondies have caramelized apples and yummy autumn spices baked in that come together for a moist and delicious bite of heaven. I love this recipe because it is so incredibly simple to make, yet absolutely delicious.

    Apple Blondies

    4. Apple Pancakes

    Take breakfast to new heights with these fluffy apple pancakes! They’re perfect for chilly fall mornings and lazy weekends. Topped with sweet, buttery, and tender pieces of apple for added flavor and crunch, these are one of my seasonal go-tos when I’m craving something sweet for breakfast (or let’s face it, sometimes dinner).

    Apple cinnamon pancakes topped with buttery, tender apple pieces | prettysimplesweet.com

    5. Caramel Apple Pie

    You can’t post about the best apple dessert recipes without including apple pie! But this is not your average apple pie. No, this apple dessert calls for cooking and caramelizing the apples before you fill the pie shell, so they’re extraordinarily soft and gooey once the pie is baked. Made with a perfect flaky, buttery pie crust, this apple pie is over-the-top delicious. I highly recommend serving it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

    caramel apple pie

    6. Apple Toffee Cupcakes

    I love a cupcake, and these apple toffee cupcakes perfectly embody so many scrumptious fall flavors. The cake is moist, tender and baked with apples and the toffee frosting is rich and velvety smooth. Bring them to a holiday party, the office, or simply make a batch and save them for yourself. You won’t regret it!

    Apple Toffee Cupcakes

    7. Caramel Apple Scones

    Scones are one of my all-time favorite pastries, and these caramel apple scones are a true winner. They’re buttery and crumbly the way scones should be, baked with apples and topped with gobs of caramel sauce. Eat one for breakfast, dessert, or really, anytime of day. Need I say more?

    Salted Caramel Apple Scones

    8. Caramel Apple Rolls

    This is one of my favorite dessert-for-breakfast meals. If you want your kitchen to be filled with a truly amazing smell, try making these caramel apple rolls. Fluffy, tender, and filled with sticky apple caramel filling, they are an absolutely delicious addition to your holiday dessert repertoire. Made with brown sugar and cinnamon, they are truly irresistible.

    Caramel Apple Rolls

    9. Easy Puff Pastry Apple Tart

    Made with only four ingredients, there’s nothing not to love about this. It’s one of the best apple desserts I bake when I’m in a hurry. Made with flaky puff pastry and baked with apples and sugar, this tart is perfect when you need a dessert on the fly. Feel free to customize this one as you like: add cinnamon, slivered almonds, even raisins. Top it with a dash of powdered sugar and of course, a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

    4-Ingredient Easy Puff Pastry Apple Tart

    10. Apple Crumble

    The holidays would not be complete without apple crumble! In my mind, this apple dessert is a seasonal staple. Juicy and tender apples are tossed in cinnamon and sugar and baked with crunchy streusel on top, creating an amazing aroma in the kitchen as it bakes. You can also mix it up by adding cranberries or raisins, but either way, everyone is going to love this dessert. 

    Perfect Apple Crumble | prettysimplesweet.com

    Would you like to save this recipe?

    We'll email this recipe link to you, so you can come back to it later!

    11. 5-Ingredient Individual Apple Crumbles

    Similar to my apple crumble recipe but in individual portion sizes, these apple crumbles look divine served in ramekins. They’re a great way to spruce up dessert during the holidays and taste amazing. You can also individualize ice cream pairings for each guest based on what they prefer: a scoop of vanilla, caramel, cinnamon, or pumpkin ice creams are all perfect accompaniments. The only hard part is choosing which one you want (I personally go for a bit of each)!

    5-Ingredient Individual Apple Crumble

    12. Caramel Apple Bread

    Not quite a bread, not quite a dessert, but somewhere in between, this caramel apple bread is moist, tender, and flavorful. It’s baked with apples and topped with a thick and crunchy caramel icing. I love serving this bread at holiday parties because not only does it taste amazing, but it looks absolutely mouthwatering

    Moist apple bread glazed with a thick and crunchy caramel icing.

    13. Buttermilk Apple Cake

    Words can’t quite describe my love for this apple cake. One of the reasons is for its simplicity – after you’ve cut up the apples, it takes about 5 minutes to make. Once baked, it tastes just like a piece of cake your grandmother would serve. Super moist and bursting with flavor, this apple cake is one of my go-to favorites. Serve with creamy vanilla sauce.

    Vanilla sauce slowly being poured over a slice of buttermilk apple cake.

    14. Apple Crumb Muffins

    Desserts with complementary textures and flavors are always amazing, and these apple crumb muffins fit the bill. These moist, soft muffins are baked with juicy apples in the batter and topped with crunchy, buttery streusel that’s baked right in. They make a great grab-and-go fall breakfast treat or are perfect served alongside a holiday meal. 

    apple crumb muffins

    15. Applesauce Bread

    If you’re looking for a perfect quickbread to serve this Thanksgiving, look no further! This inviting  applesauce bread is truly delectable. It’s super versatile and can be served alongside a meal, for dessert, or even for breakfast with your morning coffee. Feel free to mix up the add-ins, too, like dried apricots, apples, and raisins or nuts like almonds or walnuts. 

    applesauce bread

    16. Apple Pie Bars

    Made with layers of crunchy, buttery shortbread crust, caramelized juicy apples, and crispy cinnamon-oat streusel, these apple pie taste just like apple pie but in easy-to-make bar form.

    apple pie bars

    17. Caramel Apple Cheesecake

    Made with caramelized apples, buttery cookie crumb crust, and rich, autumn-spiced cheesecake filling, this caramel apple cheesecake is absolutely incredible.

    caramel apple cheesecake

    18. Mulled Apple Cider

    This classic mulled apple cider is served warm and full of delicious fall spices. It only takes 10 minutes to make and you can even add some red or wine wine if you want to enhance the flavor!

    Mulled Apple Cider (with or without wine)

    19. Apple Hand Pies

    Apple pie is an all American classic but want to really blow it out of the park? Make these darling apple hand pies for your guests! These beautiful little pies are the perfect easy-to-snack-on individual size and great for any gathering!

    Apple Hand Pies

    20. Homemade Applesauce

    Applesauce is easy and quick to make at home, and only needs a few basic ingredients. It is a great way to use up your bounty of freshly picked apples! I also have a cranberry apple sauce recipe that’s perfect for the holidays.

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I endorse products that I love and use daily.

    Before you get baking… do you have what you need?

    • Apple corer/slicer: This handy tool makes it so much easier to process apples for all of your baking needs. I use this all the time!
    • Apple corer: If all you need is to remove the core and prefer to make your own slices, all you need is an apple corer to get the task done much faster!
    • 9-inch Pie Pan: A pan for classic pies!
    • Springform Pan: This is essential when making delicious cheesecakes!

    All of these apple recipes are near and dear to my heart and absolutely delicious! Let me know in the comments which one(s) you made, I’d love to know. Happy baking!

    Best apple dessert recipes pin image.

    More Fruit Desserts & Dishes

    • Moist lemon poppy seed scone broken in half to show its texture, topped with icing and styled with fresh citrus.
      Lemon Poppy Seed Cream Scones
    • Orange Cream cheese frosting swirled in a bowl with an orange slice and frosted cupcakes on the side.
      Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
    • Citrusy orange cupcakes with a swirl of orange cream cheese frosting surrounded by fresh oranges.
      Orange Cupcakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
    • Mini Key Lime Pies with Blackberry

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Barb says

      October 08, 2024 at 4:22 pm

      May I please have the recipe for the Blondies? The above link takes me to Upside down cake recipe instead of the Blondies. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Stephanie @ Pretty.Simple.Sweet. says

        October 12, 2024 at 1:27 pm

        Hi Barb, thank you for bringing this to my attention. I will fix the issue right away! Here’s the link: Caramelized Apple Blondies

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Stephanie! Join me in my kitchen, where we’ll be making simple and classic desserts and learning the science of baking along the way.

    More about me →

    Find A Recipe

    Recent Popular Recipes

    • 11 Cookies and cream oreo desserts with 6 different desserts showcased.
      11 Oreo Cookie Desserts You’ll Love
    • Orange Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls
      Orange Chocolate Rolls
    • Cookies and cream cupcake split in half, topped with black cocoa cream cheese frosting and an oreo garnish.
      Cookies and Cream Cupcakes with Oreos
    • Gorgeous blue spirulina cream cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and sanding sugar.
      Blue Spirulina Cupcakes (artificial dye-free)
    Shop King Arthur Baking for all your baking needs!

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Website Policies

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Testimonial Disclaimer

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • About Me

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 Pretty. Simple. Sweet.