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22 Easy Apple Desserts for When You Have a Bag of Apples

Modified: · Published: by Rita · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

Apple desserts are the baked treats that put a bag of fall apples to work, from a sheet pan crisp with an oat topping to a rustic galette with caramel sauce.

Collage of four apple desserts including turnovers, crumble, pastry with ice cream, and baked apples, with the text “Apple Dessert Recipes.”

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These are the apple desserts I actually make when the fruit bowl is overflowing, sorted by how much effort they take. A few are weeknight easy and a couple are worth saving for a weekend.

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No apple peeler required for most of them.

Easy Weeknight Apple Desserts

Minimal peeling, mostly pantry staples, ready before the kids are in bed.

Sheet Pan Apple Crisp With Oats

Sliced apples under a buttery oat topping, baked on one sheet pan so it is done fast and feeds a crowd.
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apple crisp in a sheet pan and spatula.

Apple Bread With Apples

A cinnamon spiced apple quick bread with chunks of apple in every slice, no mixer needed.
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apple bread with cinnamon and fresh apples.

Upside-Down Apple Tart Recipe with Puff Pastry

Squares of puff pastry topped with thin apple slices and baked until the edges puff and brown.
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Apple Turnovers with Puff Pastry

Flaky puff pastry turnovers filled with spiced apples, folded and baked in under half an hour.
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Apple turnovers.

Apple Pie Egg Rolls

Crispy fried egg roll wrappers filled with a simple apple pie filling, a fast handheld take on apple pie.
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Photo credit: spendwithpennies.com
Apple Pie Egg Rolls

Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal Cups

Individual baked oatmeal cups with apple and cinnamon, a lighter apple dessert that doubles as a grab and go breakfast.
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Photo credit: livewellbakeoften.com
Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal Cups

Weekend Apple Bakes

A little more time at the counter for something that looks like you tried.

Apple Streusel Coffee Cake Recipe

A tender apple coffee cake with a cinnamon streusel swirl, as good with morning coffee as it is after dinner.
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Sliced apple streusel coffee cake with a crumbly cinnamon streusel topping sits on a wire cooling rack next to a green apple, with more crumbs scattered around.

Rustic Apple Galette With Caramel Sauce

A free form apple galette with a flaky crust and a warm caramel sauce poured over the top.
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An apple galette topped with two scoops of vanilla ice cream and drizzled with caramel sauce sits on parchment paper next to a halved apple, whole apples, and a glass of milk.

Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake

A buttery spiced cake baked over caramelized apple slices, then flipped so the caramel ends up on top.
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Photo credit: feelslikehomeblog.com
Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake

Apple Crisp Bars

A shortbread crust topped with fresh apple slices and a buttery crumble, all the flavor of apple crisp cut into bars.
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Photo credit: ifyougiveablondeakitchen.com
Apple Crisp Bars

Tips for Baking with Apples

  • Use a firm baking apple like Honeycrisp, Braeburn or Granny Smith – soft snacking apples turn to mush in the oven.
  • Mix two or three apple varieties – you get a better balance of sweet, tart and texture than one kind alone.
  • Toss the slices with a spoon of flour or cornstarch – it thickens the juices so the filling is not soupy.
  • Cut the slices an even thickness – thin pieces overcook while thick ones stay raw.
  • Let crisps and galettes rest fifteen minutes before serving – the filling sets and stops running off the plate.

Apple Dessert Questions

What are the best apples for baking?

Firm, slightly tart apples hold their shape and flavor in the oven. Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Braeburn, Jonagold and Pink Lady all work. A mix of two gives the best result.

Do I have to peel the apples?

For a smooth pie or a cake, yes. For a rustic crisp or galette you can leave the peels on if the apples are thin skinned, which saves time and adds a little texture.

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Can I make apple desserts ahead?

Most reheat well. Bake a crisp or coffee cake a day ahead, keep it covered at room temperature, and warm it in a low oven before serving. Galettes are best the day they are made.

Grab whichever one matches how much time you have tonight, and save the galette for the weekend.

More Apple Desserts

Basic Apple Pie with Lattice Crust

Sweet and tart apples baked in a flaky homemade crust topped with a classic lattice design.
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Photo credit: cloudykitchen.com
Basic Apple Pie with Lattice Crust

Apple Crumble Bars

Spiced apples sandwiched between buttery oat crumb layers, baked in a 9x13 pan and cut into bars.
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Photo credit: amycaseycooks.com
Apple Crumble Bars

Baked Apples

Whole apples cored and stuffed with cinnamon, sugar and butter, baked until tender and caramelized.
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Photo credit: tastesbetterfromscratch.com
Baked Apples

Caramel Apple Dump Cake

A four ingredient dump cake with cake mix, apple pie filling, caramel and butter, no mixing bowl needed.
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Photo credit: momfoodie.com
Caramel Apple Dump Cake

Stuffed Baked Apples With Cinnamon

Whole apples stuffed with a cinnamon sugar filling and baked until soft, a cozy dessert that also works for breakfast.
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Photo credit: garlicsaltandlime.com
Stuffed Baked Apples With Cinnamon

More Apple Desserts Worth Trying

A few more from other bakers when the first round is not enough apple for one fall.

Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cake

A light, fluffy apple cake loaded with fresh apples and topped with a crunchy cinnamon sugar layer, ready in under an hour.
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Photo credit: pinchofyum.com
Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cake

Baked Apple Cider Donuts

Cake donuts baked instead of fried, with bold apple flavor from reduced apple cider and warm fall spices.
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Photo credit: thefirstyearblog.com
Baked Apple Cider Donuts

Easy Homemade Apple Fritters

Fritters packed with fresh apple and fall spice, finished with a sweet glaze, ready in about 30 minutes.
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Photo credit: servedfromscratch.com
Easy Homemade Apple Fritters

Easy Crescent Roll Apple Dumplings

Apple wedges wrapped in crescent dough and baked in a brown sugar butter sauce until the tops turn crisp and golden.
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Photo credit: neighborfoodblog.com
Easy Crescent Roll Apple Dumplings

Puff Pastry Apple Hand Pies

Individual hand pies made fast with store-bought puff pastry wrapped around a spiced apple filling.
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Photo credit: runningtothekitchen.com
Puff Pastry Apple Hand Pies

Chewy Apple Oatmeal Cookies

Soft oatmeal cookies studded with chopped apple and warm spices, a cookie that eats like a mini apple crisp.
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Photo credit: tasteofhome.com
Chewy Apple Oatmeal Cookies

Easy Apple Crisp With Oat Topping

Spiced apples under a buttery oat crumble, no need to peel the apples for this one.
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Photo credit: katiebirdbakes.com
Easy Apple Crisp With Oat Topping

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