Apple Recipes

February 13, 2011

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Apple Basics

Credit: Raymond Hom

There are thousands of apple varieties, with a range of colors including red, russet, yellow, and green. Textures and flavors vary from tart and crisp to soft and sweet.

In Season: Apple-picking season begins in late August or early September and lasts through November. Because apples keep well in cold storage, they are available year-round.

What to Look For: Choose apples that are heavy for their size and feel firm when pressed gently. Avoid bruised fruit.

How to Store: For the longest shelf life, store apples in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. Use within three weeks.

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Classic Applesauce

Credit: Standard

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This super-simple recipe can be made without any added sugar, making it a healthy snack or a tasty not-too-sweet topping for roast pork or potato pancakes.

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Apple Brownies

Credit: Gabriela Herman

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Loaded with fall flavor, apple brownies mix up as quickly as the chocolate version -- just the thing for a school bake sale. Any sweet, firm variety of apple will work in this recipe.

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Caramel Apples

Credit: Con Poulos

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Traditional caramel-covered treats are made even better with a sprinkling of sea salt or a drizzle of white chocolate. For a prettier presentation, use apple-tree cuttings as sticks -- ours are from Martha's farm.

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Hints and Tips for Picking Apples and Making Applesauce

Some apples are best baked, others best in salads, and some are just meant to be eaten out of hand. With so many varieties of apples available, choosing the one best can be overwhelming. Watch our guide to choosing the best apple for your recipe.

Learn How to Select the Perfect Apple and Get Tips for Making Sauce

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Mile-High Apple Pie

Credit: Kate Mathis

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Flaky pate brisee pastry encases three different kinds of apples in Martha’s favorite apple pie, and it tastes even better the day after it has been baked.

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Apple-Cherry Cobbler

Credit: Jennifer Causey

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It's easy to have dessert on demand when you portion this crowd-pleasing cobbler into individual containers and sock them away in the freezer until a craving strikes.

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Apple-Maple French Toast

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Sauteed in butter until they're tender and caramelized, maple-glazed apple slices make a must-have topping for French toast.

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Apple, Grape, and Celery Salad

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Apples and grapes, which shine in early fall, take center stage in this mayo-free reinterpretation of Waldorf salad. Toasted pecans offer some crunch.

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Apple and Oat Scones with Cinnamon and Nutmeg

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These scones are light and healthful yet hearty. Fresh apple keeps them moist, buttermilk contributes tenderness, and oats add a pleasantly toothsome texture.

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Apple Fritter Rings

Credit: Johnny Miller

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Make your apple fritters the easy way! Simply dip fresh apple rings in buttermilk batter and fry to a golden crisp.

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Apple-Raisin Cookies

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These iced cookies are moist and sweet, thanks to raisins and diced Granny Smith apple. Ground nutmeg and cloves add warmth.

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Tarte Tatin

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This traditional French apple tart is made like an upside-down single-crust pie. To achieve the wonderful caramelized surface that defines this rustic tart, you need to use a cast-iron skillet.

Watch Martha prepare a tarte tatin.

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Grilled Cheese with Bacon, Apple, and Sprouts

Credit: Jen Causey

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There's nothing like a grilled-cheese-and-bacon sandwich. When you add slices of crisp apple and fresh-tasting sprouts to balance the richness, why, you have yourself a new instant classic.

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Apple Betty

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Similar to an apple crumble, this brown Betty boasts rum-glazed apples baked under crisp, buttery cinnamon-sugar breadcrumbs.

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Apple Pie

Credit: Gabriela Herman

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Maine pomologist John Bunker has dedicated his life to apples, and this is his go-to pie recipe. It’s lightly spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove, but the flavor of Gravensteins, Galas, and Golden Delicious really shine through.

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Quinoa-and-Apple Salad with Curry Dressing

Credit: Carl Carter

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Pleasingly crunchy, nutty-tasting quinoa is tossed with fresh apple wedges, toasted almonds, fresh mint, and a honey-curry dressing. Add tofu or beans to turn this into a fabulous vegetarian main dish.

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Barbecued Pork and Apple Kebabs

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Pork tenderloin, sweet red onion, and tart Granny Smith apples are a winning combination. The unlikely trio of apricot jam, cider vinegar, and tomato paste creates a sumptuous barbecue sauce for these kebabs.

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Apple Crisp

Credit: José Manuel Picayo Rivera

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One of the definitive desserts of fall, apple crisp is easy and economical. Empire, Gala, or Braeburn apples are especially good in this recipe.

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Martha's Pink Applesauce

Credit: Marcus Nilsson

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Why pink applesauce? Because it's prettier and because it lets you skip the tedious step of peeling the apples, since the color comes from the skins.

See how to make pink applesauce.

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Apple-Parsnip Mash

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This sweet puree of parsnips and apples is a unique and fiber-rich alternative to mashed potatoes. It makes an excellent side dish for roasted meats, especially when drizzled with pan juices.

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Baked Apples with Mexican Chocolate

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Marshmallows and Mexican chocolate become gooey and luscious when baked in halved apples. (Mexican chocolate is a solid disk of bittersweet chocolate flavored with cinnamon. It's commonly labeled "hot chocolate" or "drink mix" and is available at most major supermarkets.)

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John's Three-Layer Apple Cake

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Enhanced by the warm flavors of cinnamon and ginger, moist apple cake is spread with a super-fluffy buttercream icing. This cake can also be baked in a 9-by-13-inch pan.

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Apple-Raisin Pandowdy

Credit: Dana Gallagher

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A pandowdy is closely related to a pie -- without the bottom crust. Its pastry top is broken with a spoon halfway through cooking so the collapsed bits soak up the juices and soften. For ours, we used brown sugar and apples and raisins laced with cardamom and allspice.

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Triple Apple Cake

Credit: Andrew Purcell

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This sticky-sweet cake stars apples in three forms: Applesauce and fresh apples are baked into the cake and an apple-cider glaze finishes off the fruity fall dessert.

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Cheddar-Crusted Apple Pie

Credit: Yossy Arefi

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Cheddar cheese is a popular complement to apples. Here, the cheese is part of the flaky crust, which surrounds pleasingly tart Granny Smith apple wedges.

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Apple-and-Cheddar Frittata

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This frittata is filled with a simple, flavorful mixture of cheddar cheese and sliced apples. Serve this unique egg dish with sausage and a green salad for brunch or dinner.

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Apple-Oatmeal Muffins

Credit: Mike Krautter

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McIntosh apples and oats add a boost of nutrition to these easy, crowd-pleasing muffins.

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Apple Strudel

Credit: John Kernick

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Spiced apples, raisins, and prunes are folded into layers of flaky store-bought phyllo for a tempting dessert. Honey, which softly sweetens the filling, is balanced by a dash of brandy.

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Apple Butter

Credit: John Kernick

See How to Can Apple Butter and Other Jelly and Preserves

Intense apple flavor abounds in this spread made from apples simmered in apple cider and perked up with a little lemon juice and cinnamon. Apple butter is fabulous on toast, spice cake, or in just about any place you would use jam.

Get the Apple Butter Recipe

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Apple Recipes

1 of 37

Apple Basics

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Classic Applesauce

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Apple Brownies

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Caramel Apples

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Hints and Tips for Picking Apples and Making Applesauce

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Mile-High Apple Pie

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Apple-Cherry Cobbler

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Apple-Maple French Toast

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Apple, Grape, and Celery Salad

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Apple and Oat Scones with Cinnamon and Nutmeg

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Apple Fritter Rings

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Apple-Raisin Cookies

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Tarte Tatin

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Grilled Cheese with Bacon, Apple, and Sprouts

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Apple Betty

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Apple Pie

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Quinoa-and-Apple Salad with Curry Dressing

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Barbecued Pork and Apple Kebabs

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Apple Crisp

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Martha's Pink Applesauce

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Apple-Parsnip Mash

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Baked Apples with Mexican Chocolate

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John's Three-Layer Apple Cake

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Apple-Raisin Pandowdy

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Triple Apple Cake

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Cheddar-Crusted Apple Pie