25 Best Apple Dessert Recipes for Fall

Apple season is the perfect excuse to make dessert! These 25 Best Apple Dessert Recipes include apple cobblers, cheesecakes, bars, cookies, dumplings, turnovers, tarts, bread pudding and plenty of other delicious ways to turn fresh apples into something sweet.

Apple pie and apple crisp may get most of the attention when fall arrives, but they’re only the beginning.

Apples are one of my favorite fruits to bake with because they work with so many other fall flavors. Add cinnamon and brown sugar for something classic, pair them with caramel for an extra-decadent dessert or combine them with cheesecake, pastry or buttery crumb toppings.

If you’ve been apple picking and you’re wondering what to make with all of those apples, I’ve gathered plenty of ideas here.

And if you’re specifically looking for pie, cake or crisp, don’t worry—I have separate collections for those too!

Easy Apple Desserts

We’ll start with some of the easiest ways to turn a bag of apples into dessert. These are the recipes to make when you want something warm and homemade without spending all day in the kitchen.

1. Apple Cobbler — RecipeGirl

A warm Apple Cobbler is one of the coziest desserts you can make in the fall. Fresh apples are baked underneath a golden topping until they’re soft, sweet and bubbling. This is exactly the kind of old-fashioned dessert that should be served warm from the oven with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream.

2. Caramel Apple Cobbler — Call Me PMC

Take traditional apple cobbler and add caramel, and you’ve got an even more irresistible fall dessert. Caramel Apple Cobbler is a sweet taste of fall baked into a dessert. This recipe is comfort food at it’s best. Tart apples, sweet caramel, and warm cinnamon combined with a buttery crust is the quintessential recipe to make during the fall months.

3. Apple Brown Betty — RecipeBoy

Apple Brown Betty is an old-fashioned dessert that’s similar to an apple crisp but traditionally made without oats. Apples are layered with buttery, cinnamon-spiced crumbs and baked until tender. It’s simple, nostalgic and another dessert that’s especially good served warm with vanilla ice cream.

4. Baked Apples — Simply Recipes

Sometimes the simplest apple desserts are the best. Classic Baked Apples offer a simple, comforting dessert with just a few basic ingredients. Serve the finished apples warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra-special touch.

Apple Bars

Apple bars are great for fall parties, potlucks and holiday gatherings because they’re easy to make ahead and much simpler to serve than pie.

5. Apple Pie Bars — RecipeGirl

My Apple Pie Bars give you all of the flavors of apple pie in an easy-to-serve bar. A generous layer of spiced apples is sandwiched between crust and topping, and the recipe makes enough to feed a crowd. If you’re looking for an apple dessert for a fall party or holiday gathering, this is a great one to keep in mind.

6. Dulce de Leche Apple Bars — RecipeGirl

These Dulce de Leche Apple Bars combine fresh apples with rich, creamy dulce de leche. They’re sweet, gooey and a little different from the usual apple bars, which makes them a fun addition to a fall dessert table.

7. Caramel Apple Bars — RecipeGirl

Apples and caramel show up together a lot in this collection—and for good reason! Caramel Apple Bars take that favorite fall combination and turn it into an easy handheld dessert. They’re great for potlucks, tailgates and any occasion where you want an apple dessert that doesn’t require plates and forks.

8. Apple Butter Bars — RecipeBoy

Apple butter gives these bars concentrated apple flavor without requiring you to peel and chop a pile of fresh apples. Apple Butter Bars have a buttery base with a layer of spiced apple butter tucked inside. They’re especially good with coffee or tea and make a nice addition to a fall cookie tray.

Apple Cheesecake Desserts

Apple and cheesecake may not be quite as famous as apple and caramel, but they should be! Creamy cheesecake is a great match for sweet, cinnamon-spiced apples.

9. Caramel Apple Cheesecake — RecipeBoy

This Caramel Apple Cheesecake starts with a graham cracker crust and creamy cheesecake filling, then brings in apple pie filling, caramel and toasted pecans. It’s rich, decadent and definitely worthy of a special fall dinner. If you love both cheesecake and caramel apples, this one gives you both in every slice.

10. Caramel Apple Cheesecake Cake — RecipeGirl

When regular cheesecake isn’t quite impressive enough, make Caramel Apple Cheesecake Cake. This showstopper has two layers of cinnamon-spiced apple cake with an entire cheesecake layer in the middle. Caramel frosting, fresh apples and caramel drizzle finish everything off. It’s definitely a project, but it’s the kind of dessert people remember.

11. Cheesecake-Stuffed Baked Apples — The Kitchn

Instead of putting apples into cheesecake, turn the apples themselves into the dessert. These cozy cheesecake stuffed baked apples takes fall baking to a whole new level. Hollowed-out apples are stuffed with graham cracker crumbs and a cheesecake filling, then baked until soft and golden.

Apple Cookies and Handheld Treats

Not every apple dessert needs a fork. Cookies, turnovers and other handheld treats are especially useful for fall parties and casual gatherings.

12. Apple Snickerdoodles — RecipeGirl

Classic cinnamon-sugar snickerdoodles get a fall makeover in these Apple Snickerdoodles. Apple flavor fits perfectly with the cinnamon coating, making these a fun cookie to bake during apple season. Add them to a fall cookie platter or pack them into lunch boxes for a seasonal treat.

13. Apple Pie Thumbprint Cookies — Baked Bree

These cookies take the flavors of apple pie and shrink them down into a bite-sized dessert. Apple Pie Thumbprint Cookies are tender and chewy almond shortbread cookies filled with a sweet and spiced homemade apple pie filling, just like Panera Bread!

14. Easy Apple Turnovers — RecipeGirl

Puff pastry makes Easy Apple Turnovers much simpler than they look. The flaky pastry is filled with cinnamon-spiced apples, folded into individual turnovers and finished with a sweet glaze. They’re great for dessert, although I certainly wouldn’t turn one down with my morning coffee either!

15. Apple Harvest Blondies — RecipeGirl

These beautiful apple harvest blondies are packed with fresh apples. Little bits of cream cheese swirled into the bars make them rich and delicious.

Old-Fashioned Apple Desserts

These are the desserts that feel like they’ve been around forever—and that’s exactly why we still love them.

16. Apple Dumplings — RecipeGirl

My Apple Dumplings are an old-fashioned dessert made by wrapping whole Granny Smith apples in homemade pastry. The apples are filled with cinnamon sugar and butter, then baked with a warm brown sugar and cinnamon syrup. Serve the dumplings warm with the sauce spooned over the top—and add vanilla ice cream if you’re really going for it.

17. Apple Bread Pudding — The Pioneer Woman

Apple Bread Pudding is rich, buttery, and custardy, with all the cozy flavors you love in apple pie. The best part? There’s no pie crust to roll out. Just cut brioche or challah bread into cubes, pour over an easy custard, and let the oven work its magic. Think of it as a fuss-free spin on classic apple pie.

18. Caramel Apple Bagel Bread Pudding — RecipeGirl

For something a little different, Caramel Apple Bagel Bread Pudding uses cinnamon-raisin bagels instead of ordinary bread. Caramelized Granny Smith apples and rich custard turn everything into an especially decadent bread pudding. And yes, there’s caramel sauce for serving too.

Apple Tarts and Elegant Desserts

Apple desserts don’t always have to be rustic. A beautifully arranged apple tart can be one of the prettiest desserts on a fall table.

19. Caramelized Apple Tart — RecipeGirl

My Caramelized Apple Tart is a little more sophisticated than your average apple dessert. Caramelized apples are baked in a shortbread-style tart shell with rich brown butter custard. This is one I’d choose for a dinner party or special fall occasion.

20. French Apple Tart — David Lebovitz

A classic French Apple Tart lets the apples do most of the decorating. It features thinly sliced apples arranged beautifully over a buttery, flaky pastry crust and baked until golden and tender. Simple, elegant and perfect for fall!

21. Apple Tarte Tatin — RecipeGirl

Tarte Tatin is the famous French upside-down apple tart. Apples caramelize in butter and sugar underneath the pastry while everything bakes. The finished tart is inverted so those beautifully caramelized apples become the top. It looks impressive, but the ingredients themselves are wonderfully simple.

Fun Apple Desserts

And then there are the apple desserts that don’t fit neatly into any category—which is often what makes them so much fun.

22. Caramel Apples — Sally’s Baking

You can’t have an apple dessert collection without Caramel Apples! Crisp apples dipped in homemade caramel are one of the most iconic treats of fall. Leave them plain or add chopped nuts, chocolate, sprinkles or whatever toppings you like.

23. Puff Pastry Apple Rings — Lovely Delites

Puff Pastry Apple Rings are a fun and easy dessert to make! Buttery, flakey puff pastry is wrapped around an apple slice, toss in cinnamon sugar, and then baked to golden brown perfection! They’re especially fun to make with kids.

24. Apple Pie Baklava — Baran Bakery

Here’s a completely different way to bake with apples. A new Thanksgiving tradition with phyllo dough, replacing your traditional apple pie with a stunning twist, apple pie baklava. It’s made with an apple pie filling, chopped nuts and apple syrup!

25. Apple Pie Cupcakes — Taste of Home

Apple pie meets cupcakes! Turn the classic cupcake into a fall favorite with these apple pie cupcakes. Filled with a sweet apple mixture and topped with cinnamon frosting, these cupcakes taste just like apple pie!

What Are the Best Apples for Desserts?

The best apple depends on what you’re making. For baked desserts, I generally like apples that have plenty of flavor and are firm enough to hold their shape in the oven.

Some good choices include:

Granny Smith: Tart and firm. These are especially good when the dessert itself is fairly sweet.

Honeycrisp: Crisp, juicy and nicely balanced between sweet and tart.

Pink Lady: Firm with great sweet-tart flavor.

Braeburn: Holds up well when baked and has plenty of apple flavor.

Jonagold: Juicy and flavorful with a nice balance of sweetness and acidity.

Golden Delicious: A sweeter choice that’s delicious when combined with a firmer, more tart apple.

One of my favorite tricks is to combine two apple varieties. Using both tart and sweet apples gives many desserts more interesting flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do You Need to Peel Apples for Dessert?

It depends on the recipe. For pies, cobblers, cakes and other desserts where you want very tender apples, I generally prefer peeling them. For baked apples, caramel apples and some rustic desserts, you’ll obviously want to leave the peel intact. Always follow the individual recipe since the cooking time and preparation have been developed around the way the apples are prepared.

What is the easiest apple dessert to make?

Apple crisp, cobbler and baked apples are some of the easiest choices because there’s no pastry dough to roll out. Bars and desserts made with store-bought puff pastry are also great options when you’re short on time.

What can I make with lots of apples besides apple pie?

So many things! Make apple crisp, cobbler, cake, cheesecake, bars, cookies, turnovers, dumplings, bread pudding, baked apples, caramel apples or an apple tart. And if you still have apples left, make breakfast!

What flavors go well with apples?

Cinnamon is the classic pairing, but apples are also delicious with caramel, maple, brown sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, cloves, ginger and cardamom. For texture, try adding pecans or walnuts. Apples also pair beautifully with cream cheese, which is why there are so many good apple cheesecake desserts.

Are Granny Smith apples good for dessert?

Yes. They’re one of the most popular baking apples because they hold their shape well and their tart flavor balances sweet desserts. I especially like combining Granny Smith apples with a sweeter variety.

How to Keep Cut Apples from Turning Brown

Apples begin oxidizing—and turning brown—as soon as they’re cut and exposed to air. If you’re preparing them shortly before they go into a batter or baking dish, there’s usually no reason to worry about a little browning. If they need to sit for a while, toss the apples with a little lemon juice. The acidity helps slow down oxidation. Don’t overdo it, though. You don’t want to add enough lemon juice to noticeably change the flavor or liquid balance of the recipe.

Can You Make Apple Desserts Ahead of Time?

Many apple desserts are excellent make-ahead choices. Bars, cookies, cheesecakes and some cakes can easily be prepared the day before serving. Cobblers, dumplings, bread pudding and other warm apple desserts are usually best served fresh or reheated shortly before serving. For Thanksgiving, I especially like choosing at least one dessert that can be completely finished the day before. It leaves a lot less to do on the actual holiday.

What apple desserts are good for Thanksgiving?

Apple pie and apple crisp are classics, but there are plenty of other options. Caramel Apple Cheesecake, Apple Dumplings, Apple Cranberry Crisp, Caramelized Apple Tart and Caramel Apple Cheesecake Cake would all be great choices for a Thanksgiving dessert table.

Can You Freeze Apple Desserts?

Many of them freeze beautifully. Cookies, bars, cakes, quick breads and some pies are particularly freezer-friendly. Desserts containing cheesecake, custard or delicate pastry may require different freezing and thawing methods, so always check the instructions for the specific recipe you’re making.