12 Delicious Apple Recipes for your Apple Orchard Stash

Do you have bushels of apples from your recent apple orchard visit? Here are 8 delicious and healthy apple recipes that make use of those apples.

Apples are just about nature’s perfect fruit, especially here in Minnesota! Not only are they high in fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants, they are a delicious and portable snack.

Plus, thanks to the fiber and naturally occurring glucose, apples can even do a better job of waking you up in the morning than a cup of coffee!

Visiting the apple orchard is an annual fall tradition in the Midwest. We also are lucky to have access to so many local orchards that offer a vast variety of apples to be picked. These orchards vary from kid-friendly with playgrounds, apple cannons and petting zoos to adult-friendly with hard cider and live music. Many also offer fresh apple delights such as apple cider donuts, apple dumplings, apple brats and more.

Did you know that there are literally hundreds of apple varieties, with more being created each year? These handy Pick Your Own website even lists the different apple varieties in alphabetical order, with suggestions on usage and storage tips.

Personally, I prefer a tart variety like Granny Smith or McIntosh, but for snacking, I prefer Honeycrisp or Pink Lady. Every year, I try out one or two new (to me) varieties. Last year was Jazz and Snapdragon, and this year was Liberty.

Here is a chart of apples from tart to sweet from Sprouts Farmers Markets Which is your favorite type of apple?

This year, we made a mistake with getting not one, but TWO pecks of apples. With a family of only 4, this was perhaps a bit ambitious. Sure, we made sure that we had sliced apples with peanut butter or Nutella as snacks, but raw apples don’t last very long. You can also slice and dice apples into tasty salads, such as this apple cranberry coleslaw, or apple super salad in a jar.

Maybe you tend to over-pick as well? In that case, here are 12 delicious and healthy apple recipes to enjoy those beauties. The recipes are organized by Baked, Breakfast, Drinks, and Halloween.

Baked

There is nothing as American as apple pie. Luckily, my daughter is an award-winning baker and tends to enjoy making pie crust from scratch. I don’t even try to outdo her apple pie recipe, and I know that most people already have their favorites. Therefore, these apple recipes will focus on other ways to bake apples- from breakfast bakes, bars, breads, snacks for your kids to take to school.

Apple Pie Bars

Combining the best of apple pie in a solid bar form that you can pack for a lunchbox or take on the go, this was a tasty use of some of my apples this year. Plus, it’s from Ina Garten! Note: the recipe says it’s easier than apple pie, which I did not agree with. I also would add more apple to this.

Apple Pie Cookie Cups

For those of you who don’t like pie, this recipe has some interesting applications. Also, I am personally a big fan of anything that comes in mini form, so this one looked like a winner.

https://butterwithasideofbread.com/snickerdoodle-apple-pie-cookie-cups/

Apple Bread (vegan)

Occasionally, you might run across a situation where you run out of eggs. Or, maybe you are allergic to eggs, which is a very frustrating situation. Or, it could be that you ran out of flaxseeds to make a flax egg. In any case, this recipe is for you. It is a bit crumbly, but very tasty and my kids loved it!

Vegan Apple Pie Bread

Breakfast

Sweet Potato Apple Bake (Paleo) 

Why not combine seasonal apples with another star of fall? Sweet potatoes and apples go together so well, and this recipe is also Paleo.

Breakfast Sweet Potato Apple Bake

Applesauce pancakes (grain-free)

I love pancakes- but sometimes the thick, flour-based pancakes are too heavy for me. And, I have yet to find a satisfactory buckwheat pancake recipe. This recipe uses either homemade applesauce or apple butter, as well as eggs and almond flour.

Grain Free Applesauce Pancakes

Apple Pie Crackers (grain-free, nut-free)

Need crackers for your kids snack at school, but can’t bring any snacks with nuts? These slightly sweet crackers are pretty easy to put together, slightly sweet, and very satisfying thanks to flaxseeds.

Caramel Apple and Brie Quesadillas

Personally, I could eat just about everything in quesadilla form. If you are a fan of apples with cheese, this easy recipe will provide the melty and sweet goodness you crave. The granola is optional.

Apple Butter (vegan)

When I made this in the slow cooker, my girls were literally eating it from spoons like ice cream! Plus, apple butter can be used in so many ways- from topping pancakes and waffles, to making parfaits with ricotta cheese or Greek yogurt with granola and/or nuts. Bonus: if you have more than one variety of apples, they meld nicely in this apple stew.

https://www.yellowblissroad.com/easy-homemade-apple-butter/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=pinterest&utm_campaign=tailwind_tribes&utm_content=tribes&utm_term=1123554552_54896864_35683

Drinks

Slow Cooker Apple Cider (vegan)

Is there anything better on a cool night than spiced apple cider? Especially if you are not a big fan of most warm fall drinks, or need something vegan. The whole house will smell amazing!

Homemade Apple Cider (Slow Cooker)

Caramel Apple Sangria

This adult favorite combines caramel vodka white wine and cider. Get fancy and put some cinnamon sticks in it.

Halloween

Shrunken Apple Heads

Back when my oldest child was a toddler, my best friend and I threw a Halloween party. Well, I went really into the theme, and decorated a blood-red shower curtain, tombstone cupcakes, egg carton bats, and these shrunken apple heads. It was a legendary party (if I do say so myself) that was talked about for years.

Apple Teeth

Why not spruce your kids’ Halloween fun with these apple snack teeth? Unfortunately, they are not nut-free, though you could sub sunbutter to make it nut-free.

What is your favorite way to use up your apple orchard stash? Once the snacking is done, experiment with these tasty apple bakes, breakfasts, drinks and Halloween recipes.