Our Best Apple Recipes

French Apple Cake

This simple French cake is more apples than cake, held together with a light crumb and thin golden crust.

Christopher Kimball’s Double-Crust Apple Pie

It’s only a minor overstatement to say that apple pie is holy for Chris Kimball. This recipe is the product of decades of study.

By Chris KimballNovember 22, 2021

Austrian Apple Strudel

In Austria, Eva-Maria Steinbichler and her daughter, Petra Steinbichler, showed us how to prepare a proper apple strudel. The result was a light, barely there pastry surrounding a buttery, sweet-tart filling. To build impressive gluten strength in the

Burnt Sugar Apple Upside-Down Cake

Drenched in bittersweet caramel, these silky soft apples create a glorious topping for a dead-easy, baked-in-the-skillet cake. Be sure to cook the fruit and caramel until the syrup bubbling at the edges is practically burnt. That rich, deep color is h

By Courtney HillJanuary 29, 2025

Invisible Apple Cake (Gâteau Invisible)

“Cake” is somewhat of a misnomer for this elegant dessert. Instead of open, airy and crumby, the texture is rich and dense, with slices of sweet-tart apples set in an egg-rich batter. During its long bake in the oven, the fruit slices and custard-like

By Hisham Ali HassanAugust 16, 2024

Tarte Tatin

Tarte tatin is made by baking apples in sugar under a blanket of pastry, then inverting the tart out of the pan for serving to reveal a stunner of a dessert: velvety, caramel-soaked fruits atop a tender, buttery crust. Said to have been invented by ac

By Hisham Ali HassanSeptember 11, 2024

Italian-Style Apple Strudel

Many associate strudel only with Austria, but it also is common in northern Italy’s Trentino-Alto Adige region. For this version, we were inspired by the ingredients traditionally used there: golden raisins, citrus zest, pine nuts and, of course, appl

By Rose HattabaughSeptember 12, 2024

German Apple Cake (Apfelkuchen)

“This is one of those slam dunks that worked, and I loved it right away."

Greek Apple Cake with Honey and Cinnamon (Milopita)

Fragrant orange, apple cider syrup, warming spice, and honey permeate the crumb.

By Rose HattabaughAugust 15, 2022

Ricotta-Semolina Cake with Caramelized Apples

Adapted from “Summer Kitchens” by Olia Hercules, this cake-cheesecake hybrid is inverted out of the baking pan to reveal a layer of silky, buttery, golden-hued apples. The ricotta-based cake is deliciously rich but whipped egg whites folded into the b

By Wes MartinDecember 3, 2021

Buckwheat Apple Pancakes

Make weekend pancakes special with apples, vanilla, and spice.

By Diane UngerNovember 20, 2017

Honey-Apple Compote

This quick, three-ingredient compote is delicious with both our apple-buckwheat pancakes and our jasmine rice pudding, but it could also be enjoyed on yogurt or with unsweetened whipped cream.

Brussels Sprouts with Apples and Bacon

For this simple skillet side, we thinly slice Brussels sprouts, apples and shallot so they cook quickly and absorb flavors. A food processor fitted with a slicing disk is the fastest, easiest way to do the prep, but if you prefer, you could use a shar

By Rose HattabaughDecember 15, 2021

Cheddar, Roasted Onion and Apple Tartines

This tartine, an open-faced crusty bread with melted cheese, gets a savory-sweet twist: cheddar tartness with sweet caramelized onions and apples. OR Toasty baguettes and savory, melty cheese? A no-brainer! But caramelized onions and apples add a whol

By Laura RussellNovember 16, 2022

Apple and Fennel Salad with Candied Pecans

This robust salad is modeled on one from Alon Shaya's cookbook, “Shaya.” We prefer to make our own candied pecans because they taste better than store-bought; they can be made a day to two in advance and stored in an airtight container at room tempera

By Courtney HillDecember 10, 2018

Brussels Sprouts with Apple, Bacon and Honeyed Pecans

Brussels sprouts absorb tons of flavor with smoky, fatty bacon, tangy Honeycrisp apple, a savory shallot, and a bright, unifying cider vinaigrette.

By Rose HattabaughApril 22, 2022

Pan-Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Apple and Cherry Mostarda

Tangy, spicy, savory-sweet mostarda is a classic Italian fruit and mustard condiment. It’s an ideal accompaniment to pork tenderloin, as it brings bold, punchy flavor to the lean, mild cut. We make a non-traditional mostarda, with both prepared mustar

By Courtney HillApril 27, 2022

Cider-Braised Lentils with Apple-Radish Pickles

French green lentils hold their shape with cooking and retain a firm, meaty bite. In this recipe their earthy, slightly peppery flavor pairs perfectly with the sweetness of apple cider and butter-sautéed shallots. For efficiency, prep the radishes and

Chicken en Cocotte with Shallots, Apples and Parsley

In this version of chicken en cocotte, tangy-sweet sliced apples and savory shallots add depth to the cider-based sauce. A crisp, red-skinned apple such as Honeycrisp or Fuji works best; we leave the skins on to add color. The chicken is cooked on the

Braised Red Cabbage with Apples and Juniper

Our take on German rotkohl (also called blaukraut or rotkraut) gets a little sweetness and fruitiness from apple cider along with grated fresh apples, and tanginess from cider vinegar. We liked the apples added in two additions—half about midway throu

By Courtney HillOctober 8, 2018

Chicken Salad with Apple, Celery Root and Fennel

Tender chicken meets a refreshing blend of apple, celery root, and fennel, plus toasty hazelnuts for crunch.

Cabbage, Apples and Kielbasa

Cabbage, apples and sausage: a classic combination of meaty and sweet

By Laura RussellNovember 11, 2022

Sausage Traybake with Apples and Onions

Wide, low-sided baking sheets are ideal for oven-easy dinners; they facilitate heat circulation for better browning. We pair savory sausages with sweet apples and onions, which get a flavor boost from spicy mustard; a glug of hard apple cider or beer

By Courtney HillOctober 27, 2023