25+ Scrumptious Apple Desserts To Have In 2023

Who doesn’t love eating apple desserts after a lovely and delicious meal, right? The sweetness from the apples can cleanse your palette and wash down any greasiness from your previous dishes.

Although some people prefer plain apples, others like to be a little inventive by turning the leftover apples into spectacular dishes. The options are endless, from pies to cakes, pastries, and even a dipping sauce.

If you’re a certified sweet tooth like me, you will think of the following list as a treasure trove of ideas. Let me take you on a journey to discover how to bring apples to the pickiest of eaters without further ado.   

Cleansing Your Palate With Apple-Based Desserts

This list consists of a variety of desserts that you can easily make. They range from classics like apple pie and apple strudel to more experimental creations like apple dumplings and carrot-apple bread. The choice is yours.

1. Paula Deen’s Apple Pie

Total time: 1 hour 25 minutes

When it comes to apple-based desserts, nothing is more recognizable than the good old apple pie. This section will show you how to make the crusty and butter version of celebrity chef Paula Deen.

To make a good apple pie, you should focus on the apples and the dough crust. This recipe calls for green apples, which are naturally sour and much crispier than red apples.

You cut the green apples into small slices and toss them with brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. As for the crust, you can use a store-bought version to save some time. The assembling step is only placing the apple filling between two layers of crust.

Once you finish with the baking, the result is an excellent and shiny-looking pie. The outer casing will crumble if pressed, and you can see the apple filling ooze out. Thanks to the cinnamon, the taste is sour, sweet, and herbaceous.    

With this apple pie recipe, you won’t have a boring dessert again.

2. Apple Pie Fudge

Total time: 2 hours 12 minutes (With 2 hours chilling time)

Although apple pie is an American classic, it doesn’t mean you can’t make the experience even better. And miraculously, this apple pie fudge recipe manages to do the impossible by improving an already amazing classic dessert.

The best thing about this apple fudge is that you can easily make it anytime. The ingredients are available at every supermarket, like white chocolate chips, white frosting, and apple pie spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice).

This fudge doesn’t require you to fire up the oven. Instead, you put it in the refrigerator until the dish hardens. As a result, you will have a cold treat in the summer. The richness of the cream and chocolate put an excellent emphasis on the sweet apples.  

3. Air Fryer Apple Pie Bomb

Total time: 29 minutes

If you’re familiar with apple pie already, let me show you a new way to make the sweet treat more fun to eat. This apple pie bomb recipe using an air fryer takes less than an hour to make, yet the complexity in its flavors will stay in your mind forever.

The main components consist of puff pastry dough so you can wrap it around the apple pie filling. Since puff pastry contains butter, the delightful buttery smell will fill up your kitchen once you heat it in the air fryer.

As for the filling, you can make it from scratch using the recipe I shared above or get a pre-made version from the supermarket. The filling provides a more tender texture to contrast the outer crust.

The apple pie bomb is quite different from a traditional apple pie in that the dessert is compact, but the taste is vibrant due to the apples’ sweetness and the cinnamon’s herbaceous essence. 

4. Apple Crisp

Total time: 1 hour

As the name suggests, apple crisp will provide the crunch and the crumble to your taste buds, making the experience more enjoyable. In North America, some people also refer to this entry as apple crumble, but to the rest of the English-speaking world, it’s apple crisp.

To start the preparation, you will have to make the filling consisting of Granny Smith (another type of green apple), brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix the ingredients until the apple slices get evenly coated with the seasonings.

Toss the apple slices into a dish and top them with flour, oats, brown sugar, and cold butter. Remember to combine the toppings before adding them to the apples. The final thing is to wait for the crisp to bake in the oven.

When you finally see the top layer turns yellow and crispy, you know the dessert is ready. The toppings are crunchy against the tender green apples at the bottom. The sweetness blends itself nicely with the sourness. 

5. Cream Cheese Danish With Apples

Total time: 19 minutes

Your after-dinner experience will be much better with this fantastic cream cheese Danish with apples. For the uninitiated, Danish is short for Danish pastry, a perfect puff pastry delight originating from Denmark. The delicacy is similar to a French croissant.

This recipe has two primary components: the dough and the apple filling. If you don’t have much time, I suggest buying canned dough to make the process much easier. As for the filling, you can also get canned apple filling at your local supermarket.

To make the dessert, you must stretch out the dough and press in the middle for the filling. Next, pour the cream cheese and the canned apples into the hole. The final step is to bake until the pastry becomes puffy and crusty.

The cream cheese’s richness and the apples’ sweetness can cleanse your tastebuds nicely. You can experience the delectable texture of the puff pastry as well.      

6. Apple Crumble

Total time: 50 minutes

Apple crumble is a dessert from England. This sweet treat is similar to an apple crisp in that you cover apple slices with a mixture of toppings.

To start, core the apples and cut them into bite-sized chunks. The next step is cooking the apples with lemon zest and sugar to soften them. This step ensures that the filling will have a balanced mix of sweetness and acidity.

While waiting for the apples to cool down after cooking, you can prepare the topping by combining butter with flour. Mix thoroughly until the toppings have a breadcrumb-like texture.

The final step is to layer the butter-flour mixture on top of the tender apples and start baking. The heat will caramelize the butter flour and crisp up the toppings. When you bite into the delicacy, the contrast between crunchiness and softness proves delightful.    

If you follow the recipe closely, apple crumble doesn’t take long to make.

7. Apple Oatmeal Bars

Total time: 40 minutes

Apple oatmeal bar is a dessert you can make in a big batch and keep frozen for future consumption. The best thing is that the recipe is quite simple to recreate.

In essence, these sweet treats with oatmeal are similar to an apple crisp since you have a layer of softened apple between two layers of crumbs. To prepare the apples, you must cut them into thin slices.

The next step is essential to create the crumb layers for the dessert. You have to mix flour with oats and brown sugar. The part also requires a bit of seasoning, like cinnamon and nutmeg, to create a delectable earthy aroma.

Spread the flour mixture at the bottom and place the apple slices on top. Top everything off with more crumbs and melted butter. The final step is to bake until the crumbs start to harden. The fragrance of the final product is divine. The sweet and tender apples can overwhelm your mind.   

8. Tarte Tatin (French Apple Tart)

Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes (excluding the refrigerating time)

Tarte Tatin is a French sweet recipe invention made by the Tatin sisters. According to a possible origin, one of the two sisters was so tired from work that she didn’t notice her apple pie burning. However, the final product was so popular with guests that they decided to keep it.

The basis of this dessert is to let the caramelization process change the texture of apples with butter and sugar. I would recommend the Golden Delicious since apples with the sweetest flavor are the most suitable for this specific recipe.

To make caramelized apples, cook the fruit with a mixture of sugar and vanilla. Slowly reduce the heat and stir until the apple slices turn a lovely golden hue.

As for the dough, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Next, add the cold butter and eggs to the mix. When the dough starts forming, wrap it up tightly and put it in a refrigerator overnight (or two hours if you don’t have much time).

The final thing is to assemble and bake the tart. Once the apple layer turns brown, you know the dish is ready to serve. You will first notice the strong caramel taste, followed by the sweetness from the apples. The pastry is light and somewhat crumbly. 

9. Citrus Caramel Roasted Apples And Pears

Total time: 50 minutes

This entry doesn’t require extensive knowledge in pastry-making because there’s no dough at all. You only have to cut up the fruits, submerge them in a magical concoction of aromatics, and bake. And voila, you have yourself a quick dessert full of pear flavor.

The flavors lie within the concoction I mentioned above, consisting of melted butter, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. The richness of the butter will enhance the sweet flavor of the fruits. The woody essence of cinnamon also prevents the butteriness from being too strong.

The cooking process is relatively easy since you only need to place the fruit inside a baking tray alongside the sauce. Thanks to the heat, apples and pears will soften and absorb the glaze, creating a tasty-looking sheen. The dessert is best with whipped cream on top.

10. Baked Apples

Total time: 50 minutes

I have another recipe to show you if you prefer to eat apples only. These baked apples will please your taste buds and are also good for your health.

The preparation for this dish is unique since you have to remove the core and hollow out a third of the apples. This step will leave some room to add components like old-fashioned oats and pecans.

Of course, you must add spices to make the oats and pecans more flavorful. The blend includes ground ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon, giving this treat a woody, nutty and spicy note.

Before baking, pour apple cider into the baking tray. The cider will help steam the apple and reduce the texture’s toughness.

11. Apple Dump Cake

Total time: 1 hour

When you want a quick dessert that uses a minimal number of kitchen equipment, the apple dump cake is one of the best options.

The ingredient list of this recipe includes apples (the sweeter they are, the better the dessert tastes), cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. These four components create the base where you can feel the most flavors.

The next step is to create the topping with flour, sugar, and melted butter. After you finish baking, this flour mixture will harden enough to turn into crumbs, giving the overall texture a lot of crunchiness.

Apple dumb cake is a versatile dessert you can eat hot or cold. Cold apple dump cake is best when you serve it with a scoop of ice cream of your choice.

In this recipe, you will learn how to make the caramel version of the apple dump cake.

12. Apple Dumplings

Total time: 55 minutes

So, you want a recipe that is a bit out-of-the-box, right? Then this delicacy might be able to conquer your tastebuds. The apple dumplings are unique in both presentation and the ingredients it uses.

For the ingredients, this crescent roll-dependent dessert is best when combined with apples, vanilla, nutmeg, and brown sugar. Like apple-based specialties, you always start by cutting the fruit into slices. Next, mix the seasonings with melted butter in a heated pan.

After you get the butter mixture, wrap the apples in the rolls and drizzle the butter on top of the raw dumplings. And this is the good part, you use 7Up (or any lemon-lime soda) and pour it into the baking tray. Avoid pouring on top of the dumplings since it will make the pastry soggy.

The final step is to bake the sweet treat until the glaze thickens. The sauce will cling onto the dumplings easily while the dough stays relatively chewy.

13. Apple Strudel (Austrian Apple Pastry)

Total time: 40 minutes

Strudel is an apple-based pastry originating in the German-speaking regions of Austria, Bavaria, and northern Italy. The term “strudel” usually means either swirl or whirlpool in English. This delicacy has been a part of Austrian society for centuries.

Interestingly, a strudel is also one of Australia’s most iconic sweet delicacies at the dining table. The two most important factors are the apples and the puff pastry since they form a harmonious union of different textures.

When you bite into a proper strudel, the first impression will always be the airiness and the crunch of the outer casing. Once things settle down, the tender apples will gradually rear their heads and attack your taste buds in the most magnificent way possible.

14. Blooming Flower Caramel Apple

Total time: 15 minutes

The blooming apple is an alternate version of the blooming onion. However, instead of being a savory dish, this dish embraces its sweetness and becomes one of the most unique-looking desserts in the world.

You must cut two circles inside the apple to achieve the blooming effect. Next, you make a few more cuts along the diameter of the fruit. The heat will expand the apple during baking, causing the fruit to bloom like a flower.

Aside from the apple, you must prepare the honey and peanut butter seasonings. The sauce acts as a caramel filling for the apple. If you want to enhance the taste, sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top of the blooming apple. 

15. Cinnamon Apple Galette (Cinnamon Apple Flat Cake)

Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes

For those who don’t know, “galette” is a French dessert that means flat cake in English. Sometimes, galette can be savory, but the cake usually contains fruit fillings like berries or cherries.

While it might look complicated initially, this piece-of-cake dessert with cinnamon is not too complicated to make. You should focus on two components: the filling and the pie crust. The filling comes from sliced apples, sugar, and cinnamon, bringing the overall sweetness.

On the other hand, the crust is no slouch either since the crunchiness will pull you in for an even better experience. Combine ingredients like cold butter, flour, and sugar to make it. The puff pastry’s butteriness can enhance the filling’s herbaceous flavor.     

16. Cinnamon Apple Cobbler

Total time: 50 minutes

If there is a dish that deserves the title of “the best dessert in the world,” a cinnamon apple cobbler should be at the forefront of the race. Am I exaggerating? Of course not. Once you taste this dish, you will agree with my opinion.

This cobbler is perfect when you’re suffering through the summer heat. The main attraction is the softened apples which contain a lot of sweetness.

Add seasonings like cinnamon, vanilla extract, and brown sugar to increase the apples’ tastiness. These components will create the caramelization process. Apple cobbler is best when you have it with a scoop of ice cream.  

17. Apple Brown Betty

Total time: 50 minutes

Brown Betty is the name of a dessert from the U.S. The dish is similar to apple cobbler and apple crisp, which focus on covering apple slices with various toppings.

The essential thing is choosing the right type of apples. In this case, you can select Granny Smiths, Braeburns, or Honeycrisps since they’re suitable for baking. Just cut the apples into slices.

This recipe also requires you to create a layer of crumbs for topping. The crumbs include things like flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Butter will become an excellent binder to keep the crumbs from being too dry.

One thing to note is that you shouldn’t bake Brown Betty for too long since the caramelization can increase bitterness over time. Take the dessert out when the apples start turning brown, and you can feel a slight woody aroma.    

There is no way you can mess up the Brown Betty with this tutorial.

18. Caramel Apple Cookies

Total time: 1 hour 50 minutes (Including 1 hour of chill time)

It’s time to ignore those mundane chocolate chip cookies because I have a more exciting option for you. This dish is a lovely choice for infusing caramel apples into your treat; in this case, it will maintain your daily intake of apples without sacrificing the tastiness of the cookie treat.

The secret to a good caramel apple cookie is in the butter. Instead of the traditional dairy-based butter, you use apple butter, which comes from concentrating apple puree. The component will increase the apple flavor of the cookies.

But aside from that, the other ingredients, like flour, baking powder, and vanilla, can be very standard. When you finally form a dough, refrigerate it before you start baking. When the cookies become golden brown, take them out of the oven.

And to make the experience even better, spread a layer of frosting consisting of apple butter, cream, and brown sugar, on top of the cookies. The sweet apple taste will stay in your mind for a long time.  

19. Candied Apple

Total time: 50 minutes (With 10 minutes of cooling time)

When people think of famous carnival-theme park food, the first option popping into their minds would probably be the candied apple.

So, what exactly makes this particular dessert so beloved? The first factor is the simplicity of the delicacy. For instance, this recipe only requires you to wash the apples, remove the stem and then poke through the fruit with a stick.

The second factor that makes this delicacy delightful is the sweet coating. To make the mixture, combine sugar, corn syrup, and water in a saucepan. You can also use red food coloring to make the liquid look better.

The final step is to dunk the apples in the melted candy mixture. The result is a fascinating texture when you leave the candied apples to harden. The outside is crunchy, while the inside is quite refreshing. 

20. Cinnamon Apple Cake

Total time: 1 hour 5 minutes

For those health-conscious people, this recipe is suitable for you. This cinnamon apple cake is just as delicious as any ordinary chocolate cake, but the sweet treat won’t make you feel guilty after eating it.

The best way to describe the cake is fluffy. The core of this apple-based delicacy comes from red apples, sugar, flour, and eggs. The little air bubbles inside the batter will create an exciting texture to the cake, which can be very light and delightful.

This cake doesn’t just capture your attention with its core. The topping also contains magnificent components, including cinnamon, butter, and sugar—the cinnamon layer’s flavor pairs well with the cake’s sweetness.

21. Apple Crisp Cheesecake

Total time: 8 hours 55 minutes (Including 7 hours of cooling time)

Although a standard cheesecake can be a good option for a dessert, you can make it better by adding sweet and crisp apples.

This delicacy consists of four components: the outer crust, the batter, the apples, and the final layer of toppings. While the recipe might seem lengthy, you can make it easy by following the instructions.

When you’re recreating this apple crisp cheesecake, choosing the right ingredients like Granny Smith apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour is the most important thing. These four factors will form the basis of this specialty.

If you follow the recipe, the result should be a delightful, refreshing, and delicious dish. The creamy cheese layer is rich and fruity by adding apples and brown sugar. The top crumb layer is very crispy and buttery.   

The crispiness of this apple crisp cheesecake will attract your tastebuds.

22. Apple Cinnamon Waffle

Total time: 10 minutes

Apple cinnamon waffle is an excellent way to have a healthy dessert (or breakfast if you prefer). This recipe is super easy to recreate, so there’s no way to mess it up.

The combination of apple flavor and cinnamon has always been popular in many delicacies, including this. For the waffle batter, combine the wet ingredients (grated apples, melted butter, and eggs) with the dry ones (flour, sugar, and baking powder).

Get your waffle maker and grease it up nicely; that step will prevent the waffle from sticking. The final thing is to layer the batter into the maker and wait until the waffle turns golden brown. The texture should be soft and spongy with fluffiness to enhance the taste.

If you want to, you can sprinkle powdered sugar and cinnamon on top of the complete waffles. The sweetness and the woodiness make good accompaniments to the specialty.

23. Sticky Apple Pudding Cake

Total time: 45 minutes

This entry is a relatively simple dessert that you can whip up before a meal, refrigerate during dinner, and enjoy as a palate cleanser after your feed is done.

For the ingredient list, you will have to gather the following ingredients: grated apples, sugar, and flour. In addition to these components, you can add nutmeg and cinnamon as flavor enhancers.

The first portion of the recipe is baking the pudding batter, which comes from mixing flour, baking soda, and apples. When you have a smooth batter, spread it on a baking sheet and pop it in the oven. The pudding needs to become golden brown and spongy.

When the pudding is in the oven, you can make the caramel sauce by cooking butter, sugar, and cream. The caramel sauce has a sweet and rich taste, which blends nicely with the tartness of the apple pudding. 

24. Apple Fritters

Total time: 30 minutes

Nothing is more iconic than French fries in the world of fried food. However, after reading through this entry, you might realize this recipe is your loveable after-dinner treat for the Thanksgiving occasion. That’s right; I’m talking about the delectable apple fritters.

The texture and the taste of these fritters will suck you in. The exterior will be crunchy, sweet, and buttery with wet ingredients (milk, vanilla, and melted butter) and dry ingredients (flour, sugar, and baking soda).

Of course, you can’t talk about this dish without mentioning apples. The fruit gets seasoned with lemon juice to prevent oxidation, which might darken its color. However, the lemon juice has the effect of giving the apples a pleasant lemony taste. 

25. Carrot Apple Bread

Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes (With 15 minutes of cooling time)

Carrot apple bread is a good option for a quick breakfast or dessert. The recipe is simple that even an amateur baker can recreate perfectly.

To make the dough, you must mix flour, brown sugar, and eggs. This combination will create a standard but spongy dough in the oven. Once you have enough batter, add the grated apples and carrots.

Combine everything thoroughly and pour it into a bread pan. If you think the amount is too little, don’t worry since the heat will expand the volume of the bread. Finally, put the pan in the oven and bake for around 50 minutes.

Once you’ve finished the baking, the result is a nice and airy loaf of bread you can enjoy anytime. Apples and carrots provide an exciting experience since the blend of sweetness and earthiness can somehow work relatively well.

26. Instant Pot Apple Sauce

Total time: 35 minutes

Sometimes, you just don’t want cakes, pies, or cookies for dessert but only a simple dip to go with fresh fruit. If that’s the case, let me introduce you to this wonderful recipe called apple sauce made in an instant pot.

The main ingredients for this dish are easy to find: apples, apple cider, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Just peel, core, and cube up the apples so the fruit can break down from the heat. The next step is to transfer the apples into the pot with cinnamon and lemon juice.

The apples will soften up and release their flavors into the sauce, thanks to the instant pot. Remember to stir the apples so the sauce won’t be too lumpy. Transfer to a bowl or a glass jar when the sauce is done.

You can use this dish to create mouth-watering recipes with applesauce. Besides, you can also eat it with nuts and bread or use it as a dip for more apples.

This simple yet delicious apple sauce recipe will blow your mind.

Desserts Are Better When You Add Apples To Them

As people always say, an apple a day keeps the doctor away. As you learn from school, apples contain nutrients like vitamins and fibers. If you’re sick of eating plain apples, the list of recipes above proves very useful when you want to change up the menu a bit.

If you have any questions regarding today’s list, feel free to comment below, and I’ll answer as soon as possible. Otherwise, you can give this article a thumb up and share it on your social media. Thanks for reading, and have yourself a nice little apple-based treat.