Stunning Apple Desserts to Add to Your Fall Baking List

By Katlyn Moncada
Updated September 11, 2020
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Andy Lyons
Our apple desserts begin with the mouthwatering aroma of tantalizing baked apples and cinnamon filling your kitchen. Each of these apple dessert recipes is delightfully sweet and perfect for celebrating fall. Go beyond apple pie with one of our stellar apple desserts including apple crisp, apple cake, candy apples, and more.
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Big Apple Dumplings

Karla Conrad
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Think of these cinnamon sauce-topped dumplings like single-serving apple pies. In addition to a whole, cored apple, a sweet filling of walnuts, raisins, and honey is hiding inside the homemade flaky pastry pockets.

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Caramel Apple Poke Cake

Blaine Moats
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For a guaranteed moist cake, a poke cake like this apple cake recipe is the way to go. If you haven't made a poke cake before, holes are literally poked into a baked cake with the handle of a wooden spoon (or skewer) and a dreamy filling gets poured on/in to keep the cake tender. In this case, that filling is a super sweet and creamy dulce de leche!

Buy It: Modern Walnut Spoon ($13, Crate & Barrel)

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Toffee Apple Cheesecake

Scott Little
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This showstopping cheesecake is the perfect apple dessert idea for your fall produce. A walnut-infused crust serves as the base for the cream cheese filling and caramel apple-like topping.

Buy It: Nordic Ware Spring Form Pan ($13, Target)

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Apple Pie Pops

Helen Norman
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What's better than apple pie? Apple pie on a stick! These adorable single-serving apple desserts will win over the kids and adults at dessert time.

Related: Up Your Dessert Game with These Cake Pop Recipes

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Apple Pie Tacos

Hannah Bigot
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A crispy, cinnamon-sugar dusted corn tortilla holds a carmel-apple filling for a fresh take on dessert tacos. Garnish with a scoop of whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce to make these treats even more irresistible.

Related: 13 More Desserts That Taste Like Apple Pie—But Aren't

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Apple Tart with Cheddar Cheese Crust

Jason Donnelly
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For the not-so-sweet tooths, indulge in a slice of this flaky apple dessert. It's baked with an assortment of your favorite apples and features two hits of cheddar-cheesy goodness (as a topper and in the crust). Hint: the crust comes together even faster if you shred the butter and cheese through your food processor.

Buy It: KitchenAid 7-Cup Food Processor ($100, Bed Bath & Beyond)

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Apple-Maple Spice Cake

Blaine Moats
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Fresh apples don't get much better than this. The dessert is already super moist, but the apple bundt cake gets even better when drizzled with a homemade maple sauce dotted with even more apple bits. Try serving a slice with a steamy cup of spiced pomegranate-apple cider.

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Crumb-Topped Apple Slab Pie

Steven McDonald
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Apple pie or apple crumble? No matter what you call it, this apple dessert is delicious. Start with homemade dough, then add apples and cinnamon. Finish with a crunchy pecan topping.

Related: How to Make Apple Pie from Scratch That Would Make Grandma Proud

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Five-Spice Apples with Honey

Blaine Moats
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Chinese five-spice powder, apple cider, and ginger create an aroma that will have your family flocking to the kitchen. Set these beauties up in your slow cooker early and you'll have the delicious apple dessert ready by dinnertime.

Buy It: Crock-Pot 7 qt. Manual Slow Cooker ($32, Target)

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Apple Sheet Cake

Andy Lyons
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There's not just one, but three types of apples in this fall recipe. In addition to fresh apples, this show-stopping dessert features apple butter and dried apples as well. Topped with apple slices, this apple cake is a definite show-stopper.

Buy It: Wilton Baker's Best Oversized Nonstick Jelly Roll Pan ($15, Bed Bath & Beyond)

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Marbled Caramel Apples

Blaine Moats
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Nothing says fall like caramel apples. Here we've taken the traditional treat and made a fun apple dessert. Instead of just caramel, the apples get a dip in chocolate and vanilla candy coating, creating a photo-worthy swirl effect.

Test Kitchen Tip: Pour the leftover marble coating onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and top with your favorite sweet treats and/or salty snacks. (It's also a great way to use up Halloween candy.)

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Granny Smith Cobbler with White Cheddar Biscuits

Blaine Moats
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This warm, comforting apple cobbler is perfect to finish a chilly fall day. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to your bowl and let the creamy, melty ice cream mix with the warm fruity cobbler.

Related: Our Most Irresistible Apple Crisp and Apple Cobbler Recipes to Make This Fall

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Fried Churro Apple Rings

Jason Donnelly
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We used churro batter on fresh apples to make these Mexican-inspired desserts. Coated in cinnamon-sugar, they are the perfect easy apple dessert. Trying to cut out oil? Make these babies in your air fryer!

Buy It: Chefman 2.1-Quart Analog Air Fryer ($40, Target)

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Dutch Apple Pudding Cake

Jason Donnelly
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One bite of this warm apple dessert, and you'll be in love. With just a little bit of prep, this easy apple recipe gets nice and hot in your slow cooker. To make this an extra special treat, make your own apple pie filling instead of buying a can.

Buy It: Crock-Pot Programmable Slow Cooker ($60, Bed Bath & Beyond)

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Honeycrisp Apple and Browned Butter Tart

Andy Lyons
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Save some Honeycrisp apples from your orchard trip to bake up this sweet apple dessert. The apples are lightly caramelized with a browned butter glaze for a festive tart that's as much a feast for the eyes as it is for the taste buds. We love adding a scoop of vanilla or cinnamon ice cream to each serving of this apple dessert for an extra hit of sweet flavor.

Buy It: Gobel Standard Traditional Finish Round Tart Pan ($14, Williams Sonoma)

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Apple-Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread

Andy Lyons
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Don't be fooled by the creamy orange and brown sugar sauce drizzled on top of our to-die-for pull-apart bread recipe. The warm apple dessert is surprisingly lightened-up, thanks to the nutritional benefits of ground flaxseed, fresh apples, and reduced-fat cream cheese.

Related: Healthy Apple Desserts When You Want Nutritious Seasonal Sweets

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Apple Pie Egg Rolls

Matthew Clark
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Your favorite Asian takeout appetizer turns into an indulgent treat in this innovative apple dessert recipe. The portable apple pie is served with fresh whipped cream sweetened with maple syrup for the ultimate dipper.

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Apple-Cheese Danish

Blaine Moats
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Make your own DIY Danish pastries with a filling of spiced apple slices and cream stuffed between sheets of light and flaky puff pastry.

Test Kitchen Tip: Save time when making this fall apple dessert by turning to canned apple pie filling in place of the spiced apple mixture.

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Classic Apple Crisp

Andy Lyons
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A rich custard sauce sets this apple crisp recipe apart from all the rest. Drizzle the custard on top of each portion just before serving. It's even better than a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Buy It: 2-Quart Baking Dish with Lid ($9, Target)

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Salted Caramel Apple Pie

Blaine Moats
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The search is over: We've found the perfect apple pie recipe. With salted caramel sauce drizzled over the apple filling, plus an irresistible easy crust, this pretty pie will be the star of any gathering.

Related: Cut Your Prep Time In Half with Our Test Kitchen Tips for Make-Ahead Pie Crust

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Walnut Apple Crisp

Karla Conrad
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Put your slow cooker to work! This easy apple crisp recipe can be made ahead of time, then left to simmer in your slow cooker. Be sure to serve this crisp warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Buy It: Bella 5-Quart Programmable Stainless Steel Slow Cooker ($20, Bed Bath & Beyond)

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Apple Strudel

Blaine Moats
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Served as dessert or breakfast, expect this apple strudel recipe to fly right off the table. You can shorten the prep time for this strudel recipe by using purchased phyllo dough, or you can make your own for an extra-special treat.

Related: 28 Savory Recipes Featuring Apples

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Spiced Apple Drops

Scott Little
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This apple dessert gives you a double (or triple) dose of sweet apple flavor. Chopped apple and apple cider flavor the cookies, while the creamy frosting has a splash of apple juice.

Related: Our Favorite Christmas Cookies to Make Every Year

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Choose-a-Flavor Caramel Apples

Andy Lyons
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Because sometimes sticky-sweet caramel just isn't enough. Try these four dippers to take this classic apple dessert to the next level: chopped candy, nuts, chocolate, and crushed pretzels. We know you want to.

Buy It: Jumbo Wood Craft Sticks ($4, Michaels)

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Gluten-Free Apple-Pistachio Crisp

Karla Conrad
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The air isn't the only crisp thing we love about fall. This apple crisp recipe is a must, and our gluten-free pistachio version knocks it out of the park. Whether you have allergy restrictions or not, it's a gluten-free recipe everyone will love.

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Raspberry-Apple Kuchen with Warm Cream Sauce

Blaine Moats
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Our delicious apple kuchen (the German word for cake) is a triple threat of warm and cozy goodness: Tart apples, cinnamon, and our homemade eggnog sauce. It's going to be an apple dessert you'll plan on making every holiday season (if not more frequently).

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Apple-Pear Tart

Andy Lyons
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A simple crushed-cookie crust amplifies the delicious flavor of this mouthwatering pear and apple tart. Bonus: Using premade cookies means this apple dessert recipe is a cinch to make.

Related: 21 Sweet and Savory Pear Recipes Perfect for Fall

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Frosted Apple Slab Pie

Blaine Moats
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The tasty filling in this apple dessert features a secret ingredient everyone will want to know about: corn flakes! Cereal may seem like an unconventional addition to a pie, but the crunch makes this slab pie really special. Plus, it's full of fall flavor from cinnamon and nutmeg. How could you go wrong?

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Dark Chocolate-Orange Walnut Caramel Apples

Andy Lyons
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These rich caramel apples are the perfect indulgence. Sweet caramel, chopped walnuts, orange peel, and dark chocolate cover fresh apples for a fun and slightly sophisticated apple dessert. To make these ahead, wrap them up tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

Buy It: Clear Treat Bags ($3, Michaels)

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Danish Pastry Apple Bars