15 No-Fuss Apple Desserts I'm Making On Repeat

These easy apple recipes will make you want to go apple picking.

Oct 25, 2024 - 17:17

15 No-Fuss Apple Desserts I'm Making On Repeat

It wasn’t until I moved to Washington state that I discovered the euphoria of biting into a crisp, juicy apple. The Red Delicious apples of my youth became a distant memory as I discovered an array of sweet and tart apples. I especially love Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, and Cosmic Crisp.

Apples are harvested in the fall, making it the perfect time of year to indulge in apple desserts. You can bake chopped apples into a cake, slice apples for a pie, and coat a juicy apple in caramel.

1. Caramel Apple Oatmeal Bars

Overhead shot: caramel apple oatmeal bars on a wooden surface — Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Senior Editor Laurel Randolph says, "I’ve found that these bars slice terribly while warm. Let them cool completely to room temperature. For better-looking bars, chill the pan in the fridge for at least an hour before slicing, and wipe the knife with a damp rag in between slices. I recommend slicing between the apple slices on top."

2. 3-Ingredient Apple Crisp

Bowl of 3-ingredient apple crisp with a dollop of yogurt next to a cast iron skillet with more apple crisp, a purple kitchen towel, and a bowl — Simply Recipes / Shilpa Iyer

No one will guess that this buttery dessert starts with a couple of packets of instant oatmeal, which contains sugar and seasonings. All you need to do is add butter and chopped apples. Use a combination of sweet and tart apples that will hold up to sautéing and baking, such as Honeycrisp and Pink Lady.

3. Easy French Apple Cake

slice of Easy French Apple Cake on a dessert plate with a fork, cake on a serving board — Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Contributor Stephanie Loo says, "Although it takes a few extra minutes, it’s worth it to peel the apples for this recipe, as the skin of the apples will become chewy in the oven."

4. Apple Fritter Bread

Apple Fritter Bread on Parchment Paper Surrounded by Granny Smith Apples, Pecans, and Sticks of Cinnamon — Simply Recipes / Micah Siva

Skip the donut shop and make apple fritters, in bread form, at home, no frying required. This bread is full of chopped apples and has a tendril of streusel running through the middle of it, as well as scattered on top. Look for tart apples, such as Granny Smith, that hold up well to baking.

5. Caramel Apple Nachos

Caramel apple nachos on a plate — Simply Recipes / Laurel Randolph

Forget awkwardly eating an apple on a stick and make a platter of decadently topped sliced apples instead. This is a fun way to use up extra Halloween candy (or a good excuse to buy some). It’s best to assemble the apple nachos right before serving to keep them from turning brown.

6. Apple Bread

A loaf of homemade apple bread with a few slices cut and laid in front of the loaf. — Hannah Zimmerman

This apple bread effortlessly goes from breakfast to dessert. The streusel topping makes this quick bread extra special with minimal work. Use a mixer to make sure that the batter is smooth but don’t over-mix.

7. Apple Bread Pudding

Slice of Apple Bread Pudding on a Plate — Simply Recipes / Hannah Zimmerman

If you haven’t had bread pudding before, now is the time to give it a go. The filling of chopped apples, butter, and sugar add a caramel apple flavor to the tender bread pudding. The bread only soaks for 15 minutes so you don’t have to plan ahead if you don’t want to.

8. Apple Pie Bars with Crumble Topping

Apple Pie Bars with Crumble Topping on a white background. — Irvin Lin

Apple pie bars are the handheld version of pie I want with my afternoon tea. This recipe is both easy and delicious. The crust mixture doubles as the crumb topping and a sprinkle of apple cider vinegar adds a touch more apple flavor to the bars.

9. Apple Carrot Cupcakes

These easy cupcakes will be a hit at the next bake sale. It makes a whopping 24 cupcakes that can be made ahead of time and frozen before thawing and frosting. You can substitute the nuts with pepitas, raisins, or leave out altogether.

10. Apple Coffee Cake

You don’t need a barrel of apples to make a delicious apple dessert. For this coffee cake you only need one apple. The apple is sliced and layered on top of the cake batter and then topped with a streusel.

11. Easy Apple Crisp

Apple crisp recipe topped with vanilla ice cream. — Alison Bickel

The sliced apples go into a 9x13-inch baking dish and then are topped with a streusel made with oats, spices, and butter. You could add chopped pecans or leave the peels on the apples if you’d like.

12. Apple Snack Cake

Apple Snack Cake Recipe — Alison Conklin

This easy cake is for the true apple lover. Apple flavor is infused into the cake through applesauce, chopped apples, and apple cider. It doesn’t stop there! The cake is topped with a simple apple cider glaze.

13. Sour Cream Apple Pie

Portion Size of Sour Cream Apple Pie on Plate — Simply Recipes / Annika Panniker

You know the frozen pie shell you bought on a whim? This is the recipe you've been waiting for. This slightly tangy, custard-ish, apple pie topped with a crispy streusel will leave you swooning. For the crispiest crust, bake on the lower rack of the oven for the first half of the baking time.

14. Buttery Apple Torte

Apple torte on a white platter — Elise Bauer

Hailing from Italy, this simple cake is made by cooking sliced apples in butter and then stirring them into a slightly sweetened cake batter. If needed, you can substitute a gluten-free baking flour mix for the flour.

15. Apple Upside Down Cake

I love upside-down cakes and the allure of a fruit-studded, tender cake that needs no decorating. In this case, the apples are cooked on the stove with butter and sugar before being spread across the bottom of the pan. Make sure to use apples that don’t release too much liquid. Opt for Braeburn, Jonagold, or Golden Delicious.