It’s that time of the year again – apple picking season! I love to get the family together and head out to our local orchard. We spend the afternoon wandering through the trees picking the perfect apples. After a long day, we warm up with a cup of cider and tasty cider doughnuts.
However, it never fails – I always end up (purposely!) picking too many apples. And that’s just what I want. It just gives me a reason to make some of my favorite apple dessert recipes!
“With an abundance of apples every fall, I love to use them in creative ways,” explains Mary Shivers. “In this Apples & Oranges Torte recipe, I baked a small version of my favorite apple cake, spread it with a simple orange curd, then piped the top with a fluffy cream cheese frosting and added a heavy sprinkling of toasted pecans.” This is definitely one magnificent dessert. But you know what, I think it would make a sweet, indulgent breakfast too. I love the pairing of the orange curd with the sweetness of the apples. This will be a big hit with everyone!
Amy Croyle’s The Best Apple Yogurt Cake Ever! is a wonderful cake with so many layers of flavor. And, we love that it’s gluten free! “I came up with this recipe while trying to use up some apples and yogurt that I had lots of,” shares Amy. “I have had people say that it is the best apple cake that they have ever had and I agree!” The addition of yogurt adds great moisture to the cake. But the shining star of the recipe is the crunchy sugar butter topping. Oh my! And, this smells amazing while it bakes too.
Hannah Rider’s Apple Butter Bars are one easy dessert. “My mother made these delicious bars often when I was growing up,” remembers Hannah. I love a recipe that you bite into and brings back memories. And, when your friends bite into these they are going to be remembering them for a while too. Hannah says you can substitute other jams too. We used apple butter, but I bet raspberry jam would be wonderful in these too. Or, mix the two together for a wonderful taste. Yummy!
Apple crisp is one of my favorite apple desserts. Basic ingredients combine together to create a flavorful dessert. “I made this apple crisp for dessert the other night and it was delicious,” shares Laura Geese. “I loved how the aroma of fall filled my home while it was baking.” We couldn’t agree more about the wonderful aroma of this recipe! Whip up a batch of this delightful dessert and welcome autumn into your kitchen.
If I’m going to talk about apple desserts, I have to share Steven Wilson’s recipe for Classic Apple Pie. “The lemon zest and fresh lemon juice in this pie make it taste so fresh and even more delicious,” says Steven. The flavors in this pie are so good. I don’t think I have ever had an apple pie with lemon zest and lemon juice in it, and that really did the trick to bring the flavor up several notches. I would put this pie up against my Aunt Eileen’s apple pie… which is saying something!
If you pick a few too many apples this weekend, don’t worry. We’re SURE you’ll find a scrumptious way to use ’em up!