40 Delicious Apple Desserts That Will Dazzle This Fall

Southern Living Caramel Apple Dump Cake in the pan after baking ready to serve
Photo:

Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

Apple desserts can be found in most Southern homes during the fall season. We've rounded up our favorite apple dessert recipes using hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and cloves to embrace the true flavors of fall. Any of these recipes are the perfect way to enjoy apples this fall. Of course, no apple dessert is complete without a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

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Apple Dapple Cake

Southern Living Apple Dapple Cake on a cake plate to serve with cups of coffee

Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer

This dessert has fall written all over it. Apple dapple cake features warm, nutty flavors and is topped with a heavenly toffee glaze.

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Apple-Cardamom Babka Wreaths

Southern Living Apple-Cardamom Babka Wreaths on a platter to serve

Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely 

All the flavors of fall are packed into this beautiful, twirled delight. Although this recipe requires a good bit of time, it is the perfect project for a cozy weekend indoors.

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Apple Turnovers

Southern Living Apple Turnovers ready to serve on plates

Jessica Furniss

You'll feel like a pastry chef after making these turnovers–except they are not as difficult as you think. Serve alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you'll have the most delicious fall dessert.

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Apple- Spice Muffins With Oat Streusel

Apple-Spice Muffins with Oat Streusel
Photographer: Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Emily Neighbors Hall Prop Stylist: Audrey Davis

Make these for a sweet breakfast or yummy dessert. These muffins are perfectly moist from the apples which are grated and stirred into batter.

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Apple Fritters

Southern Living Apple Fritters on a cooling rack ready to serve with extra cinnamon sugar.

Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster

This recipe will utilize any leftover apples you have laying around, turning them into a decadent fall treat. These fritters are sweet, tart, and spiced, all at once.

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Apple Crumble

Southern Living Apple Crumble after baking

Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

We use fresh ginger to season our apples and spice up the crisp topping. This recipe is super easy to make and you might not even need to take a trip to the grocery.

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Apple Rose Tart

Apple Rose Tart
Photographer: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Melissa Gray Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

This tart looks like it was pulled right out of a bake shop but can be easily made in your kitchen. Your friends and family will be impressed when you show up with this dessert at the next Thanksgiving dinner or bridal shower.

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Strudel With Fried Apples

Southern Living Strudel with Fried Apples on a plate to serve with a scoop of ice cream

Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely

A European-inspired Southern classic. The flaky strudel wraps around spiced apples that are coated in cinnamon, brown sugar, and flour.

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Apple Spice Cake

Southern Living Apple Spice Cake cut into 9 pieces to serve

Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely 

Delicious notes of clove and nutmeg and crunchy pecans bring this spice cake together. Orange zest adds a bright finish.

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Apple Slab Pie

apple slab pie close up

Rob Culpepper; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Assistant Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

Apple Slab Pie is as easy to make as it is to serve. This will be your new favorite dish to bring to holiday gatherings and parties.

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Apple- Cinnamon Budino

Southern Living Apple-Cinnamon Budino in glasses to serve topped with whipped cream and apple slices

Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely 

This dessert features a cinnamon-infused custard topped with an apple cider butterscotch. Finish it off with a dollop of whipped cream and an apple slice.

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Apple Chess Pie

Apple Chess Pie in a brown pie dish
Photo: James Ransom; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Christine Keely

Swap out your average apple or pumpkin pie for apple chess pie this fall season. Thin apple slices are the secret to achieving a perfectly cooked dessert.

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Caramel Apple Dump Cake

Southern Living Caramel Apple Dump Cake in the pan after baking ready to serve

Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

If you're tired of the endless dishes after baking, give this recipe a try. Combine the apple mixture and top with caramel candies and cake mix. That's it!

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Caramel Apple Cake

Caramel Apple Cake
Hector Manuel Sanchez

This cake is guaranteed to impress your friends and family, and it's easier than you think. Although it looks like a centerpiece, you'll want to dig in as soon as it's on the table.

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Apple Bread Pudding

Southern Living Apple Bread pudding on a plate to serve

Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

The drizzle of apple brandy sauce is what makes this bread pudding one of the best autumn desserts. Grab your favorite vanilla ice cream to serve alongside.

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Easy Skillet Apple Pie

Easy Skillet Apple Pie
Photographer: Stacy K. Allen; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

No pie dish, no problem. Pop your classic apple pie ingredients into a skillet for an outcome that's just as good as the original.

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Caramel Apple Blondie Pie

Caramel Apple Blondie Pie

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Sweet, buttery layers of cake and thinly sliced apples come together in this pie to make the perfect fall treat. Drizzle with our apple cider caramel sauce for the perfect bite.

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Fresh Apple Cake

Fresh Apple Cake
Hannah Zimmerman/Southern Living

This cake is one of our top-rated reader favorite desserts and there's no wonder why. Apples, cinnamon, and nuts make this cake perfect for fall and it all comes together with our cream cheese frosting.

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Apple And Pear Crisp

Apple and Pear Crisp
Jennifer Davick; Food Styling: Vanessa Rocchio; Prop Styling: Missie Crawford

We use two different kinds of apples to achieve the perfect combination of flavors. Top each bowl with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

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Apple Stack Cake

Apple Stack Cake

Victor Protasi; Prop Styling: Cindy Barr; Food Styling: Torie Cox

This cake is a classic Appalachian dessert and is often made to celebrate special occasions. Unsulfured dried apples are rehydrated, sweetened, and spiced for a flavorful apple filling.

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Apple- Bourbon Pie

Apple Bourbon Pie Recipe
Hector Manuel Sanchez

A classic Southern spirit is the secret behind this decadent pie. Unlike most apple pie recipes, this one calls for the apples to be steamed in a steamer basket. This step makes the batter more tender and rich.

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Apple Butter Cobbler With Drop Biscuits

Apple Butter Cobbler with Drop Biscuits
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl Jones; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Say hello to your new favorite fall dessert. This cobbler is filled with warm, gooey apple butter and topped with soft, buttery biscuits. You'll want to cozy up next to the fire while enjoying this. Oh, and don't forget the vanilla ice cream.

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Apple Butter Pound Cake With Caramel Frosting

Apple Butter Pound Cake with Caramel Frosting
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl Jones; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

This recipe starts with apple butter, and we make ours from scratch. The pound cake is filled with rich caramel and topped with apple chips to capture all of the flavors of fall.

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Apple Pie Cake

Apple Pie Cake
Photography: Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling: Rishon Hanners

This cake is the perfect way to enjoy apples this fall. You won't miss out on any of the flavors in classic apple pie because our cake has it all. We made it a little easier by using cake mix which brings the active baking time down to 15 minutes.

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Applesauce Cake

Southern Living Applesauce Cake cut and ready to serve

Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

It's almost impossible to mess up this recipe. No special ingredients or equipment required.

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Classic Apple Cobbler

Classic Apple Cobbler Recipe
Stephen DeVries

You can't go wrong with a cobbler – and our recipe is about as good as it gets. Two types of apples, cinnamon, and brown sugar are the stars in this dessert. This dessert is a staple in the fall but can be made year-round.

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Granny Smith Apple Pie

Granny Smith Apple Pie
Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Marian Cooper Cairns

If you're looking for a classic, nostalgic apple pie recipe, you've come to the right place. Granny smith apples are a game-changer, giving this pie a deep, caramelized flavor

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Apple Dumplings

Southern Living Apple Dumplings one serving taken out of pan and topped with whipped cream

Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster

You'll never guess the secret ingredient in this recipe that makes these dumplings pop with flavor.

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Cranberry Apple Pie

Cranberry Apple Pie - Southern Living

Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin; Prop Stylis: Claire Spollen

You can't live without cranberries and apples during the fall and winter seasons. We use both in this recipe, making the pie sweet and tart.

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Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
Photographer: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Melissa Gray Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

Try these bars as a fall snack or dessert and you'll fall in love. A layer of cheesecake and cinnamon-coated apples sit on top of a graham cracker crust which is then topped with oats and caramel.

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Apple-Pecan Carrot Cake

apple-pecan carrot cake - southern living

Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf; Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

You'll never go back to regular carrot cake after trying this. Apple-Pecan Carrot Cake balances the flavors of classic carrot cake with a hint of apple pie spice and freshly grated Granny Smith apples.

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Apple Cider Vinegar Pie

Southern Living Apple Cider Vinegar Pie in the pie pan to serve

Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist Christine Keely

We swapped lemon juice for vinegar in this recipe to create a creamy filling with a zing. Sweet sautéed apples imitate the flavors of classic apple pie.

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Apple- Blackberry Cobbler

Apple-Blackberry Cobbler Recipe

As you begin to transition from summer to fall, make this cobbler and use blackberries while they're still in season. Tender on the inside and crispy on the top, this cobbler will have you coming back for seconds.

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Sour Cream Apple Pie

Southern Living Sour Cream-Apple Pie sliced on a plate to serve

Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely 

A streusel topping and a generous amount of sour cream take this apple pie to the next level. Use a premade piecrust to make the process a little easier.

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Chewy Apple-Cran-Oatmeal Cookies

Chewy Apple-Cran-Oatmeal Cookies
Photographer: Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Emily Neighbors Hall Prop Stylist: Audrey Davis

Make your classic oatmeal cookies a little more fit for fall by adding cranberries and apples. It's worth a try.

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Buttery Apple- Almond Cake

Buttery Apple-Almond Cake
Photographer: Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Emily Neighbors Hall Prop Stylist: Audrey Davis

Don't be intimidated by this cake's beauty because it's surprisingly easy to make. A dusting of powdered sugar is the finishing touch and what makes this cake so appealing.

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Ozark Pudding

Southern Living Ozark Pudding in the pie pan to serve

Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely 

This recipe is perfect for when you have leftover apples. You'll likely find the rest of the ingredients in your pantry. Mix your ingredients in a bowl and bake for 30 minutes.

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Apple Cinnamon Bread

Apple Cinnamon Bread
Photographer: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Melissa Gray Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

You'll get a taste of apple, cinnamon, and brown sugar in every bite of this sweet bread. Bake this for a cozy breakfast, snack, or dessert.

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Baked Cinnamon Apples

Southern Living Baked Cinnamon Apples in a pink bowl

Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

This sweet treat will be ready in under 20 minutes. All you need is 4 ingredients that are probably already in your kitchen. We recommend trying these with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a slice of pound cake.

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Applesauce Snack Cake With Brown Sugar Frosting

Applesauce Snack Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting
Photographer: Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Emily Neighbors Hall Prop Stylist: Audrey Davis

Pop this sweet snack in the kids' lunchbox or have it alongside an afternoon coffee. Hints of lime zest and ginger add pops of flavor.

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