When the local Virginia apples come in, I don’t reach for anything fancy! I reach for the recipes I grew up on: a pie with a no-cook filling, applesauce simmered soft on the stove, and pork chops with a spoonful of something sweet on the side.
These are the old-fashioned apple recipes that earn their keep, and the ones that taste like the season itself!
I’ve split everything into two simple parts: the sweet side first, from pies and cakes down to homemade applesauce and apple butter, then the savory side, because apples belong at the supper table too!
⭢ Sweet Apple Recipes
This is where most of us start, and for good reason. Pies, cobblers, cakes, and warm skillet apples give way to breakfast bakes and, at the very end, the applesauce and apple butter worth putting up by the jar. If you’re only making one thing, make the pie!
Mom’s Easy Apple Pie
This is the apple pie I grew up on, and my kids ask for it now too. A store-bought crust and a no-cook filling keep it simple without skimping on flavor.
Apple Cobbler
Warm spiced apples under a buttery biscuit crust, the way cobbler was always meant to be. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and nobody turns it down!
Apple Crisp
Tender apples baked under a buttery oat topping that turns golden at the edges. It’s the humble, old-fashioned dessert that fills the kitchen with cinnamon.
Want a holiday twist?
My Apple Cranberry Crisp folds tart cranberries into the same buttery, old-fashioned crisp.
Apple Bundt Cake
An old-fashioned apple dapple cake that’s been passed down for generations, loaded with fresh apples and finished with a warm caramel glaze poured over the top.
Apple Walnut Cake
Moist apple cake studded with walnuts and drizzled in caramel. It bakes up tender and cozy, and somehow tastes even better the next day with a cup of coffee.
Applesauce Cake (One-Bowl)
A soft, spiced applesauce cake that comes together in one bowl with pantry staples. It’s about as old-fashioned as baking gets, with just the bowl to wash.
Applesauce Bars
Moist, tender applesauce bars with just the right amount of warm spice. Dust them with powdered sugar or add cream cheese frosting and pour some mulled cider.
Baked Apple Slices
Cinnamon-sugar apple slices baked until soft and syrupy. They work as a simple side, a spoon-over-ice-cream dessert, or a sweet something with morning pancakes.
Fried Apples
These skillet apples taste just like the ones from Cracker Barrel, tender with a little bite left in the center. You only need a handful of pantry staples and a cast iron pan!
Apple Bread (One-Bowl)
Cozy, cinnamon-scented apple bread mixed in a single bowl. Slice it warm for breakfast, or wrap a loaf to hand off to a neighbor once the weather turns cool.
Apple Coffee Cake
My mom’s easy apple coffee cake, tender and buttery with fresh apples baked right in. It’s what you set out when company drops by and the coffee’s already on.
Amish Baked Oatmeal
Hearty baked oatmeal folded with apples and warm cinnamon, firm enough to slice into squares. Make a pan on Sunday and breakfast is handled all week long.
Baked Apple Pancakes
No standing at the stove flipping pancakes. You fold the apples into the batter, slide the pan in the oven, and let it puff up golden while the coffee brews.
Baked Apple Cider Donuts
All the flavor of the cider donuts you wait in line for at the orchard, baked instead of fried and rolled in cinnamon sugar while they’re still warm from the oven.
Old-Fashioned Applesauce
Once you make applesauce from scratch, the jarred stuff never quite measures up. Just apples, a little sugar, and cinnamon simmered down soft and spoonable.
Rather set it and forget it?
My Crock Pot Applesauce simmers down hands-off in the slow cooker while you go about your day.
Crockpot Apple Butter
Apple butter you can spread on cornbread, biscuits, or toast, made hands-off in the slow cooker. The house smells like fall while it cooks down thick and dark.
Spiced Apple Pear Jam
Apples and pears simmered with warm spices into a soft, spreadable jam, no pectin required. Put a few jars up now and you’ll be glad you did come the holidays.
⭢ Savory Apple Recipes
Here’s the part people forget: apples have always earned a spot at supper. Pork and apples is one of the oldest pairings there is, and it carries this whole group, from stuffed chops to a slow-cooker pork loin. A couple of classic apple sides and a homemade barbecue sauce round it out.
Stuffed Pork Chops
Thick pork chops filled with a savory apple and stuffing filling, seared and baked until juicy. It’s a Sunday-supper dish that looks fancier than it really is.
Pork Chops and Applesauce
Pork chops and applesauce is a pairing as old as the hills, and for good reason. Tender skillet chops with a spoonful of homemade (or store-bought!) applesauce never go out of style.
Pork Chops with Apple Cider Gravy
Pan-seared pork chops finished in an apple cider and Dijon gravy, all in one skillet. It’s on the table in about 30 minutes, but it tastes like a Sunday supper.
Pork Tenderloin with Apples
Cast iron pork tenderloin seared and roasted with apples until everything’s tender and glazed. Pork and apples belong together, and this skillet supper proves it.
Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder
Pork shoulder braised low and slow in apple cider until it pulls apart with a fork. It’s the hands-off, cozy dinner that makes the whole house smell like autumn.
Crock Pot Pork Loin
Pork loin slow cooked with apples and cabbage into a comforting, old-world supper. Everything goes in the crock pot and comes out tender, so dinner makes itself.
Chicken and Apples
Skillet chicken with apples in a lightly sweet pan sauce, all in one pan. It’s proof that apples earn a spot at supper, not just in dessert!
Butternut Squash Apple Casserole
Butternut squash and apples baked into a cozy casserole. It’s my mom’s holiday-table standby that disappears fast.
Apple Salad
A light, creamy apple salad with crisp Granny Smiths that comes together in minutes. It’s the easy potluck dish that’s been showing up at gatherings for years.
Waldorf Salad
The old-fashioned Waldorf salad, crisp apples, crunchy walnuts, and celery in a creamy dressing. A timeless classic that still earns its place at the table.
Apple Butter BBQ Sauce
Sweet apple butter stirred into a tangy homemade barbecue sauce. Brush it on pork or chicken for a little taste of fall on everything that comes off the grill.
However you use up your apples this fall, I hope a few of these become the ones you make without thinking, year after year.
Save this post so it’s easy to find when the orchard bags pile up, and if you make something, come back and tell me how it turned out. I read every comment!
A Few Notes on Cooking with Apples
A few things I’ve learned over the years that make all of these recipes turn out better, no matter which one you start with.
⇢ Best apples for baking: For pies, cobblers, and cakes, you want an apple that holds its shape and balances sweet with tart. Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious, Braeburn, and Jonagold are all dependable. A mix of two varieties gives you the best flavor.
⇢ Best apples for applesauce and apple butter: Softer, sweeter apples like Gala, Fuji, or McIntosh break down beautifully and need less added sugar. This is a good place to use up any apples that are a little past their prime.
⇢ To peel or not to peel: For smooth applesauce, pies, and cakes, peel them. For rustic things like fried apples or a chunky sauce, leaving some skin on adds color and a little texture. Your call.
⇢ Keeping cut apples from browning: A quick toss in a little lemon juice keeps sliced apples bright for salads and snacking. For anything headed into the oven, don’t bother, the browning cooks right out.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best apples for baking?
Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, and Jonagold are the ones I reach for most. They hold their shape in the oven instead of collapsing into mush, and they’ve got enough tartness to keep a sweet filling from tasting flat.
If you can, use a mix of two varieties. One tart and one sweet gives you the best flavor in a pie or cobbler.
Do I have to peel the apples?
It depends on what you’re making. Peel them for anything smooth or delicate: pies, cakes, and applesauce you want silky. Leave the skins on for rustic dishes like fried apples or a chunky sauce, where they add a little color and texture. For salads, I leave them on every time.
Can I make any of these ahead or freeze them?
Plenty of them. Applesauce, apple butter, and apple pear jam all keep for weeks in the refrigerator and are made to be put up in jars. Quick breads and cakes like apple bread and applesauce cake freeze beautifully, so wrap a loaf tightly and thaw it on the counter when you need it.
Crisps and cobblers are the exception. They’re best the day they’re baked, while the topping is still crisp.
⭢ Related Collections
If you’re cooking your way through the season, these are the collections I’d send you to next:
