9 Best Apple Desserts for Fall (Not Pie!)

Are you ready for the best apple desserts for fall? These are the perfect recipes when you want an apple pie without the fuss of making it from scratch. They are all quick and easy and tossed together with minimal ingredients you probably already have in your pantry!

What Desserts Can Be Made From Apples?

Did you immediately think of pie? When you have a lot of apples, you’ll probably be busy making apple pie, apple butter, and applesauce (which by the way, makes a delicious applesauce cake). But there are many other treats to try!

While upside-down apple tart is my current favorite, I will also be sharing my other favorite classic apple desserts you can enjoy this fall when you want something super tasty but prefer the “quick and easy” route. Let’s be honest, we’re trying to get food on the table, not win any culinary awards.

Getting the same great taste as apple pie but not investing the time or effort is alright with me! I love simple recipes (and tools) that make you look like a superstar in the kitchen.

More than dessert, many of these apple recipes can also double as breakfast (although there’s high competition with apple pancakes) or an after-school snack.

Check out the directions linked below, and you’ll see how easy they are to make with only a few pantry ingredients. Most ideas are served hot or cold. You choose! 

Each recipe is excellent with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Feel free to warm up with a mug of chocolate chai latte or pumpkin spice chai latte, or perhaps a glass of refreshing mimosa with apple cider.

Basic ingredients you need for apple desserts:

• Flour
• Oats
• Apples
• Butter
• Brown sugar
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg

Add the recipes below to your meal plan app and stay on track with your plan!

What are the Best Dessert Apples?

Red, green, yellow, sweet, sour… there are so many different types of apples! So how do you know which ones are the best apples for baking? The Washington Apple Commission reviews each type of apple and notes if it is suitable for salads, pie, sauce, baking, or freezing. This is a very helpful chart and full of practical information.

These are the best apples for desserts and pies:

• Gala
• Fuji
• Granny Smith
• Honeycrisp
• Pink Lady
• Golden Delicious

When in doubt, choose any of these apples over other types for your dessert recipe. Don’t be afraid to use sour, tart apples. You’ll balance the flavor out with brown sugar and spices. Apples also become sweeter as they bake and soften in the oven. The sweet, sour combination is delicious!

Plus, sour apples tend to hold their shape together better, so you’ll have the pleasure of seeing clearly defined apple slices (not mush) in your dish. Cover any worrisome sourness or take your dessert to the next level with a drizzle of chai syrup on top. Yum!

Best Apple Desserts for Fall

Apples are a special seasonal treat, and these recipes show it off like nothing else! From a quick 5-minute sauté to a more sophisticated apple tart, you’ll love these recipes with all their cinnamon spice glory.

1

Apple and Cinnamon Cake Recipe

This apple cinnamon cake is moist, fluffy, and totally crave-worthy! It’s packed with tender sweet apples and warm spices, sprinkled with a crunchy cinnamon crumble, then finished off with a delicious milk and powdered sugar glaze. It’s a cross between a dessert and a snack cake, perfect for enjoying at home for serving at any holiday celebration.

Check out this recipe

2

Air Fryer Apple Crisp with Cinnamon Oat Topping

Air fryer apple crisp brings the classic cinnamon apples and crumbly oat topping down to four small ramekins. Lemon zest brightens the Granny Smith filling, and a spoonful of cornstarch turns the juices into sauce instead of a puddle.

Check out this recipe

3

The Easiest Applesauce Cake Recipe

Cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg warm up this applesauce cake, finished with a thick layer of cream cheese frosting. Walnuts and raisins run through every slice, and the applesauce keeps the crumb soft for days.

Check out this recipe

4

Puff Pastry Upside-Down Apple Tart Recipe

Butter and brown sugar caramelize apple slices before puff pastry seals over them in this upside down apple tart. Flipped onto a plate, the fruit turns glossy amber, with a crisp pastry base instead of a soggy crust.

Check out this recipe

5

lemonsandzest.com

Easy Apple Dump Cake

This apple dump cake might be the easiest dessert you ever make. Created as a one-dish dessert, you can prep the cake in the same dish that you bake it in. How clever!

Check out this recipe

6

wellifshecandoit.com

2-Ingredient Cinnamon Roll Apple Pie Cups

With just two ingredients, you can bake individual apple pie-like desserts in 20 minutes or less. You’re sure to feel like a superstar in the kitchen and not even break a sweat.

Check out this recipe

7

ottawamommyclub.ca

Air Fryer Apple Hand Pies Recipe

Here’s another minimalist dessert recipe you’ll love, which takes a total of 3 ingredients. It’s a classic fall treat to enjoy without investing the time and energy to make a traditional pie.

Check out this recipe

8

jackslobodian.com

Apple Crumble

Apple crumble is the easy and more economical alternative for apple pie. It’s more straightforward and less technical. All you need are 5 simple ingredients, which I’m sure you already have!

Check out this recipe

9

crinkledcookbook.com

No-Peel Apple Cake

Baking an apple cake has never been easier! You don’t even need to peel the apples for this recipe. Served warm or cold, this seasonal dessert is worth waiting all year for!

Check out this recipe

More Easy Fall Recipes

• 9 Easy Thanksgiving Pie Recipes
• 5 Slow Cooker Oatmeal Porridge Recipes for Cold Weather Mornings
• 5 Super Easy Brunch Ideas for Fall
• 5 Easy Slow Cooker Soup Recipes

Looking for more fall inspiration? Check out our DIY beauty section and indulge in this warm and spicy pumpkin spice facial scrub.