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It’s amazing how quickly even a couple of small children can pluck 10lbs of apples from those lovely fruit-ladden trees at your local orchard. And I get it. Each apple is bigger and redder and more juicy-looking than the next. Once you get going, it’s hard to stop! Not to mention that if you’ve gone to all the trouble to get your family first into the car and then out into the apple orchard, you probably don’t want to turn around and head home 5 minutes later when you realize that that’s about the amount of time it takes to pick a reasonable amount of apples for a family of four. And before you know it, you’re staring at a scale indicating that you’re about to purchase 30lbs of apples. Now what?!
We frequently find ourselves in this exact same spot. And although fresh apples on your countertop make a fantastic snack (for about 3 days until everyone is sick of eating apples LOL), it’s hard to make a dent in a pile that big just by slicing them up at mealtimes.
Which is why over the years, I’ve collected a handful of no-fail recipes that ensure all of those gorgeous–and often not cheap— apples find their way into tummies, not the trash can. And today I thought I’d share my list of go-to apple treats in case you are also looking for a little inspiration for your fruity loot.
Kitchen Momsense: Because we process SO many apples in our kitchen, I love love love my KitchenAid Spiralizer Attachment. It turns what is easily an hour of work by hand into a few mesmerizing minutes watching this little machine zip off the peels, pluck out the cores and slice the apples into perfectly thin rings for baking up in all kinds of treats. And of course, this tool isn’t just for apples. I make vegetable noodles. I use it to peel all those potatoes at Thanksgiving. I make carrot curls for salads (apparently my kids will eat vegetables if I make them cute-haha!). There is no shortage of pin-spiration out their in Internet land. The sticker shock is real. I won’t sugar coat it. But of all the things I have splurged on for my kitchen, this one has paid the most dividends (meanwhile, have you seen what the grocery store charges for a package of spiralized vegetables??? Make them at home for a year instead and this thing will practically pay for itself!). Interested in more Kitchen Momsense? Check out our Amazon Kitchen Store.
The BEST easy apple recipes cultivated from 10+ years of apple picking experience!
Easy Apple Cake from The Laughing Spatula
This tasty cake is a relatively new addition to my apple recipe arsenal. It works equally well as dessert or a breakfast treat. I think the cream cheese is the secret ingredient here!
Apple Crumble Pie from Martha Stewart
This is my absolute favorite apple pie recipe– I’ve been making it for over 15 years and never found another recipe I like better. I use a store-bought crust to simplify and because, honestly, it’s the homemade crumb topping that gets the spotlight in this pie! I also omit the raisins because my family doesn’t care for them. The secret to success with this pie: thin-sliced apples, don’t overstuff (I never need all the apples it calls for), and be sure to freeze that crumb topping–don’t skip that step!
Slow Cooker Apple Crisp from All Recipes
Next to the Apple Crumble Pie, this recipe gets the next vote for family favorite. I like to add in a cup of oats for texture (and a little nutrition–gotta sneak that in where we can, right?!). We just throw in whatever kind of apples we have on hand and it always turns out delicious. Sometimes, when my oven is busy all day (like on Thanksgiving!) but I want to serve a warm dessert, I make this instead of pie. It never disappoints!
Freezer-Friendly Old-Fashioned Apple Crisp from Happy Money Saver
Sometimes there are only so many apple baked goods you can stomach at one time, am I right? That’s when it’s helpful to have a few freezer recipes up your sleeve. I made four pans of this apple crisp in about an hour (with the help of my handy spiralizer attachment!) and now they are parked in my freezer for whenever we have a craving for a little apple-y goodness.
Frozen Apple Pie Filling from Maintaining Motherhood
You can keep a few store-bought or pre-made crusts in the freezer right alongside containers of this easy apple pie filling, and you’re ready to bake a pie at a moment’s notice.
One Ingredient Dulce de Leche from Savory Experiments
So technically this is a recipe to go with your apples, not to make from them. But this easy sauce is a delicious dip for fresh apple slices or a perfect warm topping for pretty much any baked good that features apples.
Cornbread and Apple Dressing from Country Living
Because sometimes a savory recipe is nice too. I’ve been making this dressing for Thanksgiving every year for more than a decade. It’s always a favorite!
What are your go-to apple recipes? Please share in the comments section below!
Looking to PYO? Check out our full list of posts about Farms & Orchards HERE.
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