Six apple recipes to try this week
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There’s so much to love about fall: the leaves, the sweaters, the pets in Halloween costumes. But for our money, one of the very best things about autumn is that it’s apple season.
We’ve scoured the internet for some of the most delicious apple-related we could find, focusing on recipes in which the apples are indispensable, even if they’re not the main ingredient.
And while we love apple pie – who doesn’t? – we’ve tried to find recipes a little more surprising. There are desserts included, but also a soup, a side, an entrée, and even a cocktail!
Read on for our picks!
French apple cake: Très délicieux
It may look simple – and in terms of ingredients and preparation, it is – but this French classic is a heavy-hitting dessert, using tart apples and just a little rum to create a light, not-too-sweet cake that’s perfect with coffee or ice cream.
Author Jenn Segal (of Once Upon a Chef) even recommends it for breakfast!
Apple and Pecan Stuffed Butternut Squash: A Starring Side
This side dish is tasty (and hearty!) enough to sub for the entrée if you pair it with some similarly nutritious sides! A healthy but festive add-on to any autumnal meal, it’s also relatively simple to put together, as almost all the cooking time will be spent waiting for the squash to come out of the oven.
Butterscotch Cornflake Apple Crisp
We’re limiting ourselves to two desserts, this being the second – but this recipe from Ree Drummond, a.k.a. The Pioneer Woman, packs so much oomph it should count double. First, there’s the base, a cornflake-topped dish of warm, gooey, apple goodness. But on top of that, there’s the butterscotch, the subtle saltiness of which sets off the apples beautifully.
And in addition to all that, Drummond recommends serving with a scoop of butter pecan ice cream. Yummmm.
Apple Cheddar Soup
This may sound like an unexpected choice, but think about the flavors and it should make sense (and set your stomach grumbling) right away: apple, onion, potato, bacon, cheese. That’s a familiar cornucopia of flavor. And as a bonus, this warming Food Network recipe also calls for homemade croutons, made with mustard, cheese and rye bread.
One Pan Caramelized Pork Chops and Apples
While the flavors in the Apple Cheddar soup may be a familiar combo used in an unexpected way, it doesn’t get more classic than pork chops with apples. This dish from The Kitchn, based on a recipe from the author’s British uncle, is a convenient one-pan feast. These bone-in chops require a little lead-time – the author recommends brining for up to 24 hours, five hours at a minimum – but it’s worth the wait.
Smoky Apple Cider Margarita
We couldn’t finish off this list without including an apple cocktail! If you want a straightforward, two-ingredient situation, bourbon and apple cider is a can’t-miss combination. But for something more unexpected, consider this smoky mezcal cocktail from the Half-Baked Harvest, which includes rosemary, maple, citrus and more. Cozy and cool all at once!