The Cozy Comeback of Apple Desserts: My Top 5 Fall Favorites
Have you started baking for fall yet? I know, I know. It’s still 85° outside, the leaves are as green as your summer salad, and you’re trying to decide if it’s too soon to break out your flannel. (Spoiler: it’s never too soon in my book.) But if you’re a baker, you already know—once that calendar flips to September 1st, it’s game on. Customers start craving cozy flavors, whether the weather agrees or not.
Pumpkin gets a lot of hype this time of year—and rightfully so—but let’s not forget its humble sister: apple. She’s warm and reliable, with just enough tartness to keep things interesting. And she deserves a moment.
So today, I’m sharing my top five favorite apple recipes—ones I’ve baked, sold, and savored during the fall months. Whether you’re selling at a farmer’s market or just baking to keep your sanity during the school year chaos, you’ll want these in the rotation.
1. Apple Pie (aka The OG Comfort Dessert)
Honestly, is there any dessert more fall than a homemade apple pie? Nothing beats that smell drifting through the house—warm cinnamon, buttery crust, soft spiced apples. It’s like a cozy blanket in dessert form. Top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a caramel drizzle? Game over.
π My go-to recipe is from The Food Nanny. It’s foolproof—even when I’m eyeballing the amount of apples like a rebel.
The hardest part is peeling and chopping the apples, but it’s a labor of love.
Pro Tip: Pop your pie onto a cookie sheet before baking. It’s no fun having an overflowing apple filling burning on the bottom of your oven. You want your house to smell like cinnamon, not black smoke.
I’ve sold this pie in aluminum pie pans for Thanksgiving, and mini pies and slices at the farmer’s market. I used to sell by the slice from a large glass pie plate, and one customer asked to take the entire pie home! He did and brought the pie plate back the next week!
2. Morning Glory Muffins (For When You Want to Feel Healthy)
If a muffin went to yoga and journaled in the morning—it would be this one. These tasty little bundles are loaded with apple, carrot, orange, nuts, and raisins. They’re hearty, wholesome, and the perfect fall grab-and-go breakfast.
Plus, they somehow convince people they’re “healthy.” π
When I sold them at a local coffee shop, one customer would always buy them because she said they were “healthy.” Not exactly, but I’m guessing it's healthier than a cupcake! These muffins have a lot of different ingredients, and take more time to make than your “average” muffin.
3. Caramel Apple Cider Cookies (Yes, They’re Worth It)
These cookies are ridiculous—in all the best ways. Full of warm spice and apple cider flavor, with a gooey caramel center that makes people actually pause mid-bite to say “Oh. Wow.”
My recurring issue? I always forget to buy apple cider. Pro tip: Add it to your fall pantry now and hide it from your kids.
4. Caramel Apple Cheesecake Parfaits (Fancy Without the Fuss)
I made these beauties for our town’s Farm to Table Dinner and they were a full-on mic drop moment. No one could stop talking about them… including me.
Layers of apple pie filling, creamy cheesecake mousse, and sweet shortbread crumble = dessert magic.
*Apple Pie Filling on the bottom
https://www.spendwithpennies.com/quick-stovetop-apple-pie-filling/
*Top with Cheesecake Mousse
- 1-8 oz package cream cheese, softened
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Mix on high speed until smooth and creamy.
In a separate bowl, whip 2 cups heavy cream and 1 tsp vanilla until stiff peaks form. Fold into cheesecake mixture.
*Shortbread Crumbles for the top
- Melt one stick of salted butter and add
- 1 ½ cups flour
- 2 T sugar
- Pinch of salt
- Mix together and use your hands to crumble onto a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until just starting to turn brown.
Make sure the apples and crumbles are cooled completely before layering. Drizzle with caramel after topping with the crumbles. I think this will make about 10 parfaits–but there are so many different sizes of cups. Use your judgment and you may need to estimate amounts.
5. Apple Toffee Blondies (Dangerously Delicious)
If comfort food and indulgence had a baby—it would be these blondies. They’re rich, chewy, buttery, and then there’s that creamy icing on top that sends them straight to “I’ll-just-have-one-more-slice” territory.
Self-control? I don’t know her.
Real Talk Before You Go...
Fall baking can feel like a lot—especially if you’re juggling kids, sports schedules, and a to-do list longer than a CVS receipt. But putting on some music, peeling a pile of apples, and making something totally comforting? It’s therapeutic—and sometimes a much-needed pause in the middle of the chaos.
So whether you bake these for your customers, your family, or just for you (no judgment here), I hope you find something in this list that reminds you why we do this in the first place.
β¨ Slow baking is still baking. Even if you're sweating in a sweatshirt and pretending it's crisp outside.
π©π³ Ready to sweeten your fall baking lineup?
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