5 Easy Apple Desserts to Make at Home

The best thing about fall is the amazing produce that comes with it! Apples are one of my favorite fruits. I love them in desserts, savory dishes, and as a healthy snack. With so many varieties to choose from, there’s always an apple for you. Here are 5 easy apple dessert recipes that would be perfect for your Thanksgiving table this year.

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Apple Barley Pudding 

Apple Barley Pudding is a delicious recipe made with apples and barley. It’s simple to make and can easily be doubled or tripled if needed. This dish will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp. pearl barley
• 1 1/2 lbs. apples (peeled, cored and sliced)
• 3 tbsp. sugar
• 1 c. heavy cream
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 c. water (approx.)

Directions:

In a small pot over medium-high heat, bring barley and water to a boil. 

Add the apples and cook until they begin to soften. They need to be soft enough to blend well, but no so soft that they lose their flavor. 

Drain the water off and blend the apples with a hand mixer. 

Next add the sugar and lemon and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and allow it to cool. 

Once cooled, add the cream to the top and chill until ready to serve.

Baked Cinnamon Apples

This Baked Cinnamon Apples has all the flavors of autumn rolled into one scrumptious treat. The crisp topping adds just the right amount of sweetness while the cinnamon gives it some spice. You’ll want to have plenty on hand because once you try it, you won’t stop eating it.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25-30 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 3 T. unsalted butter, melted (plus extra for greasing)
• 2 large apples, peeled and diced
• 2 t. ground cinnamon
• 3 T. pure maple syrup, divided
• 3/4 c. almond flour

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease a small baking dish with a little butter. Set aside.

Toss the apples with the cinnamon and a tablespoon of maple syrup and pour into the prepared baking dish. Spread apple mixture into an even layer and set aside. 

In a small bowl, combine the almond flour, melted butter, and remaining maple syrup. Stir to combine thoroughly, then evenly spread the mixture over the cinnamon apples.

Place in the pre-heated oven and bake until the topping is golden brown and the apples are tender, approximately 25 – 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for a couple minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Tip: This tasty dessert is delicious and satisfying by itself or paired with whipped cream or your favorite frozen yogurt or ice cream. 

Apple Crisp

One taste of this delicious dessert and you’ve won’t believe it is both gluten and refined sugar free. The addition of fresh thyme adds a subtle savory note to the otherwise sweet flavor profile of this classic recipe. 

Tip: Choose firm apples, such as Granny Smith or Pink Lady (pictured), for this recipe. These varieties will hold up well to the heat of baking without turning to mush.  

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 45-50 minutes 
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

• 6 large apples, cored, peeled, and sliced
• 1 T. fresh lemon juice
• 1/3 c. real maple syrup
• 2 T. 100% apple juice (sugar free)
• 1 t. ground cinnamon
• ½ t. ground allspice
• 1½ t. fresh thyme leaves
• ¼ t. salt

Topping Ingredients:

• 1 c. old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/3 c. almond flour
• 1/3 c. almonds, sliced
• 1/3 c. honey, preferably local
• 3 T. unsalted butter, melted

To Serve: (Optional) 

• Vanilla bean ice cream or freshly whipped cream 

Directions

Place top oven rack in the center position and pre-heat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8” x 8” baking dish and set aside.

Place apples in a large non-reactive bowl and toss with fresh lemon juice. Add maple syrup, apple juice, cinnamon, allspice, thyme leaves, and salt. Toss to combine and set aside. 

Combine topping ingredients in a separate bowl and stir until oats are thoroughly coated and all ingredients are well combined. Set aside. 

Pour apple mixture into prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer. Spread the topping evenly across the top in a uniform layer, as well. 

Place into pre-heated oven and bake for 30 minutes. If the top layer is nicely browned, cover dish loosely with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning. Continue baking for another 15-20 minutes or until the apple crisp is nice and bubbling. Remove from oven and set aside to cool for 5-10 minutes. 

Serve warm with some vanilla bean iced cream or freshly whipped cream, if desired.

Apple Pie a la Mode

Apple Pie ‘a la mode’ means ‘in fashion’ and that fashion is to serve it with ice cream.  Of course you can use store bought or make your own with something like this No Churn Vanilla Ice Cream recipe if you like.  And you can also top it with whipped cream, I won’t mind!

Prep time: 20 minutes 
Bake time: 45-50 minutes
Serves 8

Pie Crust Ingredients:

• 3 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 t. salt
• 1¼ c. vegetable shortening
• 7-12 T. ice-cold water

Pie Filling Ingredients:

• 6 c. peeled and sliced apples
• 2/3 c. granulated sugar
• 1 t. ground cinnamon
• 1/8 t. ground nutmeg
• 2 T. unsalted butter, cut into 4 or 5 pieces

Tip: To make a deep dish pie, double the filling ingredients and roll out the bottom crust to a 12-13 inch diameter.

Directions:

Place top oven rack in center position and pre-heat oven to 450°F.

To prepare pie crust, add flour, salt, and vegetable shortening to a large bowl and mix with a hand mixer. Gradually add ice-cold water until the dough binds together and can form a ball. Place in the refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, add sliced apples, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg to a large bowl and toss gently to combine. 

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and divide into 2 even sections. Roll out each piece of dough into a 10-11 inch diameter for a 9-inch pie. 

Line a 9-inch pie pan with one of the crusts. Transfer the apple filling to the pie crust.

Place top crust over the pie and crimp the edges together. Cut 4-5 vents into the top crust with a sharp knife and place a small piece of butter in each. Cover edges with foil or a pie crust protector to prevent over browning.

Bake for 10 minutes at 450°F. Reduce temperature to 350°F and continue baking for another 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving with some ice cream.

Instant Pot Apple Cinnamon Cheesecake 

Another fall classic, apple and cinnamon come together here to make a cheesecake and the fun part is you can use your Instant Pot for it.  Go beyond just stews and casseroles and enter the world of IP desserts with this recipe.

Prep time: 30 minutes
Sauté time: 5 minutes
Active cook time: 30 minutes (+ time to come to pressure)
Natural release: up to 10 minutes
Time to chill: 4 hours to overnight
Serves: 4-6

Tip: Batter ingredients must be room temperature for this recipe to work. Allow 2 hours or more to achieve the correct temperature. 

Special equipment needed: 
7” springform pan (for 6-quart Instant Pot®)
Non-stick cooking spray 

Tip: Use a designated seal exclusively for baking with your Instant Pot. Savory dishes will infuse the seal with strong flavors that can affect more delicate recipes like this one. 

Crust Ingredients:

• 1 c. almond flour
• 1 t. real vanilla extract
• 3 T. powdered monk fruit sweetener
• 3 T. unsalted butter, melted

Batter Ingredients:

• 2 8-oz. blocks cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 t. real vanilla extract
• ¼ c. powdered monk fruit sweetener
• 1 t. ground cinnamon
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• ¼ c. heavy cream, room temperature
• 1¼ c. water

Apple Cinnamon Topping:

• 2 T. unsalted butter
• 1 large McIntosh apple, cored and cut into equal-sized wedges
• 1 t. ground cinnamon
• ½ t. allspice
• 3 T. maple syrup
• ½ c. water
• Pinch salt
• ¼ c. pecans, chopped

Directions:

Coat the inside of the springform pan with the non-stick cooking spray and set aside. 

Prepare the crust by combining all ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir until the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared springform pan and spread into a uniform layer covering the entire bottom of the pan. Place in the freezer for at least one hour.

To prepare the batter, beat the following ingredients in a large mixing bowl, one at a time, for 10-15 seconds per ingredient: Cream cheese, vanilla extract, monk fruit sweetener, heavy cream, and the eggs, one at a time. (Do not overwork to avoid incorporating extra air into the batter). 

Tip: Scrape the sides of the mixing bowl with a plastic spatula before adding each new ingredient to ensure all ingredients are thoroughly incorporated into the batter.

Remove the springform pan from the freezer and pour the batter on top of the chilled crust. Smooth into a uniform layer and gently tap the pan on the counter several times to release any air bubbles in the batter. 

Pour the water into the Instant Pot® cooking container and place the springform pan onto the trivet that comes with the Instant Pot®. Carefully place the trivet and pan into the Instant Pot® with the handles positioned upwards for easy removal. 

Add the lid and lock into place. Select the “Manual” button and make sure it is set to “High.” Adjust cook time to 30 minutes. 

When cook time is complete, allow pressure to release naturally until the pin drops (up to 10 minutes). If it takes longer than 10 minutes, do a quick release for any remaining steam. Carefully remove the lid and lift the cheesecake out by the trivet handles with potholders. Set on the counter to cool for 10-15 minutes before transferring to the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours to overnight. 

Before serving, prepare the topping by selecting the “Sauté” function on the medium setting. Add the butter and stir to cover the bottom of the pot while it melts. 

Add the apple wedges, ground cinnamon, allspice, maple syrup, water, and salt to the unit. Stir until the apples are thoroughly coated in the cinnamon-maple mixture. Sauté until the apples are crisp tender, but not mushy, and the sauce has thickened, approximately 4-5 minutes. Turn the unit off and transfer the apple mixture into a bowl to cool slightly. 

Remove the cheesecake from the refrigerator and carefully release the springform pan. Arrange the warm apple slices on top of the cheesecake and drizzle with the cinnamon-maple sauce. Sprinkle the chopped pecans on top and serve immediately. 

Easy apple desserts

These easy apple desserts will make it a simple task to enjoy those fall seasonal ingredients as well as something sweet and delicious.