Deciding which apples are best for cooking and baking is a matter of both opinion and application:

- __Baking__: If you’re baking a pie, a tangy, all-purpose apple like Granny Smith or Cripps Pink might be the way to go.
- __Roasting__: If you’re roasting a chicken with apples, leeks, and rosemary, you may look for a juicy sweet apple (think Fuji) to balance the savory alliums and herbs of the roast. 
- __Spreads__: Apples with softer flesh like a McIntosh are better for applesauce and apple butter.
- __Salads__: Crunchier apples like Honeycrisp hold up well in something like a chicory and endive salad.  
If you’re looking for ways to use apples after apple picking, try these easy apple recipes for apple desserts, fresh salads, and spreads:

1. __Baked apples__: [Baked apples](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/baked-apples-recipe) are an easy apple dessert consisting of cored, fresh apples filled with brown sugar, butter, and dried fruit and nuts, such as cranberry and pecans. The apples are baked in water, apple juice, or wine, which steams the apples and keeps them moist. You can use almost any apples for baked apples, though the best apples are larger varieties that maintain their shape well when baked, such as Fuji, Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Red Delicious, Jonagold, and Braeburn. 
2. __Apple butter__: [Apple butter](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/simple-homemade-apple-butter-recipe) is a concentrated apple spread made by cooking apples, passing them through a food mill to make applesauce, and reducing the applesauce to a thick, spreadable consistency. You can spread apple butter on pancakes, biscuits, or even [pork chops](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-cook-tender-and-juicy-pork-chops). 
3. __Applesauce__: You can make [homemade applesauce](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-applesauce) by cooking apples with water, apple juice, or apple cider. As you cook them, the sautéed apples gradually become a purée. You can use your favorite apples to make applesauce and add any spices or flavorings you desire, such as lemon juice or cinnamon sugar. You can serve applesauce as a snack or a side alongside savory dishes, such as pork chops or hamburgers. 
4. __Apple chutney__: [Apple chutney](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/apple-chutney-recipe) consists of diced apples cooked with spices, sugar, butter, and vinegar or citrus juice. Like its fellow chutneys, mango chutney, tamarind chutney, and tomato chutney, apple chutney often accompanies savory dishes, where it adds a sweet, textural contrast. 
5. __Apple cobbler__: [Apple cobbler](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/apple-cobbler-recipe) is a freeform fall recipe with an apple base and a biscuit topping. Bake the dessert until the biscuits are golden and fluffy. You can also make a [gluten-free apple cobbler](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/gluten-free-apple-cobbler-recipe) using almond flour and cornmeal for the biscuit dough. 
6. __Apple crumble__: An [apple crumble](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/apple-crumble-recipe) is a baked dessert consisting of cooked cinnamon apple tucked under a streusel topping made from flour, spices, sugar, and butter. You can add rolled oats and nuts, like pecans, to the topping. (A crumble recipe is not to be confused with a crisp recipe, where the oats is the predominant ingredient, along with flour, spices, sugar, and butter.)
7. __Apple galette__: [This French dessert](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/classic-apple-galette-recipe) consists of freeform tart dough wrapped around sweet or savory filling. You do not need a baking dish to make an apple galette—you can use a standard baking sheet or cookie sheet. This apple galette recipe includes apple slices arranged in a circle. 
8. __Apple pie__: [Apple pie](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/homemade-apple-pie-recipe-easy-recipe-and-how-to-make-a-perfect-crust) is a classic baked dessert featuring a traditional pie crust surrounding a spiced apple mixture. The apple pie filling is made of sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon. You bake the pie until the apples are softened and the crust is golden brown, then serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
9. __Apple strudel__: This [Austrian dessert](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-phyllo-dough-apple-strudel) features phyllo dough stuffed with spiced apple and baked until golden brown. Bakers serve this dessert in slices. 
10. __Applesauce cake__: This moist [apple cake](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/applesauce-cake-recipe) gets its apple flavor from applesauce. You can bake it into a whole cake to serve a large group or individual cupcakes for breakfast. You can also add a crumb topping to the applesauce cake to make a coffee cake. 
11. __Fennel apple salad__: This [mesclun green salad](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/wolfgang-pucks-tuna-sashimi-recipe-with-ponzu-sauce-and-fennel-apple-salad) contains slices of apple and fennel. An ají chili vinaigrette prevents the apples from browning and gives the salad a spicy, zesty kick.
Become a better chef with the [MasterClass Annual Membership](https://www.masterclass.com). Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by the world’s best, including Alice Waters, Gabriela Cámara, Niki Nakayama, Chef Thomas Keller, Gordon Ramsay, Yotam Ottolenghi, Dominique Ansel, and more.
These apple recipes for salads, spreads, and desserts are the perfect way to use apples. Learn how to cook with apples to make a variety of dishes.

These apple recipes for salads, spreads, and desserts are the perfect way to use apples. Learn how to cook with apples to make a variety of dishes.

11 Classic Apple Recipes to Make at Home

Deciding which apples are best for cooking and baking is a matter of both opinion and application:<ul class="mc-m-4 list-styled"><li class="">Baking: If you’re baking a pie, a tangy, all-purpose apple like Granny Smith or Cripps Pink might be the way to go. </li><li class="">Roasting: If you’re roasting a chicken with apples, leeks, and rosemary, you may look for a juicy sweet apple (think Fuji) to balance the savory alliums and herbs of the roast. </li><li class="">Spreads: Apples with softer flesh like a McIntosh are better for applesauce and apple butter. </li><li class="">Salads: Crunchier apples like Honeycrisp hold up well in something like a chicory and endive salad. </li></ul>

What Are the Best Apples for Cooking and Baking?

If you’re looking for ways to use apples after apple picking, try these easy apple recipes for apple desserts, fresh salads, and spreads:<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Baked apples: <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/baked-apples-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/baked-apples-recipe","linkCopy":"Baked apples","category":null}'>Baked apples</a> are an easy apple dessert consisting of cored, fresh apples filled with brown sugar, butter, and dried fruit and nuts, such as cranberry and pecans. The apples are baked in water, apple juice, or wine, which steams the apples and keeps them moist. You can use almost any apples for baked apples, though the best apples are larger varieties that maintain their shape well when baked, such as Fuji, Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Red Delicious, Jonagold, and Braeburn. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Apple butter: <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/simple-homemade-apple-butter-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/simple-homemade-apple-butter-recipe","linkCopy":"Apple butter","category":null}'>Apple butter</a> is a concentrated apple spread made by cooking apples, passing them through a food mill to make applesauce, and reducing the applesauce to a thick, spreadable consistency. You can spread apple butter on pancakes, biscuits, or even <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-cook-tender-and-juicy-pork-chops' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-cook-tender-and-juicy-pork-chops","linkCopy":"pork chops","category":null}'>pork chops</a>. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Applesauce: You can make <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-applesauce' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-applesauce","linkCopy":"homemade applesauce","category":null}'>homemade applesauce</a> by cooking apples with water, apple juice, or apple cider. As you cook them, the sautéed apples gradually become a purée. You can use your favorite apples to make applesauce and add any spices or flavorings you desire, such as lemon juice or cinnamon sugar. You can serve applesauce as a snack or a side alongside savory dishes, such as pork chops or hamburgers. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 4. Apple chutney: <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/apple-chutney-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/apple-chutney-recipe","linkCopy":"Apple chutney","category":null}'>Apple chutney</a> consists of diced apples cooked with spices, sugar, butter, and vinegar or citrus juice. Like its fellow chutneys, mango chutney, tamarind chutney, and tomato chutney, apple chutney often accompanies savory dishes, where it adds a sweet, textural contrast. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 5. Apple cobbler: <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/apple-cobbler-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/apple-cobbler-recipe","linkCopy":"Apple cobbler","category":null}'>Apple cobbler</a> is a freeform fall recipe with an apple base and a biscuit topping. Bake the dessert until the biscuits are golden and fluffy. You can also make a <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/gluten-free-apple-cobbler-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/gluten-free-apple-cobbler-recipe","linkCopy":"gluten-free apple cobbler","category":null}'>gluten-free apple cobbler</a> using almond flour and cornmeal for the biscuit dough. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 6. Apple crumble: An <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/apple-crumble-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/apple-crumble-recipe","linkCopy":"apple crumble","category":null}'>apple crumble</a> is a baked dessert consisting of cooked cinnamon apple tucked under a streusel topping made from flour, spices, sugar, and butter. You can add rolled oats and nuts, like pecans, to the topping. (A crumble recipe is not to be confused with a crisp recipe, where the oats is the predominant ingredient, along with flour, spices, sugar, and butter.) </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 7. Apple galette: <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/classic-apple-galette-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/classic-apple-galette-recipe","linkCopy":"This French dessert","category":null}'>This French dessert</a> consists of freeform tart dough wrapped around sweet or savory filling. You do not need a baking dish to make an apple galette—you can use a standard baking sheet or cookie sheet. This apple galette recipe includes apple slices arranged in a circle. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 8. Apple pie: <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/homemade-apple-pie-recipe-easy-recipe-and-how-to-make-a-perfect-crust' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/homemade-apple-pie-recipe-easy-recipe-and-how-to-make-a-perfect-crust","linkCopy":"Apple pie","category":null}'>Apple pie</a> is a classic baked dessert featuring a traditional pie crust surrounding a spiced apple mixture. The apple pie filling is made of sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon. You bake the pie until the apples are softened and the crust is golden brown, then serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 9. Apple strudel: This <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-phyllo-dough-apple-strudel' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-phyllo-dough-apple-strudel","linkCopy":"Austrian dessert","category":null}'>Austrian dessert</a> features phyllo dough stuffed with spiced apple and baked until golden brown. Bakers serve this dessert in slices. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 10. Applesauce cake: This moist <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/applesauce-cake-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/applesauce-cake-recipe","linkCopy":"apple cake","category":null}'>apple cake</a> gets its apple flavor from applesauce. You can bake it into a whole cake to serve a large group or individual cupcakes for breakfast. You can also add a crumb topping to the applesauce cake to make a coffee cake. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 11. Fennel apple salad: This <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/wolfgang-pucks-tuna-sashimi-recipe-with-ponzu-sauce-and-fennel-apple-salad' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/wolfgang-pucks-tuna-sashimi-recipe-with-ponzu-sauce-and-fennel-apple-salad","linkCopy":"mesclun green salad","category":null}'>mesclun green salad</a> contains slices of apple and fennel. An ají chili vinaigrette prevents the apples from browning and gives the salad a spicy, zesty kick. </li></ol>

11 Classic Apple Recipes 

Become a better chef with the <a href='https://www.masterclass.com' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com","linkCopy":"MasterClass Annual Membership","category":null}'>MasterClass Annual Membership</a>. Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by the world’s best, including Alice Waters, Gabriela Cámara, Niki Nakayama, Chef Thomas Keller, Gordon Ramsay, Yotam Ottolenghi, Dominique Ansel, and more.

Want to Learn More About Cooking?

These apple recipes for salads, spreads, and desserts are the perfect way to use apples. Learn how to cook with apples to make a variety of dishes.

These apple recipes for salads, spreads, and desserts are the perfect way to use apples. Learn how to cook with apples to make a variety of dishes.
