Today we’re going to take a look at unique apple recipes, and how you can turn the average apple recipe into a unique one. Sometimes, all you need to do is jazz up your tried and true apple recipe to turn it into something completely out of the box.
We’re going to look at the different apples you can choose from, then I’ll share lots of ways you can take a classic dessert and turn it into a unique apple dessert.
Different Types of Apples
It’s important to know that using different types of apples can sometimes be an easy way to making something you’ve never had before. For example, if you always use sweet apples (such as Fuji) when making apple fritters, try making them with tart apples (such as Granny Smith) instead. That little switch can make a big difference.
If you’re looking for new varieties of apple to try, and you’re not sure where to start, check your local farmer’s market during apple season. I’ve been able to find so many niche varieties of apples this way, and my kids have enjoyed a wide range of unique apple recipes because of it.
Here’s a list of apple varieties you’re most likely to find at a local grocery store:
- Pink Lady Apples
- Fuji Apples
- Golden Delicious Apples
- Granny Smith Apples
- Honey Crisp Apples
- Gala Apples
These are apples you’re more likely to find at farmer’s market or specialty shop:
- Jonathan Apples
- McIntosh Apples
- Barebum Apples
- Cosmic Crisp Apples
- Mutsu Apples
- Wickson Crab Apples
List of Apples: From Most Tart to Most Sweet
Apples can offer a sweet rich flavor, or tart flavors. No matter which end of the spectrum you’re looking for, here’s a helpful list. At the top are the most tart apples and at the bottom are the sweetest apples. Keep in mind, just because an apple is considered tart doesn’t mean it won’t offer sweet notes. It’s that the sweetness is less discernible since the tart is front and center.
- Granny Smith Apples
- Pacific Rose Apples
- McIntosh Apples
- Empire Apples
- Cortland Apples
- Envy Apples
- Lady Apples
- Bareburn Apples
- Jazz Apples
- Macoun Apples
- Autumn Glory Apples
- Opal Apples
- Sugarbee Apples
- Smitten Apples
- Honeycrisp Apples
- Snapdragon Apples
- Red Delicious Apples
- Gold Delicious Apples
- Jonagold Apple
- Juici Applies
- Ambrosia Apples
- Gala Apples
- Fuji Apples
How to Jazz Up Apple Pie
Apple pie is a classic dessert I’m sure most of us grew up with, at least if you’re from the States. There are so many ways that you can take an apple pie and make it something special. Here are a few of my favorite ways of changing up pie:
Swap the apples. It may sound simple, but makes a big change in the long run, especially if you use something like a Jonathan apple or Pink Lady apple.
Make the crust unique. Rather than use a traditional pie crust, try something different like a tahini infused crust or a crust with freeze dried fruit folded into the dough. This adds great bites of “ohuu, what’s that?”.
Make it spicy! If you’ve never had the joy of eating a sweet and spicy dessert, now’s the time to give it a try. There are several ways you can add spice to your apple pie. The easiest way would be to add cayenne pepper when adding your cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
Jazzing Up Apple Turnovers
Apple turnovers are another easy classic dessert that you can use a foundation to creating something unique. Here are a few ways you can change things up.
Swap the sugar. Rather than use brown sugar or white sugar, try something like organic coconut sugar, organic date sugar, or organic maple sugar. These granulated sweeteners are going to not only add sweetness, but a little extra flavour. It won’t be as intense as something like molasses, but it will be enough to create a new flavour profile.
Swap the flaky pastry. You can make a turnover with different doughs whilst leaving the filling the same. You can experiment with infusing different flavours into your dough such as ginger, black pepper, or even saffron.
Mix the fruit. Rather than have an apple turnover, make something like an apple cherry pecan turnover with a caramel sauce on top. By adding different flavours to your filling, you can create unique flavour combinations you won’t find anywhere else. When doing something like this, be mindful of the water content of any additional fruit you add, as it may throw off your final dish.
If you want to incorporate a super watery or soft fruit such as strawberries, it would be better to make a glaze, sauce, or compote to add on top, rather than mix it in with the apples.
How to Jazz Up Apple Fritters
Fried apple fritters is one of my kids’ favorite recipes that I make with apples. They’re pretty easy to make, and you can use a juicy apple or a more dry variety. Here are a few ways you can change up this classic:
Dust with spicy cinnamon sugar. I usually dust with straight powdered sugar. However, you can combine organic ground cinnamon, organic ancho chili, a pinch of organic cayenne, and organic powdered sugar. Then, pop that into a small sieve and dust your fritters after they come out of the fryer. Talk about a special treat!
Change the fry batter. If you ask me, the best part about making foods at home is that you get to have so much control. You have the opportunity to make flavour profiles that most stores don’t sell because they’re creating for the masses. When you make fritters at home, you can change the actual batter.
For example, create a fry batter that’s more tempura-like in nature. Or, put something special in the fry batter such as extra spices. Little changes like this can make your fritters feel super unique.
Make a chocolate dip. Apples and chocolate aren’t a super popular pairing, however, if you enjoy chocolate, make a fancy dip for your fritters. You could make a dark Mexican hot chocolate dip, or an almond chocolate dip. Creating dips is another easy way to make your homemade goods feel super unique, so be sure to try different variations each time.
Jazzing Up Apple Sauce and Pork Chops
Apple sauce and pork chops is so classic that sometimes the mere idea of changing it can make you stop and think. Worry not! Changing it will only enhance the delicious flavour notes, and ensure you don’t get stuck in a dinner rut.
Make homemade applesauce. It’s pretty common to use store bought apple sauce when making a pork and apple dinner. However, you can source the best apples during apple season and use a variety (or blend of varieties) that you won’t find in stores. You could even go way out of the box and use a very tart apple like a Granny Smith to make an applesauce that will make your pork shine.
Create an apple bacon relish. A homemade relish might be the perfect way to jazz up your next pork chop rodeo. Consider using crispy bacon, crisp apples, sweet onions, and a little sweetener. You can also add liquid smoke and a pickled element to make the relish more elevated. Then, cook your pork chops and serve this on top, rather than apple sauce. If you’re a fan of saucy pork chops, pair this concept with something like this white gravy recipe.
Make a sweet and nutty apple topping. To create a topping like this, place nuts and/or seeds in your food processor and give them a few quick pulses. Alternatively, you can place them in a baggie and smash with a rolling pin or meat mallet. The idea is to have little pieces that can then be cooked alongside diced apples. You could also purchase nut pieces which are pre-crushed, but not all grocery stores carry this type of product, nor do they carry it for every nut/seed variety.
Once you’ve got your nut/seed pieces, combine them with small diced apples. You can use a sweet, tart, or midrange variety. Cook on your stovetop in organic date syrup or organic maple syrup. Add smoked salt, a little cinnamon, smoked paprika, maple extract, and a splash of vanilla extract. Once this is done to your liking, you use this to serve on top of your pork rather than applesauce.
How to Jazz Up Apple Muffins
A muffin batter can come together in a matter of ten minutes or so. However, with a little extra work, you can have something that’s totally different and has you thinking up more fun ways to change your muffin game.
Make a crumble topping. An easy way to make any muffin special is to make a crumble topping for it. You can make a crumble in a small mixing bowl with oats, melted butter or oil, a sweetener, salt, and flavouring agents. Mix that all together, then place some on top of each muffin cavity that’s been filled with batter. The end result is a muffin with a little extra pep in its step.
Use maple extract. Maple extract from Cook’s Vanilla is one of the best ways to add amazing maple flavour to your homemade goods without using weird ingredients you can’t pronounce, or by adding lots of extra sugar. I kid you not… I could open a jar and just stand and smell it all day. It’s that good.
Make a pie-tart-muffin fusion. Hear me out. Think French apple tart meets apple pie meets jumbo classic bakery muffins. You can see it, right? To make something like this, you’ll want the muffins to have flaky crusts on the bottom. Then, put the muffin batter in next. Top with a little pie dough lattice and sprinkle a bit of sugar on top before baking. You can further alter this by making the muffin batter extra special with different spices or a different apple variety.
Fun Apple Recipe Ideas to Try
Now let’s take a look at fun recipe concepts you can create at home. You can execute these ideas by starting with a recipe you already love, then giving it some tweaks.
Apple Nachos
To make apple nachos, you’ll want to start with firm apples as the base. You can bake them to help develop flavour, or leave them raw which makes the nachos easier to eat. Top with anything you love that pairs well with nachos. You could use yogurt, granola, raisins, cranberries, bacon bits, chopped tree nuts, chopped seeds, almond butter, and the list goes on. Think classic tortilla chip nachos, but apples instead.
Apple Cider Whoopie Pies
If you enjoy baking, whoope pies may be just what you need. To make an apple cider whoopie pie, use apple cider in the cake batter in place of some of the milk or water the recipe calls for. Then, when you make the filling, use apple cider in place of the liquid.
Finally, create an apple cider glaze with organic powdered sugar, the apple cider, and spices to help reinforce the cider flavour notes. Drizzle that on top and now you have an epic whoope pie to share with friends and family.
Apple Pie Quick Bread
You can make this by starting with a zucchini quick bread recipe like this one. Rather than use shredded zucchini, you’ll use shredded apple. Be sure to squeeze out all the extra juices using clean tea towels. The juice can be used for something else, or you can just drink it (my kids do this all the time).
Make the regular batter, then add apple pie seasonings including cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice. Then, fold in the shredded apple in place of the zucchini. Sprinkle your batter with coarse sugar before baking, and when it comes out of the oven, you’ll have an awesome apple pie quickbread.
Roast Pork with Bacon, Pecans, and Apple Caramel
If you’re a fan of sheet pan meals, I’ve got a great idea for you. Purchase pork chops or pork shoulder. Remove excess fat and cut into bite-sized cubes. Pop that in a large mixing bowl and season with smoked salt, onion granules, and smoked paprika.
Now, add a whole bunch of bacon bits, small diced celery, medium diced apples, and pecan pieces. You can us another nut or seed FYI. Mix everything together really well. Transfer this to a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast in the oven at 425f/218c. Start with a 20 minute roast time (time varies by the size of the pork pieces). Use an instant read meat thermometer to check the pork (internal temperature needs to be 165f/74c) to know when it’s ready.
Once the pork hits the right temperature, take it out of the oven. Plate up, then drizzle a smoky caramel sauce on top (this is a recipe my taste testers love). Now you’ve got an amazing pork and apple dinner to remember.
Easy Apple Pastry Bites
Think croutons meet apple pie meets granola. To make something like this, purchase puff pastry, then cut it into small squares. Next, small dice your apples. Place these in a large mixing bowl together and season with spices you enjoy. It can be sweet, spicy, classic, or a fusion.
Spread this all over a large baking tray that’s lined with parchment paper. Bake the mix according to the instructions for your puff pastry. When the pastry has cooked all the way through and is the way you like it, it’s ready to pull from the oven.
You can eat this hot or cold, and use it in a range of applications. It could be an ice cream topping, something you pop on top of pancakes, or a little treat you pop into your lunchbox. Sky’s the limit on this one.
Apple Products to Purchase
During the apple season, there will be all sorts of unique apple products you can purchase at your local farmer’s market. There are also specialty shops online that sell unique apple products. There are also items that are sold year round such as apple butter and apple sauce.
When purchasing apple products, look for items that are either really unique, or somewhat difficult to make at home. There’s no real point in purchasing something if it only takes ten minutes to do yourself. Here are the types of products to keep an eye out for:
- Custardy Cakes with Apple
- Apple Doughnuts
- Specialty Apple Pies (could be made with a hard to find apple variety)
- Apple Cakes
- Apple Candies (not candied apples, but fusion candy products featuring apple)
- Items Made with True Apple Cider
About that last one. Some companies combine apple sauce with spices and call it apple cider. That’s not what a cider is. Friend, that’s seasoned apple juice. When anything claims to be apple cider this or that, read the ingredients and look for actual cider in the list. If it’s not there, pass, unless it’s super epic.
Some of The Best Apple Recipes (Gluten Free & Allergy Friendly)
- Apple Crumble Cake (I’m told this is one of my best creations ever)
- Delicious Apple Pie Waffles (GF, Top 9 Free, Refined Sugar Free, great for breakfast or dessert)
- Easy Vegan Apple Upside Down Cake Recipe (GF + Top 9 Free)
- Apple Pie Filling (this recipe is from the award winning bakery I used to own and operate)
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Cozy Apple Desserts to Try
- Easy Oat Apple Crisp
- White Chocolate & Apple Cake (your taste buds will seriously thank you for making this recipe)
- Apple Pie Rice Crispy Treats
- Fried Apple Pie Fritters
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Apple Tips
Visit an Apple Orchard
Apple picking can not only be a really fun experience, but a tasty and educational one as well. Visiting an orchard is a great way to better understand apples and their variety of flavours. U-pick orchards are pretty common these days and you can pick fresh apples and sample to see which varieties you enjoy the best. You can call ahead and plan your trip to the apple orchard at a time when one of the farmers will be available to talk to you about the different varieties they grow.
Sample, Sample, Sample
Someone like me can tell you which apples are the best apples for this, that, and the other. However, your personal taste buds will be the ultimate judge. By sampling vanities before going all in, you can see what you love, and at the end of the day, those are the best apples to use in your unique apple recipes.
Experiment with Cooking Times & Textures
If you take a crisp apple and cook it for 5 minutes, and cook another one for 25 minutes, you’ll have two different experiences. One will still have its texture in tact, but will also read as more fresh and bright. The other will have more sweet notes and may remind you of an apple dessert you ate as a kid.
Experimenting with cook times and creating different textures is exactly what cooking and baking is all about. Personally, I decided to do this when I created Apple Lasagna. A true labor of love, I created seven unique textures that worked together to make apples and complementary flavours sine.
You can create different textures by altering the size of your cut, using something like a box grater or fruit/vegetable sheeter, or using a different apple variety.
Try Different Cooking Tools
You can use a range of tools to cook apples. I strongly encourage you to try them all, and see how you like the apples best. Here’s a list to get you started:
- Pan Fried/Roasted on the Stovetop
- Oven Roasted
- Deep Fried
- Pressure Cooked (this can really speed up the applesauce making process)
- Stewed on the Stovetop
- Slowcooker
Delicious Recipes Featuring Fall Flavors
If you’re wanting to expand past apples, here are a few more recipes to explore, perfect for a fall gathering.
- Pumpkin Pie
- Ginger Apple Cake (this recipe is cinnamon free by design for those who are allergic, or who have run out of cinnamon)
- Cranberry Cashew Holiday Drink
- Maple Marshmallow Waffles
- Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Baked Pumpkin Donuts (Vegan, Gluten Free, Top 9 Free, Seed Free)
- Cranberry Chicken Salad
- Pumpkin White Bean Soup
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Answering Your Questions About Unique Apple Recipes
Can I use whole wheat flour in place of cake flour in a recipe?
It’s not advised to make that swap. With wheat flour, there are different types (cake flour, all purpose flour, self rising flour, whole wheat flour, pasta flour, and so on). Each type of flour has a different protein content, and will bake up differently.
Is there an alternative to using an immersion blender?
An immersion blender, also called a stick blender, is a pretty specific tool. I can tell you that a food processor, stand mixer, and electric hand held mixer won’t be an alternative. You could try transferring the ingredients to your regular blender, or something like a Magic Bullet if you have one.
In some cases, the recipe developer has you use an immersion blender because there’s not enough volume to have a regular blender mix the ingredients well. In that case, you’d need to make a double batch or maybe even a triple batch so there’s enough there for the blender to mix.
If you ever reach the point where you’d like to purchase an immersion blender, this is the one that I use. I actually went through 3 others before landing on this one and having it do the work well.
Do you have a good dairy free caramel sauce recipe?
I sure do! My caramel sauce recipe is dairy free, vegan, coconut free, top 9 free, and top 14 free. You can find it here on RAISE for Platinum and Cake Members. This recipe is also featured in my GF + Top 9 Free Cake, Frosting, and Pastry Cookbook.
What’s a good alternative to ice cream when serving apple pie?
If for some reason you don’t want a big scoop of vanilla ice cream with your apple pie, I’d suggest whipped cream. You can purchase it in a can, or you can make it from scratch with heavy cream in a stand mixer or with a handheld mixer. Technically you can do it by hand, but it’s a lot of work.
You could also explore the world of French pastry and make a chantilly cream or something of that nature. That will have a lot more steps, but the final texture is silky smooth and will take your apple pie to the next level.
If that’s not your jam, you could make a light whipped cream cheese frosting and pipe a few dots of that on your apple pie. If you go down this road, try to make the frosting with the least amount of sugar as possible so it’s more of a side condiment that doesn’t steal the show.
Should I only use large apples when making a tarte tatin or apple pie?
When it comes to an apple pie, it won’t matter much if you use small apples or large apples. Most recipes are going to have you make apple slices first, then layer them. That won’t be affected by the size of the apple in the end, plus, you can cut apple slices in half if they’re too long for the pie.
With the tarte tatin, large apples may not be the bet choice. When I make tarte tatin, I look for average/medium sized apples, and try to make sure they’re all about the same size. This allows me to peel the apple and cut it in half, then use apple halves in the recipe.
However, that being said, even if all you have is large apples, you can always cut them down to a size that’s fitting for the dish. Then, use leftover apple for something else, or eat it as a snack whilst you wait for the tarte to bake.
