Autumn and apples go together like peanut butter and jelly. One just isn’t the same without the other!
Homemade applesauce
What would our kitchens be like without apples? No warm apple pie, no bright apple jelly, no cozy jars of applesauce — the season would feel incomplete. Apples have shaped food traditions for centuries and remain one of the most versatile fruits in the pantry.
Wild apples were turned into applejack long ago, a concentrated drink that was safer to consume than many water sources of the time. Apples themselves trace back to the region that is now Kazakhstan and spread westward with growing civilizations, providing food for people and livestock along the way.
There are thousands of apple varieties around the world, though grocery stores typically stock only a handful. On the East Coast you’ll often find McIntosh, Cortland, and Empire. In the West, Fuji, Pink Lady, and Jonagold are common. Red Delicious, Yellow Delicious, Granny Smith, and Gala appear nationwide. No matter where you are, you can find at least one apple you enjoy and several that are ideal for cooking, baking, or preserving.
With apple season in full swing, now is a great time to turn those crisp fruits into something delicious. Below is a curated selection of favorite apple recipes to inspire your autumn cooking and canning.
- Sourdough Dried Apple Bread
- Candied Apple Rings
- Rose Hip Apple Butter
- Spiced Apple-Maple Jam
- Thanksgiving Bean Casserole
- Easy Apple Pear Crisp
- Norwegian Apple Pie
- Homemade Flavored Applesauce
Whether you prefer baking, canning, or simmering a pot of spiced applesauce, these recipes showcase the many ways apples can elevate autumn meals and treats. Do you have a favorite apple recipe to share? Tell me about it!