When the air turns crisp and the market is overflowing with apples, this is the list I bake from. Everything from a weeknight crisp to a proper holiday pie, plus cakes, bars and cookies. Here is my entire apple collection in one place.
At a glance
A quick word on the best baking apples
For almost everything here, get firm, slightly tart apples that hold their shape, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Braeburn or a mix. They hold their bite instead of sinking into the applesauce, and the cake balances out all that sugar. Skip soft apples like Red Delicious for baking.
The classics: pie and crisp
Start here. My sit back and stay apple crisp for a while A convenient, no-fuss version with crunchy oat topping (it’s the recipe I make the most). When you want a real show stopper, apple pie for your soul It’s the classic, but mine Apple Cranberry Crumble Pie brings a tart holiday twist that’s wonderful on the Thanksgiving table.
Cakes and bars for the crowd
Feed a group? My Apple Cinnamon Texas Sheet Cake huge, cuddly, and always the first thing to disappear. Ina Garten’s Apple Pies giving all the flavor of pie in an easy-to-cut bar, and my apple cheesecake bars layered creamy cheesecake with spiced apple. For the Apple and Pecan People, Apple Praline Pecan Pie is one.
Cookies and handheld devices
You can grab and go for anything, my Browned Butter Oatmeal Apple Cookies are chewy, nutty, and freeze beautifully, and apple pie cookies are quick, flaky little hand pies. When you have a lazy weekend, overnight fried apple focaccia is a fun project that tastes like a giant apple pie.
