5 Recipes to Take Advantage of an Early Apple Season

By: Kelsey Vala

Related To:

Apple lovers get ready:  Our favorite fall fruit is now coming into season sooner than expected.  From the apple-growing regions of New York, Michigan, and Washington, we can expect to get a jump-start on everything apple, from pick-your-own apple orchards to frosty mugs of apple cider.  Though a simple caramel-dipped apple is our favorite, there are plenty of delicious ways to take advantage of autumn’s early bounty.  Bake apples into sweet pies and crumbles, or roast them for a savory companion to meat.

Here are five standout apple recipes:

Get the Recipe: Four and Twenty Blackbirds Salted Caramel Apple Pie (pictured above)

Slice into this updated version of an American favorite.  Layers of thin apple slices are steeped in a rich salted caramel sauce and baked in a tender butter crust.

Chuck Hughes - Apple Turnover

Chuck Hughes - Apple Turnover

Photo by: Adrian Mueller ©2012, Adrian Mueller / AMueller.com, Cooking Channel, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Adrian Mueller, 2012, Adrian Mueller / AMueller.com, Cooking Channel, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Get the Recipe: Apple Turnover

Crackly puff pastry cradles caramelized Honeycrisps.  Top these turnovers with a dollop of delectable fresh sheep’s cheese.

Cornmeal battered fried oysters top a thick stew of savory bacon and tender, sweet apples for a salty-sweet duo that won’t disappoint.

Combine this fresh fall fruit with crisp fennel and watercress and toss in a citrus vinaigrette for a sweet and refreshing salad.

Cooking Channel's Spiked Apple Cider Cocktail

Cooking Channel's Spiked Apple Cider Cocktail

Photo by: Adrian Mueller ©2012, Adrian Mueller / AMueller.com, Cooking Channel, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Adrian Mueller, 2012, Adrian Mueller / AMueller.com, Cooking Channel, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Get the Recipe: Spiked Apple Cider Cocktail

Bathe matchstick slivers of Granny Smith in freshly pressed apple cider topped with a bit of bubbly for a refreshing late-summer cocktail.

What's your favorite apple recipe?

Next Up

Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice: 5 Things We're Falling For This Autumn

Get fall recipes for apples, pumpkin spice, Halloween, Thanksgiving, plus ideas for autumn activities.

Recipes to Get Apples Into Every Meal

Get apple recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, cocktails and dessert on Cooking Channel.

Health Benefits of Apples

While they may not seem like nutritional superstars compared to flashier fruits like blueberries and oranges, apples actually deliver a lot of health benefits, making them a fruit that should be in your regular diet too.

Fall Fest: Caramel Apples for Halloween

Happy Halloween! You might be full of mini candy bars already but since they are mainly a crispy fruit, there's always room for candy-coated apples.

Summer Fest: 7 Apple Desserts Beyond Pie

Here are seven ways to cook apples into a delicious dessert.

On TV

So Much Pretty Food Here