Aside from pumpkin spice, which is getting its time in the spotlight as of late, the apple might be the food most synonymous with the fall season. It’s apple picking time, a great time to enjoy a warm cup of apple cider and who can forget serving up apple pie at the fall holidays?! The Traina family shares some delicious ideas for using apples as the star ingredient in fall desserts.

Baked Apples — A dynamic seasonal treat, baked apples are warm and delicious with other flavors of fall including cinnamon or that beloved (and yes, sometimes hated) pumpkin pie spice. Consider taking baked apples to the next level by adding a bit of bourbon, maple syrup and a variety of dried fruit sprinkled on top such as Dried Sweetened Cranberries or Dried Apricots (from Traina® Home Grown, of course!)

Apple Pie Egg Rolls and Cookies — For a twist on classic apple pie, deep fried apple pie egg rolls are kind of like an apple hand pie. This hand-held decadence can be livened up with some Natural CA Sun Dried Cherries, pecans or even some dried apple rings chopped up and mixed in for an added level of texture. Another fun way to enjoy the taste of apple pie in another form is apple pie cookies, which look beautiful with Natural Dried Apple Rings across the top and sprinkled with some cinnamon sugar. 

Apple Pancakes — Both fresh and dried apples make a great addition to homemade or even store-bought pancake mix. A few chopped nuts or a handful of quick-cook oats can also take plain pancakes to the next level!

Apple Oat Bars — Speaking of oats, apples and oats are like a match made in dessert heaven. But they don’t need to be devilish to the diet — apple oat bars can be made with no refined sugar by using honey or 100 percent maple syrup as a sweetener instead. 

Apple Sauce Swap Out — Speaking of ways to reduce less healthy ingredients in a recipe, apple sauce is a great substitute! It can be used to add moisture to homemade breads (apple, pumpkin, banana… the list goes on). It can also be used in place of eggs or oil in a recipe, and used to convert recipes to suit vegan diets too (by swapping out the eggs or even butter).

The Traina family tips their hats to all things apple this autumn! For more cooking and baking inspiration and recipes, click here.