10 Ways to Use Fall Apples

Apple picking is one of the best past times of the fall season. It’s a fun activity to do with family and friends with the added benefit of getting yummy fresh apples. Often you end up picking too many and have no idea how you’re going to eat them all. Recipes using apples help you get rid of some, but there are so many other uses for apples. What you need is a list of how to use up apples so you don’t have to throw them away! We have put together a list of your favorite apple crafts, apple recipes, and other uses of apples. Try out these creative ways of using apples when you’ve got too many extras:

Apple Dumplings: This simple apple recipe is easy and has a fun secret ingredient.

• 3 cored, peeled and sliced apples
• 1 package crescent rolls
• 1 cup butter
• ½ cup white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 can Mountain Dew

Wrap each apple slice in a triangle of crescent dough and place in a greased casserole dish. Melt the butter, sugars and vanilla in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Drizzle the butter mixture over the dumplings and spread so they’re covered completely. Pour the mountain dew into the corners of the pan so that the whole bottom is covered. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

Mini Caramel Apples: Everyone loves a caramel apple. But, they’re often to big and messy to enjoy. Try scooping out parts of apples with a melon baller, putting each ball on a skewer, and dipping it in caramel for mini caramel apples. And, the best part is that they don’t have any core, so you can eat the whole thing!

Apple Cups: Serve your cider in cups made of apples. Cut the top of an apple and then hollow out the inside with a melon baller or carefully with a knife. Serve homemade or store bought apple cider in the apples and you can eat the apple shell when you’re done drinking.

Baked Apples With Streusel Topping:

• 6 apples, cored and halved
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/2 cup flour (sub GF flour)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• Pinch of ground ginger
• Pinch of salt

Place the apples cut side up on a foil covered cookie sheet. Mix the rest of the ingredients and divide between the apples, spreading on top, and filling the cored hole. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

 Easy Apple Pies:  Switch up your usual apple pie recipe by baking mini pies inside of the apples. Cut the top off of the apples and hollow them out with a knife or melon baller.  Fill with your favorite apple pie filling and top with pie crust dough in a classic weaved pattern. Bake in a casserole dish with just enough water in it to cover the bottom and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees, uncover, and bake for another 20 minutes. Bonus - this recipe uses less pie crust so it's much healthier!

 Apple Pancakes:   Core an apple and cut into thin slices so you have apple rings. Dip in your favorite pancake batter and cook on medium heat in a skillet, sprinkling both sides with cinnamon sugar. This is an easy and delicious treat for fall mornings.

Make a Birdfeeder:  This is a fun apple craft to do with kids, and you get to watch all the birds snack away. Cut an apple in half, or into smaller slices. Coat the cut sides in a layer of peanut butter and roll it in birdseed. Use a hook on the end of a string to tie these to a tree in your backyard.

 Suck Up Salt:  This is a fun trick and extremely useful tip. If you’ve made a soup or a sauce and find out after its too late that you’ve added too much salt, don’t worry! Adding a few apple slices and stirring right before serving will take care of this. The apple slices will soak up the excess salt and after you take them out.

 Candle Holders:  Make simple and beautiful candleholders that are perfect for fall decoration. Simply core (using a knife or corer) the top inch of an apple and press simple candlesticks into them. If you need to make the hole tighter so the candle will stand up, wrap the bottom in foil. After a few minutes the dripping wax will cover the base and you won’t be able to tell it's there.

Ripen Vegetables : Store your unripe vegetables in a paper bag with an apple and they will ripen much fast than just leaving them out. This works great with green tomatoes and bananas.

Next time you overdo it at the apple orchard and have way too many apples try these ideas for ways to use your apples!