Apple desserts land right when the balance hits between soft center, structured edge, and enough spice or sweetness to pull it all together. This set covers everything from layered pies and filled turnovers to crisps, cheesecakes, dump cakes, and browned cakes that don’t fall flat. Some pair apples with caramel or cinnamon, others add bourbon, maple, or a second fruit for depth. You’ll find doughs that bake crisp, fillings that hold without running, and tops that crumble without going dry, each one made to cut clean, stack well, or spoon full without falling apart. These bakes hold tight whether built in a skillet, layered in a pan, or folded into pastry. They plate solid, slice with structure, and bring contrast without needing frosting to carry the finish.

Easy Apple Strudel

A rectangular apple strudel, one of the classic apple desserts, with a golden, lattice-patterned crust is displayed on a white serving tray in clean cuts and full slices.
Easy Apple Strudel. Photo credit: Southern Food and Fun.

Phyllo or puff pastry wrapped around a spiced apple filling and baked until crisp on the outside. The layers brown without leaking. Serve sliced. It holds firm and cuts full.
Get the Recipe: Easy Apple Strudel

Mini Caramel Apple Cheesecakes

Mini cheesecake topped with caramel sauce and diced cinnamon apples sits on a plate with a bite taken out, next to a fork—an irresistible addition to your favorite Apple desserts, perfect for serving as clean cuts or full slices.
Mini Caramel Apple Cheesecakes. Photo credit: Southern Food and Fun.

Small cheesecakes with an apple filling baked inside or spooned on top, finished with caramel drizzle. The crust stays crisp under the filling. Serve chilled. They land clean and hold shape.
Get the Recipe: Mini Caramel Apple Cheesecakes

Caramel Apple Cake

Caramel Apple Cake. Photo credit: Southern Food and Fun.

A soft apple-spiced cake baked with caramel either swirled in or drizzled after. The crumb stays dense without getting heavy. Serve cooled. It slices clean with a sticky edge.
Get the Recipe: Caramel Apple Cake

Fried Apple Pies

Fried Apple Pies. Photo credit: Southern Food and Fun.

Pastry folded around a cooked apple filling and pan-fried or air-fried until golden. The outside crisps while the center stays soft. Serve warm. They hold without cracking or leaking.
Get the Recipe: Fried Apple Pies

Double-Crust Apple Pie

Double-Crust Apple Pie. Photo credit: Southern Food and Fun.

A full-top and bottom crust pie filled with spiced apples and baked until golden. The filling sets without running. Serve cooled or slightly warm. It slices sharp and holds its form.
Get the Recipe: Double-Crust Apple Pie

Apple Tarte Tatin with Pears

Apple Tarte Tatin with Pears. Photo credit: Southern Food and Fun.

Caramelized apples and pears baked under pastry, then flipped after baking. The fruit stays soft but structured. Serve warm. It lands glossy without sliding apart.
Get the Recipe: Apple Tarte Tatin with Pears

French Apple Turnovers

French Apple Turnovers. Photo credit: Southern Food and Fun.

Puff pastry triangles filled with spiced apples and sealed before baking. The outside crisps while the filling holds. Serve warm or at room temp. They travel and slice clean.
Get the Recipe: French Apple Turnovers

Apple Crisp Without Oats

Apple Crisp Without Oats. Photo credit: Southern Food and Fun.

Soft spiced apples baked under a butter-flour crumble that finishes crisp. No oats, just texture from the topping. Serve warm. It spoons easy without going mushy.
Get the Recipe: Apple Crisp Without Oats

Salted Caramel Apple Pie

Salted Caramel Apple Pie. Photo credit: Southern Food and Fun.

Classic apple pie base with salted caramel layered into the filling. The crust bakes golden while the caramel thickens. Serve warm. It cuts clean with contrast in every slice.
Get the Recipe: Salted Caramel Apple Pie

Apple Tarts Easy Weeknight Dessert

Apple Tarts Easy Weeknight Dessert. Photo credit: Southern Food and Fun.

Thin apple slices layered over pastry or crust and baked until the edges puff and fruit softens. A light build with sharp flavor. Serve warm. It plates fast with no extra topping.
Get the Recipe: Apple Tarts Easy Weeknight Dessert

Apple Blackberry Crumble

A bowl of fruit crumble with oats on top, featuring apples and blackberries. A fresh apple and blackberries are placed beside the bowl.
Apple Blackberry Crumble. Photo credit: Mama’s on a Budget.

Apples and blackberries baked under a butter crumble that crisps without overpowering the fruit. The mix keeps shape and finishes tart. Serve warm. It spoons out full and balanced.
Get the Recipe: Apple Blackberry Crumble

Apple Bottom Bourbon Pecan Cheesecake

A close-up of a sliced cheesecake with a pecan topping on a graham cracker crust, placed on a red-striped cloth.
Apple Bottom Bourbon Pecan Cheesecake. Photo credit: Not Entirely Average.

Baked cheesecake with a base layer of apples, pecans, and bourbon. The layers hold without blending. Serve chilled. It slices dense and lands deep.
Get the Recipe: Apple Bottom Bourbon Pecan Cheesecake

Apple Crisp

Apple crisp in a glass dish with apples and a wooden spoon.
Apple Crisp. Photo credit: Real Life of Lulu.

Soft apples baked under a traditional oat topping that finishes golden and crumbly. The contrast hits sharp. Serve warm. It stays soft without turning to mash.
Get the Recipe: Apple Crisp

Apple Pie Tacos

Apple Pie Tacos. Photo credit: Trop Rockin.

Mini taco shells filled with spiced apples and baked or fried until the edges crisp. Serve with cinnamon sugar or caramel. They stay structured and hold in the hand. A crisp take with clean fill.
Get the Recipe: Apple Pie Tacos

Apple Cream Scones

A slice of an Apple Scones on a white plate and a cup of tea.
Apple Cream Scones. Photo credit: One Hot Oven.

Scone dough folded with small apple chunks and cream, baked until golden and soft. The crumb stays moist. Serve warm or cooled. They cut even and don’t dry out.
Get the Recipe: Apple Cream Scones

Apple Cupcakes with Maple Buttercream

Frosted and unfrosted apple cupcakes in a muffin tin.
Apple Cupcakes with Maple Buttercream. Photo credit: One Hot Oven.

Spiced apple cupcakes topped with maple-sweetened buttercream. The cake holds soft and finishes with contrast. Serve at room temp. The flavor builds, not piles on.
Get the Recipe: Apple Cupcakes with Maple Buttercream

Caramel Apple Dump Cake

A bowl of cake with ice cream on top.
Caramel Apple Dump Cake. Photo credit: Little House Big Alaska.

Pie filling and caramel layered under boxed cake mix and baked until browned and bubbling. The top crisps without drying. Serve warm. It spoons out full and sweet.
Get the Recipe: Caramel Apple Dump Cake

Apple Danish with Crumble Topping

Four squares of pastry with icing on a wooden cutting board.
Apple Danish with Crumble Topping. Photo credit: Ginger Casa.

Pastry layered with apple slices and topped with a butter crumble before baking. The crust holds while the fruit softens. Serve cooled. It cuts easy and doesn’t fall apart.
Get the Recipe: Apple Danish with Crumble Topping

Apple Cake with Cinnamon

An apple cake baked in a cast iron skillet, cut into slices.
Apple Cake with Cinnamon. Photo credit: One Hot Oven.

A simple apple cake with cinnamon folded through the batter. The crumb stays tight and the fruit stays firm. Serve plain or dusted. It finishes full without glaze.
Get the Recipe: Apple Cake with Cinnamon

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Brownie

A piece of cake on a blue plate with a fork.
Caramel Apple Cheesecake Brownie. Photo credit: Ginger Casa.

Brownie base topped with a caramel apple cheesecake layer, then baked until set. The layers stay distinct. Serve chilled. It cuts rich but stacks clean.
Get the Recipe: Caramel Apple Cheesecake Brownie

A woman with shoulder-length blonde hair, wearing a white T-shirt and dark jeans, stands in a kitchen with a brick backsplash and stainless steel appliances. She is smiling and resting her hands on the counter.

About the author

Hi, I’m Lucy! I’m a home cook, writer, food and wine fanatic, and recipe developer. I’ve created and tested hundreds of recipes so that I can bring you the best tried and true favorites.

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