September is peak apple-picking season, so you may have ventured out to an orchard in the last month to stock up on the early fall fruit. When you store them properly, your fresh apples will last for a few weeks, but time is already ticking. If you want to make sure none of the fruit you picked goes to waste, you’ll have to figure out something to do with it—and soon. I’ve created this list of some of my favorite fruit-centric ideas, ranging from the commonplace to the less-usual. Take a look at whatever you already have in your fridge and pantry, and give the corresponding apple ideas a try. You may just find your new favorite fruit recipe.
1. Apple pie
If you don’t make an apple pie, did you really even go apple picking? Apple pie may just be one of the most iconic dishes of the season, and because it utilizes so much fruit, it’s an ideal way to use up all that leftover fruit you have on hand. Your best bet is to make a few at a time. You can share the leftovers with friends or simply freeze the extras to enjoy later in the season.
2. Applesauce
When the idea of coming up with yet another fruit-focused recipe feels like too much to bear, just make apple sauce. Cook your fruit down and add some warming spices into the mix, and you’ll have an easy fruit side or topping that you can keep in the fridge. I personally love adding a dollop of applesauce to pork chops or enjoying some on the side of a hearty weekend breakfast.
3. Apple muffins
Maybe you don’t want to go through the grueling process of making an apple pie from scratch—I can’t blame you. Put your fruit to good use by baking it into muffins instead. They’re easier and less finicky to make than pie, and you can make a huge batch without a ton of extra effort. Pass them out to friends and neighbors, and freeze the rest for easy early morning breakfasts.
4. Apple stuffing
You may not be used to adding fruit to your stuffing, but it’s a delicious addition that can add a zip of acidity and a subtle sweetness to the dish. You’ll likely want to bake the fruit down a bit before adding it to the stuffing mixture to ensure it’s not too hard, but feel free to capitalize on that celery-like crunch if you’re going for a more textured stuffing.
5. Apple salsa
You may assume that you can only use this fall fruit in your warm autumnal recipes, but that’s not necessarily the case. If you want to utilize your fruit while it’s fresh, try making an apple salsa. This allows the purest flavors of the apple to shine through, giving your fruit and vegetable mixture a bold, bright crunch.
6. Dehydrated apples
When you have so much fruit that you’re worried it’s going to go bad before you get the chance to use it, you may want to try dehydrating. Drying apples keeps them shelf-stable for a long time, so you can place them in a jar and enjoy them whenever you want. When they’re totally dried out, they can make apple chips, but we like keeping them just slightly moist so they have more of a candy-like consistency.
7. Apple oatmeal
Plain oatmeal is fine, but oatmeal spiked with fruit is one of the best fall breakfasts out there. I love adding grated apples to my oatmeal because it adds a lot of flavor without changing the consistency too much. However, you could also bake your fruit in spices and use the mixture as a topping for baked oatmeal if you want to go the extra mile.
8. Apple grilled cheese sandwich
Grilled cheese is a lazy, cold weather staple, but you can elevate a simple grilled cheese by adding some apple slices to the mix. Crisp fruit will give your sandwich a fresh crunch that breaks up all that creaminess. You can use any kind of cheese you like, but I think apples work especially well with Gruyere.
9. Apple-forward salad
This fruit doesn’t have to be served warm; try adding an apple to a salad for more crunch, acidity and sweetness. I like slicing an apple onto a bed of arugula, especially when it’s topped with crunchy walnuts and drizzled with tahini.
10. Apple simmer pot
When you’re so incredibly tired of apples that the idea of eating another one turns your stomach, forget about using them for food altogether. Make a simmer pot by placing the fruit, cinnamon, cloves, orange peels and other warming ingredients in a boiling pot of water. Let it simmer for a few hours on the stove, and your house will smell amazing.
Samantha Maxwell is a food writer and editor based in Boston. Follow her on Twitter at @samseating.