12 Tasty Recipes for Apple Lovers

Is there anything the Instant Pot can't do? Okay, sure, it won't do your taxes or walk your dog, but this handy kitchen accessory can do a lot — including transforming a batch of apples into this creamy, sticky apple butter. Spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, homemade apple butter is perfect on toast or right from the spoon. It's also vegan and dairy-free.

Your parents told you not to play with your food. But if they tasted this caramel apple monkey bread, they'd understand the need to reach in and dig out chunks with your bare fingers. Made with wedges of tender dough and fresh apple, this version of monkey bread is almost dangerously decadent. Not that you'll be complaining when you're going back for sevenths.

Turnovers are one of those desserts that you can easily convince yourself are appropriate for breakfast, too. They're also deceptively simple to make, when you use store-bought puff pastry. That's one of the best parts of this version of apple cider caramel turnovers. The hardest part? Putting the caramel apple filling into the turnovers instead of directly into your mouth.

Some foods just seem like too much trouble to make yourself at home. If you're like many people, you'd probably put donuts on that list. Sure, making homemade apple cider donuts isn't an everyday occurrence — but wouldn't life be better if it was? This recipe produces a baked version that's light enough to eat, guilt-free, every day.

Apple season always brings tough questions. Are you more craving apple pie, or apple cake? With this recipe for apple pie crumb cake, the only decision you have to make is whether to top it with ice cream or whipped cream. (There's no wrong choice.)

There's truly no wrong time of day for apple cake. In the morning, it's breakfast; in the afternoon, it's a fruit-filled snack; at night, it's dessert. This version of apple cider cake is super easy to whip up. It also freezes well, making it the perfect way to use up fresh apples and enjoy them long past autumn.

There's something about taking the first bite of warm apple crisp that always makes your toes curl with happiness. It's like coziness and autumn in a bowl. When you're looking to capture that feeling, this classic apple crisp recipe delivers.

Life is hard; you deserve cookies. When those cookies contain chunks of fresh fruit and fiber-rich oats, it's delightfully easy to justify eating them every day. This recipe for spiced apple oatmeal cookies also includes buttermilk, giving the finished product just a touch of tang. On their own, they're delicious — when you finish them with brown butter glaze, they're really something special.

Are you in the market for an apple recipe that looks impressively artful but is deceptively quick and easy to make? Of course you are! These blooming flower apple pies deliver in every way. They're Insta-ready, and because they use frozen puff pastry, assembling them is surprisingly simple. The addition of strawberry jam gives them a rosy tint and an extra dose of sweetness.

Apple crisp seems simple enough, right? Start with fresh apples, add some spices and top the whole thing with a crumbly oatmeal mixture. But finding the recipe that tastes just right to your palate takes some experimenting. If your loved ones question you for trying yet another recipe for oatmeal apple crisp, "I'm performing a scientific experiment," is a better excuse than, "Because I want more apple crisp."