19 Cozy Apple Recipes for Fall: German Classics and More
Growing up in Germany, apple dessert meant my grandmother’s cake, made with apples from her own trees, and baked apples at Christmastime. I have lived in America for over 30 years now, and every fall, as soon as apples are in season, I still bake the German way.
In this roundup of apple recipes for fall, you will find my favorite German apple recipes, from Apfelstreuselkuchen and Apfelstrudel to Apfelküchle, so you can put a German apple dessert on your Thanksgiving table next to the pie, or instead of it. There are 19 recipes in all: six German classics from my own kitchen, including one savory side dish, and five apple recipes I bake in my American kitchen (pie filling, a maple cake, two sourdough bakes, and a way to use up the scraps). Then come four more German apple recipes from other bakers, and four cozy extras from fellow bloggers. Those last four are not German, but they go well alongside a German apple bake.
[ASK ANJA: What goes on your own Thanksgiving dessert table in America, and has a German apple cake ever made it there? One or two sentences in your words, e.g. who asked for it, or what got eaten first.]
Which German Apple Dessert Should I Make First?
👉 Pick by how much time you have. If you only have time for one, make the Apple Crumb Cake!
- Easiest:
My Baked Apples are mostly oven time, and even kids can help fill them. The Versunkener Apfelkuchen (sunken apple cake) has no proofing and no lamination, so a small mistake will not ruin it. - About 30 minutes:
Apfelküchle are on the table within 30 minutes, and my Apfelstreuselkuchen takes about 30 minutes to prepare before it goes in the oven. - A project:
Apfelstrudel is the one to save for a slow afternoon. The dough is meant to be sticky, and I roll and stretch it out over a kitchen towel.
🍎 Which Apples Are Best for German Apple Desserts?
Firm, tart apples that hold their shape are best. In the US, Granny Smith is the easiest one to find, and I like heirloom varieties when I can get them. Where I live, Gravenstein apples are everywhere. They are not ideal for strudel, so I choose firm apples and add a little lemon juice to the filling to make up for the missing tartness. Many bakers mix two or three varieties, so feel free to play.
Make-Ahead German Apple Recipes for a Stress-Free Thanksgiving
You can plan ahead with most of these:
- Bake early: Apfelstreuselkuchen keeps covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, or up to 5 days in the fridge. The sunken apple cake keeps for 2 to 3 days at room temperature. Both freeze well in slices.
- Freeze it unbaked: Apfelstrudel can be wrapped tightly and frozen before baking, then baked as usual. It is best fresh from the oven and still warm.
- Prep the day before: For the sunken apple cake, peel and core the apples, toss them with lemon juice and keep them covered in the fridge. Shape the sourdough apple cinnamon rolls the night before, refrigerate them, and bake them fresh in the morning.
- Make it way ahead: Rotkohl tastes even better the next day and freezes well, and apple pie filling is canned in jars, so it is ready whenever you are.
- Fry last: Apfelküchle are best hot or warm, so fry them right before dessert.
🙋♀️ How Do You Serve German Apple Cake and Strudel?
The German way is simple: something creamy next to a warm slice. A dollop of whipped cream on the Apfelstreuselkuchen, and my homemade vanilla sauce (Vanillesoße) with strudel and baked apples.
Cozy Apple Recipes Perfect For Your Thanksgiving Table
Apple Recipes From My American Kitchen
I have lived in America for 30 years, so not everything in my fall kitchen is strictly German. These are the apple recipes I bake alongside the classics.
Beyond Dessert: Savory Apple Recipes in My Kitchen
In my kitchen, apples do more than fill cakes. They sweeten the red cabbage, and the peels and cores turn into vinegar.
More German Apple Recipes From Other Bakers
These four are German apple recipes from other German and German-heritage food bloggers. Each link goes to the baker’s own post.
More Cozy Apple Recipes From Fellow Bloggers
These four are not German, but they go nicely alongside a German apple bake: a cider caramel to spoon over a warm slice of apple cake, a mocktail for the Thanksgiving table, and an oatmeal and a loaf for holiday breakfasts.
Looking for more for the holiday table? My sourdough recipes for Thanksgiving cover the rolls, the sides, and the desserts.