The best thing about fall? These vegan apple recipes, if you ask me! We’ve got both sweet & savoury ones for you, right here
By Lora O’Brien
With a new season comes new fruits, and for me, apples are a sure sign that autumn is here. Growing up, my grandparents had various apple trees in their garden and I would happily gorge on their homegrown bounty. They’re by far one of my favourite fruits, and what’s not to love? They’re crisp, sweet, tart and super delish! Bake them in a golden, flaked pastry pie or chop them up into a salad – they’re a super versatile fruit. But before we get onto what to do with them, let’s take a look at why we should be eating more apples.
Health benefits of apples
That old cliche ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’ exists for a reason!
Apples can do a lot for you, thanks to plant chemicals called flavonoids. They also contain pectin, a fibre that breaks down in your gut. Since they’re so high in fibre, apples fill you up and can stop you from overeating. An apple’s fibre can also reduce the effects of acid reflux and even help with diarrhea and constipation.
Some studies show that plant chemicals and the fiber of an apple peel protect against blood vessel and heart damage. They also can help lower your cholesterol, and they might protect your cells’ DNA from something called oxidative damage, which is one of the things that can lead to cancer.
Apples also protect the cells in your pancreas, which can lower your chances of type 2 diabetes.
In fact, many doctors also give apples credit for helping:
- Your lung strength
- Your heart
- Reduce asthma symptoms
- Bone health
- Weight loss
- Easing symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and age-related memory loss
- Your immune system
- Your gut health
A medium apple equals around 1 cup of fruit, and for the best results, the whole fruit – both skin and flesh – should be eaten. Just be sure your apples are organic, as sadly, these are one of the ‘dirty dozen’. That is to say, they’re one of the 12 foods that are most sprayed with pesticides.
Kinds of apples
While I tend to mentally group apples into two categories – green and red – there are actually many types of apples, and all of them have something a little different about them. While you won’t see this many apples in your local supermarket, if we’re getting specific, there are actually 7,500 varieties of apples! Without going into the thousands of individual varieties, let’s stick to the most popular and what they’re good for.
Braeburn
An apple variety that is very firm, sweet with a slightly tart flavour. Braeburn apples can range in colour from a greenish-gold to red, and are perfect for snacking on or adding to salads or coleslaw.
Crab apple
Crab apples are very small in size, usually no bigger than 1-2 inches in diameter. Their skin can range from yellow, green or red when mature, and their inner flesh is a pretty firm texture. Crab apples are loved for their tart flavour, and are popularly to make jelly, wine and apple butter.
Fuji
This variety of apple ranges from a light yellow-green with a touch of red to an all-red skin. The apple itself has a sweet and slightly spicy flavour. It’s a brilliant choice for applesauce, as little sugar is required.
Golden delicious
This golden variety of apple has freckled skin and a firm, crispy texture and a delicately sweet, mellow taste. Golden delicious apples are tasty to eat alone (they’re my favourite type of apple to eat with some almond butter, yum!) and can be used for cooking, but can lose some of their flavour when cooked.
Granny Smith
Granny Smiths are hugely popular due to their crisp exterior and tart flavour. Their tart skin is as suitable for eating as it is cooking, and these apples are popular for using in desserts.
Gravenstein
This variety of apple typically has a green skin streaked with red, but it can also be entirely red in colour. It has a texture that is both crisp and juicy, with a tart flavour. The Gravenstein apple is considered to be the most ‘all purpose’ apple due to its versatility. This makes it wonderful for dishes such as apple pies and applesauce.
Red delicious
Last but not least is my favourite kind of apple – Red Delicious! The apple has a gorgeous red hue and a crisp exterior with a deliciously sweet flavour. Red Delicious are best enjoyed by themselves and not in cooking as they don’t hold up well under heat. Delicious in a sandwich with some vegan cheddar – yum!
Cooking with apples
So, now we know some background information on why we should be eating more apples, and which types are best for what. Now, let’s get down to the cooking! When most think of apples, they tend to think of the sweeter treats, like pies and crumbles, but apples are a super addition to savoury dishes, too. From creamy apple soups to gut-friendly sauerkraut and decadent desserts, our roundup below includes the perfect vegan apple recipes for all occasions!
Main image credit here.
27 Vegan Apple Recipes For Fall
1. Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Smoothie
Start the day off right, with a whole ton of fruit! The green smoothie doesn’t have a ‘veggie’ taste at all. Nope! Instead it’s packed with banana, apple, spinach, maple syrup and a touch of peanut butter. All of which are guaranteed to fuel you for hours throughout the day.
Get the recipe here.
2. Spiced Apple Cider
We all love a cup of hot apple cider. But what exactly is it, and how do you make it? Well, it’s just basically apple juice with spices! Easy peasy! And the best part? You can store this for quite a long time!
Get the recipe here.
3. Baked Breakfast Apples
When the weather gets chilly, you probably want something warm for breakfast. These baked apples are the ideal solution! They’re easy to make ahead of time, so you can just pop them in the microwave or toaster oven when you wake up. And these are super healthy, since they’re both sugar and gluten free!
Get the recipe here.
4. Apple Pancakes
Another warming breakfast that’s packed with apples! These babies are fluffy, spicy, and go perfectly with a dollop of maple syrup. Perfect for brunches, or even dessert!
Get the recipe here.
5. Apple Pie Granola
Walnuts and apples are a classic combination, and they come together perfectly in this recipe! Personally, I couldn’t find the rice cereal recommended in the recipe, and I just used organic oats instead. It turned out beautifully! I use this to top coconut yogurt, and even snack on it!
Get the recipe here.
6. Quick Applesauce
This easy recipe is a great one to have on hand. It’s an instant baby food, can be used to make applesauce cakes, can top pancakes or waffles…you name it! It’s also great to keep made in small batches to naturally sweeten dishes, and to replace egg in vegan baking.
Get the recipe here.
7. Apple Butter
Homemade apple butter is so yum! That thick ‘butter’ like consistency apple sauce spread all over some cinnamon toast in the morning is just the best, too. Apple butter is basically an apple sauce that is reduced to a thick butter like consistency so that it can be spread, like butter, on things like toast, bagels, pancakes, waffles – whatever you like!
Get the recipe here.
8. Cinnamon Apple Crisps
The trick to making these gorgeous snacks is slicing the apples super duper thin. You don’t need a dehydrator to make these, just pop them in the oven. These can be stored for ages, letting you snack on them for weeks, and they’re absolutely divine when dipped into almond butter or a vegan caramel sauce!
Get the recipe here.
9. Coleslaw With Apples
Vegan apple recipes don’t all need to be sweet! This coleslaw gets a touch of sweetness from the fruit, and some crunch from walnuts. It’s basically the perfect autumn salad.
Get the recipe here.
10. Gingery Apple Cabbage Sauerkraut
This is one of those vegan apple recipes that can be served hot or cold. Personally, I like mine hot! This is a healthy, probiotic superfood dish that makes the perfect side dish with any meal. I also love adding a few raisins in mine!
Get the recipe here.
11. Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole
Looking for some vegan Thanksgiving recipes? This definitely fits the bill! It’s hearty, warming, and full of autumn goodness. This is an easy dish to serve to a crowd, or if it’s just for yourself, it’s easy to freeze in smaller portions, too.
Get the recipe here.
12. Best Vegan Apple Crisp
Cobbler or crisp. What’s the difference? Well, the main difference between the two lays in the streusel topping. Crisps used to be defined by an oat topping, while crumbles used more flour. As time has gone by, though, the lines have blurred and the names crumble and crisp are now used interchangeably. In any case, this apple crisp recipe below is the bomb! And even more so if served up with some vegan ice cream.
Get the recipe here.
13. Apple Toffee Upside Down Cake
Upside down cakes are a bit of a surprise. They look rather boring coming out of the oven, but once you tip that baking pan upside down…oh my! This cake features juicy apples, crunchy walnuts and a delicious toffee-rich topping, complete with sliced apple on top. It is fairly quick and simple to whip up too, making the most of the seasonal fruit at its absolute best.
Get the recipe here.
14. Easy Apple Fritters
Oh. My. Goodness! This may be my very favourite of all the vegan apple recipes here! These fritters are light and fluffy on the inside, crispy and sweet on the outside, kind of like a Krispy Kreme donut! Not the healthiest, but personally, I simply cannot resist!
Get the recipe here.
15. Caramel Apple Milkshake
Who said apples had to be healthy? Just kidding – this is way healthier than you’d think! It’s packed with bananas, dates, nuts, applesauce, and so much more. Sure, it’s calorie-dense, but those are all nutritious calories, my friend!
Get the recipe here.
16. Baked Apple Cider Donuts
If you’re looking for one of the healthier vegan apple recipes, check out these apple cider donuts! Using almond and coconut flour, they’re gluten free and Paleo-friendly, too. The sweetness comes from dates, and they’re wonderful dipped into some apple sauce!
Get the recipe here.
17. Apple Turnovers
Crispy, crunchy, warm and savoury with a subtle sweetness, these easy refined sugar-free apple turnovers are super delicious! Perfect for dessert or even breakfast if you’re feeling a little indulgent.
Get the recipe here.
18. 1 Bowl Apple Ginger Cake
When you think whole wheat flour, flaxseed and grated apples, I bet you don’t envision this super rich cake, right? Well, that’s exactly what those wholesome ingredients make. This is one of those vegan apple recipes you just need to try!
Get the recipe here.
19. Traditional Candy Apples
Candy apples are a real throwback to my younger years. Each year, me and my family would spend the weeks leading up to Halloween feasting on candy apples, and boy, are they tasty! Sugar, hard on the teeth and a little unhealthy, sure, but who really cares when they taste THIS good?
Get the recipe here.
20. Raw Vegan Caramel Apples
While candied apples are delish, they’re a little tough on the teeth! So, I love making caramel apples instead. They’re softer but still combine the sweet flavour with the tart apples to make a mouth-watering combination. It just screams fall!
Get the recipe here.
21. Vegan Apple Pecan Cinnamon Buns
If you like apples and cinnamon then you’ll fall in love with these vegan apple pecan cinnamon buns. Smothered with an apple butter cream cheese icing, these are the doughy balls of my dreams! In fact, it’s one of my favourite vegan apple recipes, by far.
Get the recipe here.
22. Raw Vegan Apple Pie
This raw vegan apple pie with a cinnamon-pecan streusel will hit the spot with any apple lover, vegan or otherwise! A rich, sticky mulberry crust is filled with a decadent, saucy date-sweetened apple layer. The pièce de résistance? Adding a dollop of coconut whipped cream to finish it off – mmm!
Get the recipe here.
23. Classic Apple Pie
What would a vegan apple recipes roundup be without an apple pie? It’s the classic dish that has been loved for decades, and I’m not surprised: warm, stewed apples encased in soft, buttery, flaked pastry. Has anyone else just died and gone to apple pie heaven?
Get the recipe here.
24. Vegan Chocolate Caramel Apple Slices
Apples and vegan chocolate? Why the heck not! These vegan chocolatey caramel apple slices are the perfect fall treat to make and enjoy with loved ones – or simply by yourself if you hate sharing! The crisp apple slices are slathered in a simple, easy to make 5-minute vegan caramel. They’re then drizzled with chocolate and then sprinkled with nuts or seeds.
Get the recipe here.
25. Apple Spice Muffins With Maple Glaze
Sometimes, you just need a super simple yet winning muffin recipe to make when you fancy something tasty. These apple spiced muffins with a maple glaze tick all the boxes: sweet, easy to make and super delicious. One of my favourite vegan apple recipes for sure!
Get the recipe here.
26. Apple Cinnamon Ice Cream
This homemade apple cinnamon ice cream is super refreshing, with hints of caramel and peanut butter swirls mixed in to make the dreamiest dairy-free sweetened dessert. Take it to the next level by spooning some warm, spiced apples on top of the cold ice cream – yum!
Get the recipe here.
27. Apple Margaritas
Sure, apple martinis are delish. But you know what? Apple margaritas take fruity, boozy delights up a notch! I also love how pretty they are. And that rim…!
Get the recipe here.
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