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Fall is prime time for asking: What are the best apples for baking?
If you’ve ever made a dessert with apples, you’ll know that not all varieties bake equally. Some hold up beautifully under heat, retaining their texture and taste. Others melt into applesauce, leaving behind a pile of watery mush in their wake.
To avoid soggy baked apples, it helps to pay attention to a couple of factors in the fruit you’re working with. Here’s what you want:
Tart and acidic apples tend to hold up the best in cooking, retaining their shape and a firmness in their flesh. That acid helps draw out the natural pectin in the fruit, encouraging it to become thick, and gel-like, giving you that sort of wobbly but solid texture you’re going after.
In addition to acidity, you should check out the raw texture of the apple. Cottony, grainy, or soft apples like Red Delicious and McIntosh have a lot of air hidden within their structure; put them in the oven and they just kind of collapse into themselves. But a dense, firmer apple will keep its shape and texture and stay in recognizable slices or chunks.
So which apples score high on both acidity and firmness?
Granny Smith and Golden Delicious, the two most commonly recommended baking apples, naturally do. They will stay intact even through intensive baking and heat, although their tartness can feel a little one-note.
Pink Lady and Honeycrisp apples also retain their shape nicely, with more sweet and fruit-forward flavors.
Mild Galas are another balanced option, equal parts tart and sweet, although they can turn out a bit on the mealy side.
You can also try mixing a blend of these apples for better flavor and texture.
Related Reading: How Your Favorite Apples Got Their Names
Regardless of which apple you go with, there’s no shortage of dessert recipes that will help you put them to use. Here are 10 baked apple dessert recipes to try out during the height of apple season, plus a savory option perfect for your holiday table.
Apple cakes don’t have to be complicated and fanciful. Here, chunks of apple and pecan are mixed into a basic batter that comes together easily. The whole thing is then baked in a tube pan and given a dripping brown sugar glaze. Get our Apple Dapple Cake recipe.
Keep it free form: this loose, hand-shaped tart packs in a gloriously messy heap of apples spiked with apple brandy. Get our Spiked Apple Galette recipe. (Also try our Apple, Cranberry, and Cherry Galette recipe for even more fruity flavor.)
Apple cupcakes with a sugary maple frosting—the only thing that could make these treats more autumnal is a cup of cider and a horse-drawn hayride. Get our Spiced Apple Cupcake recipe.
Apple pie should let the fruit take the starring role, calling for little more than a good, flaky crust and dash of cinnamon and nutmeg to make it complete. Get our Fresh Apple Pie recipe. (And try our Dutch Apple Pie recipe for a single-crust version with some uncommon additions like raisins and cider vinegar.)
Prefer to start your mornings with something sweet? This casserole has a breakfast-appropriate bread pudding that’s topped with gooey, sticky dulce de leche, but it’s also sweet enough to work as a rustic, casual dessert. Get our Caramel, Apple, and Cinnamon Breakfast Casserole recipe.
Pretty much anything wrapped in puff pastry is guaranteed to be a amazing, but let’s just say that these apple-stuffed pockets do an especially good job of filling out the dough with something satisfyingly sticky and sweet. Get our Apple Turnover recipe.
Crisp, puffy, and coated in a maple glaze, these fritters are way more rich and fruit-filled than just about any version you’d get at a donut shop. Get our Apple Fritter recipe.
Intimidated by the thought of trying to put together the perfect apple pie? An apple crisp is an easy, practically no-fail alternative that hits all the same brown sugar and cinnamon-spiced notes. Get our Easy Apple Crisp recipe.
Moist on the bottom and crunchy on top: muffins like these are hard to resist during breakfast, dessert, and snack time (or pretty much any time, really). Get our Pecan Streusel Apple Muffin recipe.
Up the sticky and sweet factor with a generous smothering of caramel. These upside-down apple and honey caramel cakes are about as delectably gooey and sugary as can be. Get our Apple-Honey Upside-Down Cake recipe.
Baked apples aren’t only for dessert! For a little sweet meets savory action, this cornbread and apple stuffing is balanced out by the wholesomeness of carrots, celery, and herbs. Get our Cornbread and Apple Stuffing recipe. (Check out our Apple Cheddar Quick Bread recipe too.)
Pumpkin spice latte season is upon us! But this seasonal food trend’s namesake—pumpkin—deserves to shine well beyond the steaming hot confines of a Starbucks coffee cup. That’s because not only is it tasty and nutritious, it’s also the perfect canvas to create jaw- and taste bud-dropping desserts that just scream, “Autumn is here!” These tips from top chefs around the country will teach you how to make sweet treats using the entire pumpkin.
Every part of the pumpkin—the flesh, the seeds, even the skin—is edible. But only if you cook it, first. The best way to do this is in the oven. Heather Terhune, “Top Chef” alum and executive chef of Tre Rivali in Milwaukee, suggests rinsing the pumpkin and using a knife to stab some holes in the hard shell for ventilation. Then, place on a baking sheet or baking dish and roast at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about one hour. “You’ll know it’s ready when it seems soft enough to pierce with a fork,” says Terhune. Cut it in half and allow to cool for about 30 minutes before handling further.
One-up canned pumpkin by making your own. Remove the roasted pumpkin flesh from the skin and blend in a food processor until smooth. Depending on what type of dessert you’re making, season it to taste while it whirs. “Pumpkin pulp is so versatile,” says Ann Kirk, pastry chef at Little Dom’s in Los Angeles. “It can be used for things like cheesecake, cupcakes, cake, ice cream, breads, and of course, pie.” Any recipe that calls for canned pumpkin will taste that much better if you use the real, unprocessed thing.
Crispy, toasty pumpkin seeds lend the perfect crunch factor to any sweet dessert. Separate the seeds from the roasted flesh. Toss in oil and roast in the oven until golden brown (keep a close eye on them, as they can quickly burn). If you need a little salty to go with your sweet, sprinkle with cinnamon, sugar, and a hint of sea salt, then sprinkle on top of cake, cupcakes, pie, or ice cream. Or, gently pulse them in a food processor until coarse and add to a graham cracker crust for a pumpkin cheesecake.
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Believe it or not, you can use the pumpkin skin, too. Slice the bare roasted skin into strips, then toss with oil and pumpkin pie spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, or cloves, as well as a pinch of sugar and sea salt. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit until crisp, says Terhune. Use the finished product to jazz up a pumpkin carrot cake, pumpkin pie, or as dippers to scoop up pumpkin mousse.
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Why not serve your dessert right in the pumpkin? If you’re using a smaller pumpkin, consider scooping pumpkin mousse into the empty shell, or nestle a pumpkin cupcake right inside so only the frosting peeks out. You can serve pumpkin dip or pumpkin ice cream in the same way, and even bake pumpkin pie into the pumpkin itself!
As for the stem, well, that can go in the compost.
Looking for the best new cookbooks coming out this fall? We picked the ones we’re most excited about, from updates to long-time classics (woo-hoo, 2019 “Joy of Cooking”) to brand new titles from Alison Roman, Christopher Kimball, great British baker Kim-Joy, and many more.
Whether you’re seeking a soon-to-be old faithful cooking companion destined for stains, wrinkles, and a permanent place on your kitchen shelf or you tend to do more eating with your eyes and are likelier to keep your favorites on your bedside table, there are lots of delicious new cookbooks coming out to tempt you this fall.
To make it easier to find the ones you’ll be most excited about, we’ve divided our big list of best new cookbooks into the below categories, with a couple highlights from each one on this page—but you can click the link in each section to see all the titles in that group (the in-depth lists will be rolling out all this week, so keep checking back for more details).
Hop to your favorite category below, or jump straight to a list of every title in order of release, for an at-a-glance look at what’s coming out each month:
If you want to cook like a chef, these are some of your best bets.
Publish Date: October 15, 2019
Sous vide was once strictly in the realm of professional kitchens but has become more and more common among home cooks. If you’ve been meaning to try it, this book is the perfect place to finally start.Buy Now
Publish Date: October 29, 2019
Italian cuisine queen Lidia Bastianich is bringing the recipes from her long-lived NYC trattoria to the masses with this cookbook. We’ll definitely be making the Short Ribs Braised in Barolo and the Warm Nutella Flan this fall.Buy Now
Other books we’re buying: a manual on using fish from nose to tail; a DIY bible that teaches you to pickle, proof, and preserve, among many other things; two from-scratch pasta making manuals; one from a Los Angeles Tex-Mex master; and a book for lovers of butchers and beasts.
Vegan, vegetarian, keto, Whole30, gluten-free—what were once niche cookbooks are now mainstream, and we couldn’t be happier. Even if you don’t follow any specific diet, with the right cookbook (hint: any of the below fit the bill), you can add plenty of new healthy and delicious recipes to your repertoire.
Publish Date: September 3, 2019
This collection of super satisfying vegetarian recipes are built around the most umami-rich ingredients (mushrooms, cheese, caramelized onions…) so every meatless bite is bursting with savory flavor—sometimes in surprising ways.Buy Now
Publish Date: September 17, 2019
Whole foods (not to be confused with Whole Foods) are essentially just ingredients in their natural form, or as close to it as possible. This cookbook highlights them in master recipes that can then be transformed into multiple satisfying meals throughout the week so it’s actually easy to stick to your best intentions (without sacrificing any flavor).Buy Now
Publish Date: September 24, 2019
This book features fantastic gluten-free baked goods like sourdough bread and apple tarte tatin, as well as naturally gluten-free dishes for every meal of the day (we predict braised chicken with apples and cider will be in rotation all fall, maybe with a side of Goyoaga’s gluten-free biscuits with caramelized onion and fennel).Buy Now
Some of the other healthy titles we’re hungry for include a gorgeously illustrated vegetarian cookbook inspired by the author’s Mediterranean travels; a Whole30 cookbook for crowds; a collection of keto recipes from a favorite blogger; and a new vegan cookbook from one of the OG vegan cookbook authors.
This is the biggest category of contenders for our precious shelf space, but we don’t know if we can pare it down. Maybe we’ll just buy a new bookcase.
Publish Date: September 10, 2019
This cookbook appeals to everyone, from beginning cooks to jaded vets in need of a little inspiration. It includes 300 basic (but brilliant) recipes that become building blocks for satisfying, simple meals you’ll make again and again, with the added help of step-by-step photographs. Whether you’re looking for something to do with a can of tuna or want to make a souffle from scratch, you’re covered.Buy Now
Publish Date: October 15, 2019
There are 200 recipes in this book and each of them illustrates one of 75 smart cooking rules and hacks that you’ll be able to use to inform your own dishes when you want to improvise. But we bet it’ll be hard to pass up the actual example recipes like charred broccoli with toasted sesame sauce (which shows you can combat bitterness by charring) and curry-coconut pot roast (which illustrates how less liquid equals more flavor) even the tenth time around.Buy Now
Publish Date: November 5, 2019
This book shares the same spirit of learning rules and formulas in order to branch out and make your own meals—but there are indeed recipes here too; in fact, with simple tweaks, one morphs into another (flatbread becomes crackers or scones with only minor changes, for instance). It’s a natural companion to Segnit’s previous book, “The Flavor Thesaurus,” and a solid foundation for anyone to stand on in the kitchen.Buy Now
Other books we’re eyeing include one all about lasagna; a revised and updated Mark Bittman classic; a Food52 chicken cookbook that makes the original white meat exciting again; an oven-to-table tome from Diana Henry; dude-driven dinner ideas that are indulgent but still (mostly) healthy; a new Molly Stevens offering; and a new “Joy of Cooking” (…so maybe we’ll get two new bookcases).
We love globetrotting, even if it’s only in our own kitchens.
Publish Date: September 3, 2019
Adeena Sussman has co-authored almost a dozen cookbooks (including both of Chrissy Teigen’s “Cravings” books), but this one is all her—and all about the way she cooks and eats in her home base of Tel Aviv. The title translates to “everything is awesome,” and it’s accurate, at least when it comes to these recipes (like Freekeh and Roasted Grape Salad and a Tahini Caramel Tart).Buy Now
Publish Date: September 3, 2019
This is a Houston-centric cookbook, so what’s it doing in the international category? Well, the city is home to a diverse group of immigrant chefs and cooks, and fellow local chef Chris Shepherd draws on their international knowledge for recipes that celebrate the flavors of their countries of origin, including Vietnam, Korea, and India, while not being entirely bound to tradition (see: braised goat with Korean rice dumplings, and fried vegetables with caramelized fish sauce). The idea is to broaden your horizons and enfold the flavors of other countries into your own cooking every day.Buy Now
Publish Date: October 22, 2019
This book comes from the family behind the beloved (and James Beard Award winning) Guelaguetza, turning out incredible Oaxacan food for more than 25 years in L.A. Their cookbook will transport you—to the restaurant, to the heart of Mexico—through the authentic and delicious recipes, including several moles.Buy Now
Other international options on our kitchen itinerary: a couple Japanese cookbooks from two very different perspectives; an update to a classic Sichuan treasury; a Korean cooking bible; two more Israeli picks, including an Ottolenghi box set; and an alpine cookbook perfect for the coming cooler months.
There’s definitely overlap between this and the above category, but these picks include narrower focuses on American regional traditions and a couple cookbooks centered on particularly culturally resonant cuisines.
Publish Date: September 11, 2019
Jewish food encompasses a vast range of global ingredients and traditions that have spread far beyond their places of origin. This cookbook collects an astonishing amount of them, from historic Sephardic and Ashkenazi holiday recipes to modern interpretations of Jewish classics by chefs like Yotam Ottolenghi and Michael Solomonov.Buy Now
Publish Date: October 15, 2019
Sean Brock has become pretty much synonymous with southern food, and this book covers all the key elements of the cuisine, including regional ingredients, recipes (that—fair warning—are not always quite as simple as they sound), and traditional techniques like hearth cooking and caring for your precious cast iron cookware.Buy Now
Publish Date: November 5, 2019
Soul food is only one facet of traditional African-American cooking. This book, a follow-up to “The Jemima Code,” draws on three centuries’ worth of black-authored cookbooks to prove that point, and explores how so much of contemporary American cuisine owes a legacy to African-American chefs and cooks through generations—with plenty of delectable recipes to try in your own kitchen, of course. Like all the best cookbooks, though, this one will feed a lot more than just your stomach.Buy Now
We’re also looking at a few more southern specials including a coastal south cookbook and an update of a 1980s Appalachian cookbook, plus a Brooklyn-centric Italian-American treatise.
From guides on homemade bread and homey weeknight treats to holiday cake and cookie manuals, these are the baking books we can’t wait to get our (floury, buttery) hands on this season.
Publish Date: October 10, 2019
This revised edition of the beloved baking bible is basically a brand new book, with 55 updated recipes you may already know and love (but better), plus 68 totally new ones, including gluten-free options and the sought-after recipe for the bakery’s lauded morning bun. As you can tell, the photographs are stunning too.Buy Now
Publish Date: October 29, 2019
Famed French bakery Poilâne unveils their secrets for their artisan bread in this new book (as well as what to do with it besides just eating with butter). If you’re new to baking, you might be intimidated, but the book patiently walks you through everything, while also encouraging you to trust your senses and take your own notes.Buy Now
Publish Date: November 5, 2019
Professional baker Joanne Chang shares great lessons on foundational techniques and recipes, plus 125 drool-worthy desserts in this book, including bakery case ready Passion Fruit Crepe Cake with lots of delicate layers, and more casual sweets like Strawberry Slab Pie and Mocha Chip Cookies. You’re gonna want to eat them all.Buy Now
We’re also making room for a new America’s Test Kitchen offering that promises perfect pies and tarts (and yes, it’ll be out in time for Thanksgiving); some down-home baking books, one with an emphasis on easy weeknight treats (because desserts aren’t just for special occasions); plus two new books for fans of “The Great British Baking Show” (i.e., us)!
Some of our favorite food bloggers are coming out with cookbooks this fall too, and we want every single one of them.
Publish Date: October 15, 2019
If you’re familiar with the blog Lady & Pups, you’ll know to expect both eye-popping photography and fantastically engaging words and stories from this book—and, yes, lots of recipes you’ll want to make immediately (Poached Eggs with Miso Burnt Butter Hollandaise, for instance, and Buffalo Chicken Ramen too).Buy Now
Publish Date: October 15, 2019
The Beeroness is seriously passionate about good beer, and using it in both sweet and savory recipes. She’s already written a couple cookbooks (the party-ready “Craft Beer Bites” and her “Craft Beer Cookbook” debut), but this one emphasizes seasonality, both in the food and in the beer itself (which also ends up in the food, of course).Buy Now
Publish Date: October 29, 2019
There is nothing on the Half Baked Harvest blog that isn’t flat-out jaw-dropping—first the photos grab you, then you read the recipe (like Slow Roasted Moroccan Salmon, Spinach and Artichoke Mac and Cheese, or Cardamom Apple Fritters) and inevitably add it to your list. This second book to spring from the blog has an emphasis on easy meals that you can either make ahead or just make quickly—as if we needed any more enticement to pick it up.Buy Now
Also on our radar: new books from Two Peas & Their Pod; Wholesome Yum; Gemma’s Bigger, Bolder Baking (get her tips for perfect fudgy brownies while you wait); and Hummingbird High.
There’s a whole new crop of cookbooks from celebrity chefs and TV personalities coming too.
Publish Date: October 15, 2019
Rachael Ray is celebrating her first 50 years with this (her 26th cookbook!), which she describes as “kind of a scrapbook of my whole life.” It includes essays that serve as “snapshots” of her life so far, plus 125 recipes of the kind that she likes to cook at home—and you will too.Buy Now
Also sure to find an audience: new books from Martha Stewart, The Pioneer Woman, Bobby Flay, Gordon Ramsey, and Antoni Porowski (of “Queer Eye” fame).
When you’re having people over, these books are bound to help.
Publish Date: October 15, 2019
Paul Kahan is a lauded Chicago chef, but he also loves hosting parties at home, and this is his playbook for pulling off relaxed yet generous get-togethers without stressing yourself out. Roasts, braises, root vegetables, grain salads, and simple desserts all show up, and they all look great.Buy Now
Publish Date: October 22, 2019
This has to be one of the most anticipated cookbooks of the year—Alison Roman’s “Dining In” (from 2017) is a modern day classic, and her new work is sure to join it on scores of “best” lists soon enough. It focuses on having people over for dinners that are the opposite of fussy, but are still festive (just witness the DIY martini bar guide within its pages for proof).Buy Now
We’re also looking forward to a book dedicated to super stylish Disney themed parties that are definitely not just for kids; a freewheeling-fun holiday entertaining guide that includes party ideas for every month of the year; and a celeb-curated potluck cookbook from Questlove.
Okay, not just for fun—these all have some seriously great-looking recipes—but they may not be the books you grab on a weekly basis when it’s time to whip up dinner. They’re definitely worth putting on your holiday gift list, though…
Publish Date: September 17, 2019
A must-have for fans of “Downton Abbey,” this lavishly photographed book is faithful to both the show and the period cuisine it depicted, and includes recipes for all occasions (including a Downton Abbey dinner party for those who want to get fancy). Preview a couple recipes from the book to whet your appetite: Kedgeree and Raspberry Fool Meringues.Buy Now
Publish Date: October 22, 2019
You may already know the cooking series of the same name, but if not, “Binging with Babish” is dedicated to creating food inspired by what people are eating in movies and TV shows (think “Seinfeld” babka and orange mocha frappuccinos from “Zoolander”). It’s fun for sure, but it’s actually also full of solid recipes to make for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert.Buy Now
Publish Date: November 5, 2019
The food at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is designed to seem, well, out of this world. This cookbook includes recipes for park staples like Ronto Wraps as well as items not available at Disney, including Rey’s Bread. There better be a recipe for the infamous blue milk to wash it all down.Buy Now
And these are just the tip of the iceberg—prepare for several other movie and TV-inspired cookbooks (even one written around a video game), and a cookbook that presents its recipes almost entirely in photo format (as in, no written instructions at all save basic measurements, times, and temp).
Here’s a master list of everything we’ve earmarked, in order of release date, so you can keep track of your must-read (and must-cook-from) books over the next few months.
Good look choosing which ones you want to buy fist—and finding shelf space for all of them!
Which fall cookbook are you most excited to get your hands on? Let us know in the comments!