5 Great Ways to Enjoy Apples This Fall

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Don't get me wrong—I like pumpkin.

But somewhere around September, it feels like the entire world forgets apples exist.

Pumpkin coffee. Pumpkin candles. Pumpkin cereal. Pumpkin dog treats. Pumpkin everything.

Meanwhile, apples are sitting quietly in the produce aisle wondering what they did wrong.

So this year, let's give apples a little attention.

Whether you're making a batch of homemade apple butter, piling apple butter onto a bacon cheeseburger, baking treats for your dog, filling your home with the scent of a cozy simmer pot, or spending an afternoon at a local orchard, there are plenty of ways to enjoy one of fall's best fruits—without turning everything into pumpkin spice.

Here are five of my favorite ways to celebrate apple season.

🍎 1. Homemade Apple Butter (Just Like My Great-Grandma Made... Sort Of)

Every family seems to have one fall recipe that gets passed down through the generations.

For ours, it was apple butter.

My great-grandma didn't make hers in a slow cooker. She made it the old-fashioned way—outside, over an open fire, in a giant kettle with a huge wooden paddle. It was an all-day event, and one ingredient always surprised people...

Red Hots.

Those little cinnamon candies melted right into the apple butter, adding a warm cinnamon flavor that became part of our family's recipe. I still toss a handful into my slow cooker today. It's a whole lot easier than standing over a fire all day, but it still reminds me of those family traditions every fall.

Easy Slow Cooker Apple Butter

Ingredients

• 6 lbs apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (a mix of sweet and tart apples works best)
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar (optional, depending on how sweet your apples are)
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 8–10 Red Hots candies (optional, but they're part of our family tradition!)

Directions

1. Add everything except the vanilla to your slow cooker and stir to coat the apples.
2. Cook on Low for 10–12 hours (or High for 5–6 hours), until the apples are very soft.
3. Blend until smooth using an immersion blender, then stir in the vanilla.
4. Leave the lid slightly ajar and cook for another 1–2 hours to thicken.

A Few Tips

• A mix of sweet and tart apples gives the richest flavor.
• The longer it cooks, the darker and richer the apple butter becomes.
• An immersion blender makes the smoothest apple butter, but a regular blender works too—just let it cool slightly first.
• The Red Hots are completely optional... but in our family, apple butter just wouldn't taste quite right without them.

🍔 2. Apple Butter Bacon Cheddar Burgers

If you've never put apple butter on a burger, you're missing one of fall's best comfort foods.

The rich, spiced sweetness of apple butter pairs perfectly with juicy beef, crispy bacon, sharp cheddar, and warm sautéed apples. It sounds a little unexpected, but one bite and you'll understand why it's become one of my favorite fall dinners.

It's hearty, easy to make, and a great way to enjoy apples in a way that isn't another pie or pumpkin-flavored dessert.

Apple Butter Bacon Cheddar Burgers

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• Salt and pepper
• 4 hamburger buns
• 4 slices sharp cheddar cheese
• 8 slices bacon, cooked crisp
• 1 Honeycrisp or Fuji apple, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Apple butter

Directions

1. Cook the bacon until crisp.
2. Melt the butter in the same skillet and sauté the apple slices for 3–5 minutes, until lightly caramelized.
3. Season and cook the burger patties to your preferred doneness.
4. Top each burger with sharp cheddar and let it melt.
5. Spread apple butter on the toasted bun, then stack the burger with bacon and the warm sautéed apples.

The combination of sweet apple butter, smoky bacon, sharp cheddar, and juicy beef is pure fall comfort food.

🍽️ Want more easy family dinner ideas?

This Apple Butter Bacon Cheddar Burger is one of the meals included in our What's for Dinner? Solved! Dinner Jar Printable—30 family-friendly dinners with matching recipes designed to end the nightly "What's for dinner?" debate.

👉 What's for Dinner? Solved! Dinner Jar Printable

🐾 3. Homemade Apple Peanut Butter Dog Treats

Our dogs shouldn't have to miss out on apple season, either!

These simple homemade treats are made with dog-friendly ingredients and come together in just a few minutes. They're perfect for rewarding your pup after a walk through the orchard—or just because those puppy eyes are impossible to resist.

Apple Peanut Butter Dog Treats

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• ½ cup natural peanut butter (make sure it's xylitol-free)
• 2 eggs
• 2½ cups oat flour (or finely ground rolled oats)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
2. Mix the applesauce, peanut butter, and eggs until smooth.
3. Stir in the oat flour (and cinnamon, if using) until a soft dough forms.
4. Roll the dough to about ¼-inch thick.
5. Cut with your favorite paw print or bone-shaped cookie cutters.
6. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until lightly golden and firm.
7. Cool completely before sharing with your four-legged taste tester.

Storage

• Airtight container: up to 1 week
• Refrigerator: about 2 weeks
• Freezer: up to 3 months

🐶 Looking for even more homemade dog treats?

If your pup is as pumpkin-obsessed as ours, be sure to check out our collection of five easy pumpkin dog treat recipes, including biscuits, frozen yogurt bites, soft bites, and more!

👉 5 Easy Pumpkin Dog Treat Recipes Your Pup Will Love This Fall

4. Fill Your Home with Fall (Without Lighting Another Pumpkin Candle)

If you're craving that cozy fall feeling, a simple simmer pot is one of the easiest ways to make your whole house smell amazing using ingredients you probably already have.

Easy Apple Cinnamon Simmer Pot

Ingredients

• 1 apple, sliced
• 1 orange, sliced (optional)
• 2–3 cinnamon sticks
• 1 teaspoon whole cloves
• 4–6 cups water

Directions

1. Add everything to a small pot.
2. Bring to a gentle boil.
3. Reduce to a low simmer.
4. Add more water as needed and enjoy the cozy fall scent for hours.

Safety Tip: Never leave a simmer pot unattended, and keep an eye on the water level.

If you plan on making simmer pots all fall and winter, I love using a clear glass simmer pot. Watching the apples, oranges, and cinnamon gently simmer is almost as cozy as the scent itself.

🍎 My Favorite Glass Simmer Pot:

5. Visit a Local Apple Orchard

Sometimes the best part of apple season isn't what you make—it's where the apples come from.

A visit to a local orchard is a simple way to slow down for a few hours, support a small business, and make a few memories along the way. Whether you have kids, grandkids, friends, or just want a quiet afternoon together, it's one of those traditions that never really goes out of style.

Most orchards offer more than just apples. Depending on where you go, you might find:

• Pick-your-own apples
• Hayrides
• Fresh apple cider donuts
• Cold or hot apple cider
• Local honey, jams, and homemade apple butter
• Pumpkins and fall decorations
• Beautiful spots for family photos

Bring home a bag of fresh apples, and you've already got plenty of ideas:

• Make a batch of homemade apple butter.
• Try an Apple Butter Bacon Cheddar Burger for dinner.
• Bake a batch of Apple Peanut Butter Dog Treats for your four-legged taste tester.
• Slice one up for a cozy simmer pot while you're relaxing at home.

The best part isn't checking everything off a fall bucket list. It's spending a little time together, supporting local orchards, and bringing home a few apples with plans for what you'll make next.

After all… apples deserve a little attention this time of year, too.