This time of the year it’s always fun to go apple picking. You go, get carried away, and come home with more apples than you know what to do with. Here are five fun recipes to help you use up all those apples!

Cheesecake-Stuffed Apples

(adapted from Creme de la Crumb)

(Photo: Creme de la Crumb)

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. softened Cream Cheese
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1tsp. vanilla extract
• Apples of your choice
• 1 cup whipping cream
• ¾ cup maple syrup
• Crushed pecans

Instructions:

1. Beat the softened cream cheese, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract until well combined.
2. Hollow your apple with a melon baller or spoon
3. Fill 2/3 of the apple with cream cheese mixture.
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees F.
5. For maple pecan sauce, boil the whipping cream, with maple syrup until thick. Add the crushed pecans and serve on the apples.

Blooming Baked Apples

Ingredients:

• 2 Apples
• Choice of caramel, peanut butter or Nutella
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 3 tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 tbsp. flour

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Cut off the top 1/4 of an apple
3. With a melon baller or spoon scoop out the center/seeds but don’t go through the whole apple like you would with an apple corer.
4. With a small knife make two deep circular cuts around the center of the apple.
5. Next flip the apple over and cut slits through the side to the center, and repeat these cuts around the entire apple.
6. Put apples in a baking safe dish or pan. Scoop caramel, peanut butter, or Nutella in the middle of each apple.
7. Heat butter and brown sugar in the microwave, and stir until well combined. Add in flour and cinnamon.
8. Bake in oven at 375 degrees F for 25-30 minutes. If apples still feel hard try baking until soft.
9. Remove apples from oven and place on plate or bowl.

Apple Pie Crescents

(adapted from Pillsbury)

(Photo: cakescottage)

Ingredients:

• 1 small apple, peeled, cored, cut into 8 slices
• 3 tbsp. butter, melted
• 1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp. apple pie spice

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Line cookie sheet with wax paper, or grease the cookie sheet. Set aside.
2. In small bowl, toss apple slices in 1 tablespoon of the melted butter; set aside.
3. Separate dough into 8 triangles.
4. In small bowl, mix brown sugar and apple pie spice. Divide mixture evenly among triangles. Top each triangle with an apple slice.
5. Starting at the short side of each triangle, wrap dough around apple. Place on cookie sheet. Brush with remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter.
6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until crescents are golden brown and apples are softened. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Inside Out Caramel Apples

(Photo: oneworldcateringandvents.com)

Ingredients:

• 3 large apples
• 
1 large lemon (or lemon juice)
• 
2 cups brown sugar
• 
1/2 cup heavy cream
• 
2 tbsp. butter
• 
2 tbsp. light corn syrup
• 
1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 bag (14oz) caramels
• 1 ½ tbsp. water
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans—optional

    Instructions

1. Cut the apples in half, lengthwise down the middle
2. Slide a smaller knife around the inside of the apple, near the outer edges (close to the skin).
3. Dig into the apple centers with your melon baller or spoon. Scoop out the middle of the apple, but be careful to leave some near the edges to hold the caramel
4. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze juice over the center of the apple, this will preserve the apple color and texture
5. Pat inside and outside of apple with a paper towel to remove excessive lemon juice. This is important so that the caramel will stick, and the lemon flavor won’t.
6. Melt the caramel and water in a saucepan stirring often. Once completely melted pour into the apples and chill in fridge until the caramel is completely hardened.
7. Cut the apples into slices and serve

Cinnamon Apple Chips

(Photo: 5dollardinners.com)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups unsweetened apple juice
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 apples

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 250 degrees F.
2. Combine apple juice and a cinnamon stick in a pot; bring it to a low boil while preparing the apples.
3. Core the apples. With a sharp knife, slice off 1/2-inch from top and bottom of apples and throw away(or eat!) Gently cut into thin slices, adjusting the apple to get even slices.
4. Put the apple slices into the boiling juice; cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until slices appear translucent and lightly golden.
5. Remove the slices and let the excess juice drip off, then pat dry.
6. Arrange the slices on racks, far apart from each other.
7. Place the racks on the middle shelf in oven; bake for 30 to 40 minutes until apple slices are lightly browned and almost dry.
8. Let chips cool on racks completely before storing in airtight container.