20 Brilliant Ways to Use Fresh Apples from Your Tree or Local Orchard
Whether you’ve got a Bramley apple tree in your back garden or you’ve just discovered a community orchard nearby (yes, they exist and they’re brilliant!), fresh apples open up a world of possibilities for low cost cooking. When cooking with apples you got for free you save money, have lots of nutrients and even reduce your carbon footprint!
Living in Nottinghamshire myself, I recently stumbled upon a community orchard in Mansfield (near Spider Park in the Berry Hill area if you are interested) that I’d somehow missed for the last fifteen years. It got me thinking: how many of us are walking past these hidden gems without realising there are so many local apples waiting to be picked?
Here I want to share with you twenty creative, healthier ways to use your apples. From breakfast to dinner, I’ll cover recipes that use the natural sweetness of apples without drowning them in sugar or butter.
Breakfast Ideas with Apples
1. Fluffy Apple Pancakes
These healthier apple pancakes are really easy to make and a great way to get the nutrients of apples into a popular breakfast. Cooking with apples really couldn’t be easier and tastier!
2. Overnight Oats with Apple
Combine rolled oats, grated apple, cinnamon, and yoghurt in a jar. Leave overnight in the fridge. The natural apple sugars sweeten the porridge while the fruit adds fibre and vitamins. I have recipes for a number of overnight oats flavours in my overnight oats guide.
3. Apple and Yoghurt Parfait
Layer natural yoghurt with stewed apples (cooked with just a touch of honey and cinnamon) and granola. This protein-rich breakfast keeps you satisfied longer than sugary cereals.
4. Baked Apple Breakfast Bowls
Hollow out large cooking apples and fill with a mixture of oats, chopped nuts, dried fruit and a small amount of honey. Bake until tender. The apple becomes the bowl and the sweetener rolled into one.
Light Meals with Apples
5. Apple and Cheddar Soup
This warming soup combines the sweetness of apples with the sharpness of mature cheddar. Use cooking apples for the base, sauté with onions and vegetable stock, then finish with grated cheese and a swirl of crème fraîche.
6. Waldorf Salad Wraps
Mix diced eating apples with celery, grapes, and a yoghurt-based dressing (swap mayonnaise for Greek yoghurt). Wrap in wholemeal tortillas for an easy, nutritious lunch. Cooking with apples can be preparing rather than cooking with recipes like this!
7. Apple and Walnut Stuffed Chicken
Butterfly chicken breasts and stuff with a mixture of diced apples, chopped walnuts, and fresh herbs. The apples keep the meat moist while adding natural sweetness. A unique way of cooking with apples you will love.
8. Roasted Apple and Butternut Squash Soup
Roast chunks of butternut squash and eating apples together until caramelised. Blend with vegetable stock and ginger for a velvety, naturally sweet soup that’s lower in calories than cream-based versions.
Healthier Sweet Treats
9. Apple Crumble with Oat Topping
When cooking with apples we often think of an apple pie or apple crumble. You can make a traditional crumble healthier by using more oats and less flour in the topping. Mix 100g oats, 50g wholemeal flour, 75g cold butter, and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar. The oats add fibre and create a lovely texture. Use cooking apples with minimal added sugar, their natural tartness provides the perfect balance.
10. Apple and Almond Muffins
Replace some flour with ground almonds for protein and healthy fats. Grate apples into the muffin batter and use apple sauce instead of some of the oil. These muffins are moist, filling, and far healthier than shop-bought versions.
11. Baked Apple Crisps
Slice eating apples thinly and bake at a low temperature until crispy. Sprinkle with cinnamon for natural flavour. These make brilliant snacks and contain all the fibre of the whole fruit. Cooking with apples doesn’t have to be fancy recipes, these are an easy tasty alternative!
12. Apple and Blackberry Fool
Cooking with apples can just mean stewing apples and using them in other things such as with yoghurt. Layer stewed apples and blackberries with Greek yoghurt instead of cream. The yoghurt provides protein and probiotics, while the fruit delivers vitamins and antioxidants. The natural fruit sugars make additional sweeteners unnecessary.
Savoury Ways of Cooking with Apples
13. Apple and Sage Stuffing
Dice eating apples into traditional sage and onion stuffing. The fruit adds moisture and subtle sweetness that complements roasted meats beautifully. Use wholemeal breadcrumbs for extra fibre.
14. Pork and Apple Casserole
Slow-cook pork with chunks of cooking apples, onions, and herbs. The apples break down slightly, creating a naturally thick, sweet sauce that reduces the need for added sugars or heavy cream.
15. Apple and Red Cabbage
This traditional German-inspired side dish pairs perfectly with British roasts. Slow-cook red cabbage with diced apples, a splash of vinegar, and warming spices. The apples prevent the cabbage from becoming too acidic. My recipe for Christmas red cabbage is a great use of apples.
16. Apple and Stilton Tart
Use a wholemeal pastry base and fill with caramelised apples and crumbled Stilton. The combination of sweet and savoury creates an easy starter or light lunch that’s surprisingly satisfying.
Drinks and Preserves
17. Homemade Apple Cider Vinegar
Ferment apple scraps (cores and peels) with water and a touch of honey to create your own apple cider vinegar. This process takes several weeks but results in a probiotic-rich condiment that’s brilliant for salad dressings. A great way to use leftovers when cooking with apples so nothing is wasted.
18. Spiced Apple Smoothies
Blend cooked apples with milk, yoghurt, cinnamon, and a handful of oats. This creates a filling smoothie that tastes like apple pie but provides sustained energy from protein and complex carbohydrates.
19. Low-Sugar Apple Butter
Cook down apples with minimal added sugar and warming spices until thick and spreadable. The slow cooking process concentrates the natural sugars, creating an intensely flavoured spread that’s lovely on toast or mixed into yoghurt.
20. Apple and Herb Infused Water
Add sliced apples and fresh herbs like mint or rosemary to water for a naturally flavoured drink. This encourages better hydration without the added sugars found in shop-bought flavoured waters. these free apples are good for drinks as well as cooking with apples in pies and crumbles.
Making the Most of Community Orchards
Community orchards are scattered throughout the UK, often hidden in plain sight. Many welcome visitors during harvest season and offer the chance to pick various apple types you might never find in shops. These spaces preserve traditional British apple varieties and provide opportunities to taste apples at peak ripeness. Check with your local council or community groups to find orchards near you and then start cooking with apples that didn’t cost you a penny!
Storage and Preservation Tips
Fresh apples keep best in cool, slightly humid conditions. A garage or shed often works better than a centrally heated kitchen. Check stored apples regularly and remove any that show signs of spoilage to prevent the spread. Cooking with apples as they need using means some will last ages!
For longer-term storage, consider:
- Freezing sliced apples for smoothies and baking
- Dehydrating apple rings for healthy snacks
- Making apple sauce and freezing in portions
- Creating apple ice cubes for drinks
Could you start cooking with apples more?
Twenty recipes give you nearly three weeks of different apple dishes if you tried one each day. Start with one or two recipes that appeal to you, then try new ideas when you have the time. Check which varieties work best in different dishes as this makes a huge difference.
Even if you don’t have your own apple tree, community orchards might mean you can enjoy freshly picked apples for free, so something definitely worth looking into.
Have you got any community orchards near you? Have a search online and let me know in the comments below. Have you been cooking with apples? What have you been making?
