Celebrate Autumn with 3 Homemade Apple Treats

Celebrate the arrival of autumn with three homemade apple treats kids of all ages will love! Keep reading for our favorite applesauce recipe for babies, baked apples for toddlers and preschoolers, and caramel apple sauce for big kids. Let’s get baking!

Fall is the perfect time to visit your local orchard for apple-picking. Make it a family outing, and load up on your favorite apples for eating and baking. When you get home, try baking one of these absolutely delicious, kid-approved apple treats!

Perfect for babies and older kids alike, homemade applesauce really is one of the easiest and tastiest ways to eat the season’s best apples.

Ingredients:

• 🍎 8 apples (any variety)
• ✅ 1½ cups water
• ✅ 1 or 2 cinnamon sticks

Directions:

1. Peel, chop, and core 8 apples and place them in a saucepan. Cover with water, and add a cinnamon stick or two.
2. Cover and cook over medium heat for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until apples are soft.
3. Allow mixture to cool, then mash with a fork or potato masher until it has reached your desired consistency.
4. Remove cinnamon sticks or keep them in the applesauce to infuse more flavor.
5. Serve warm or cold. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Makes about 8 servings.

Baked apples are a yummy, nutritious, and easy-to-eat treat for young toddlers and preschoolers. You can use them as an apple pie filling or in other apple recipes, like apple crisp. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 🍏 8 apples (any variety)
• ✅ 6 TBSP butter
• ✅ 3 tsp cinnamon
• ✅ 1 TBSP brown sugar
• ✅ 2 tsp lemon juice
• ✅ pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F.
2. Peel and cut apples into ½ inch cubes, and place them in a small baking dish.
3. Melt butter in a small bowl.
4. Add cinnamon, brown sugar, lemon juice, and salt to the melted butter. Stir until smooth.
5. Pour butter mixture over cubed apples and toss to combine.
6. Bake at 350˚F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until apples reach desired softness.

Makes about 8 servings.

Big kids (and adults!) with a sweet tooth will love dipping apple slices into this dreamy caramel sauce. You can also use it to make candy apples.

Ingredients:

• ✅ ½ cup brown sugar
• ✅ 1 TBSP cornstarch
• ✅ 1/3 cup heavy cream
• ✅ 1 TBSP unsalted butter
• ✅ 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Add brown sugar and cornstarch to a small saucepan and whisk together.
2. Over medium heat, stir in ¼ cup of water and whisk until smooth.
3. Add heavy cream and butter and cook until the sauce is thickened and bubbly.
4. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
5. Add a pinch of sea salt to taste (optional).
6. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, warm in a small saucepan until heated through.