Pumpkin spice lattes may get a bad rap for being “basic,” but the combination of punchy espresso, rich cream, earthy pumpkin, and warm spices creates the perfect culmination of cozy fall flavors. Here the PSL gets the tiramisu treatment, reimagining each of the flavors as a layer of the beloved dessert. Lady fingers get a quick dip in a boozy espresso solution while canned pumpkin lends the mascarpone whip a subtle orange hue and signature autumnal flavor. And to finish it all off: a dusting of cinnamon with just a touch of cocoa powder. The resulting dessert is everything good about tiramisu with the warming notes of a pumpkin spice latte. You can make the dessert several days in advance, gently cover it in plastic wrap, and stash it in the fridge until you’re ready to enjoy it. (Just hold off on dusting the top until right before you serve it.)

Elevate rice krispie treats like never before with this unique and flavorful Brown Butter Chai Rice Krispie Treats recipe! Browned butter and our legendary homemade chai spice mix add a warm and comforting flavor to these classic treats — perfect for the fall weather.

PS: I’m also sharing a protein-packed version that uses a whole cup of whey protein powder, and it’s so dang delicious!

I can’t help but put our homemade chai spice on everything from these Chocolate Chai Overnight Oats to this cozy Chai Tea Latte. Our next victim is the brown butter chai rice krispie treats recipe, and woo wee, it’s a flavor party up in here!

You’ll make this recipe just like any other rice krispie treat recipe, except you’ll add in some brown butter and our chai spice mix. It’s the perfect addition to classic rice krispie treats!

1. Salted butter: Adds a savory richness to the treat and pairs perfectly with the warm chai spices.
2. Homemade chai spice: A blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, allspice, and cloves screams fall and adds a warm and comforting flavor to this recipe.
3. Marshmallows: We used a regular 12 oz. bag of large marshmallows for this recipe.
4. Rice Krispy cereal: You can’t make rice krispie treats without the classic Rice Krispy cereal!

We used our homemade chai spice, but you’re welcome to use a store-bought version. Just know that the flavor of the chai will determine the flavor of the rice krispie treats!

How to Make Homemade Chai Spice

Not sure where to start when it comes to making your own chai spice blend? Well, whaddya know, we’ve got our own Homemade Chai Spice Mix recipe right here! Here’s the basics on how to make it:

Ingredients

• 2 tsp. ground cardamom
• 2 tsp. ground allspice
• 2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp. ground cloves
• 6 tsp. ground ginger

Instructions

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl until well combined. Then add it to your brown butter rice krispie treats recipe!

These rice krispie treats are best when enjoyed within 3-4 days, but can last up to a week if stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

My high-protein pumpkin tiramisu is a tasty fall dessert that’s super creamy, indulgent, and packed with protein (6g per serving, to be exact!). I absolutely love my cottage cheese tiramisu crepe roll and my tiramisu blended overnight oats, and knew as soon as PSL season was here, it was time to develop a pumpkin tiramisu recipe! Obviously, a high-protein version . I can’t wait for you to make this recipe in your own kitchens — my family gobbles it up every time I make it!

Ingredients Needed

• Instant espresso powder: Pumpkin and espresso flavors were meant to be together I love using instant espresso powder in this tiramisu recipe — you’ll let it bloom in the heavy whipping cream to make a delicious espresso whip.
• Unsweetened pumpkin puree: Can’t have pumpkin tiramisu without the pumpkin puree! Just make sure you buy unsweetened pumpkin puree or this recipe will taste way too sweet (not in a good way!).
• Heavy whipping cream: Every tiramisu needs whip, and this recipe is no exception! I love making my own espresso whipped cream to layer in between the pumpkin and Nilla wafers. It’s easy to make and only requires 3 ingredients — espresso powder, heavy whipping cream and maple.
• Blended cottage cheese: You know the drill here! Cottage cheese packs great protein as well as creamy, rich texture and flavor. Don’t skip this!
• Maple syrup: Maple is my go-to natural sweetener! And with its rich, fall flavors, its perfect for sweetening this tiramisu.  
• Nilla wafers: Instead of lady fingers, I love using Nilla wafers for my tiramisu! They’re easier to find, and require less setting time than lady fingers. 10/10 recommend using these instead of lady fingers when making tiramisu!
• Cocoa powder: Dust the top of your pumpkin tiramisu with cocoa powder for that classic tiramisu look.

How to Make High-Protein Pumpkin Tiramisu

1. Make the espresso whip: Mix the espresso powder, maple syrup, and heavy whipping cream in the bowl of a stand mixer, and allow 5-10 minutes to bloom before whipping on high until stiff peaks are formed.
2. Make the pumpkin layer: Add the pumpkin puree, blended cottage cheese, maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla extract to a large bowl, and stir together.
3. Assemble the tiramisu: Lay half of the Nilla wafers on the bottom of the baking dish, making sure they overlap slightly. Scoop half of the pumpkin mixture and spread it on top of the Nilla wafers. Then, spread half of the whipped topping on top of the pumpkin layer. Repeat the layers until all of the ingredients have been used, and top with sifted cocoa powder.
4. Let it set: Refrigerate the tiramisu for 20 minutes. 
5. Serve and enjoy: Top with more whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon when you’re ready to serve.

Tips for Success

Let the espresso powder bloom: You’ll put the espresso powder, maple and heavy cream in a bowl before whipping it. Make sure you let it sit for 5-10 minutes to allow for the espresso flavors to infuse into the whipping cream. This will give you a much more rich, espresso-forward flavor.

Measure the cottage cheese after it’s blended: This will ensure you have exactly the right amount since the curds in cottage cheese can alter the amount slightly.

My Favorite Pumpkin-Flavored Snacks

I do not recommend freezing this tiramisu as the cookies will become soggy, and the texture can be off-putting when thawed.

More of My Favorite Pumpkin Desserts

I live in Maple Country, where the hillsides along the Vermont–New Hampshire border ignite in fiery reds, oranges, and golds every fall. The same trees responsible for that show are also behind my favorite pantry staple: maple sugar.

Unlike maple syrup, which many of us drizzle over pancakes and forget about after brunch, maple sugar is a powerhouse ingredient that deserves a permanent place on your baking shelf. Years ago, I started sprinkling it into everything—scones, whipped cream, even dry rubs for pork—and quickly realized it isn’t just a quaint product from my local farm stands. Maple sugar is versatile, deeply flavorful, and worth seeking out wherever you live. If fall is your baking season, this is the ingredient that will transform your routine.

What Is Maple Sugar?

At its simplest, maple sugar is crystallized maple syrup. Once sap from a maple tree is boiled past the syrup stage, the water evaporates and the syrup thickens, eventually breaking down into golden granules. The result tastes unmistakably of maple, but in a form you can scoop, sprinkle, and swap in anywhere you’d typically reach for granulated sugar.

Outside New England, you’ll usually find it in natural food stores or online, often in 1- to 3-pound bags. Some specialty shops still sell it in solid blocks, which can be grated like fresh Parmesan for a rustic finishing touch to desserts.

Maple Sugar’s History

Maple sugar has been used in the Northern US and Canada for centuries. Indigenous peoples developed methods to concentrate sap into sugar long before cane sugar arrived in North America. They stored it in birch-bark boxes, transported it in blocks, and relied on it as a shelf-stable sweetener through long winters.

To make the sugar, fresh sap was sometimes poured into long, shallow troughs carved from hollowed-out basswood logs. Because the sugary portion of the sap is denser than water, it settled at the bottom. Overnight, the water on top would freeze, and in the morning, the ice could be removed, leaving behind a more concentrated liquid. From there, the concentrate could be boiled down and transformed into sugar.

Unlike liquid syrup, maple sugar didn’t spoil or spill. It was both food and currency—a portable, durable source of energy that traveled well.

How Maple Sugar Is Made Today

Maple product production has continued to advance over the years. Today, modern maple syrup and sugar producers use technology like reverse osmosis to remove water from sap before boiling, but the final step still requires heat and patience. To make maple sugar, syrup is cooked to around 260°F, then stirred vigorously until it lightens, crystallizes, and breaks into jagged grains. The process is simple but exacting: Stir too little, and it hardens into a block; stir too much, and the crystals can clump. The result larger grains are then sifted into the fine amber granules you’ll scoop from a bag.

Why Use Maple Sugar Instead of White Sugar?

The short answer to why you should reach for a bag of maple sugar over standard granulated sugar is for its flavor. White sugar is neutral with one note of sweetness. In contrast, maple sugar is complex, with caramel notes, a gentle woodsy aroma, and a depth that immediately makes desserts taste more autumnal.

It’s also less processed than refined cane sugar, if that’s important to you. White sugar typically comes from either sugarcane or sugar beets. To get that pure, snow-white granulated texture, it goes through multiple steps: The juice is extracted, clarified, boiled, crystallized, spun in centrifuges, filtered (often through bone char, in the case of cane sugar), and sometimes bleached. By the end, very little of the plant’s original character remains—it’s designed to be neutral and uniform.

Maple sugar, on the other hand, starts and ends with maple sap. As described above, once boiled past the syrup stage, the concentrated sap simply crystallizes into granules. No bleaching, no additives, no refining beyond heat and stirring. The result is a sweetener that’s not just flavorful but also closer to its natural source.

While the flavor differs from white sugar, it behaves almost identically to granulated sugar: You can swap it one-to-one in most recipes without fuss, which makes it easy to incorporate into your favorite recipes.

How to Use Maple Sugar

This is where maple sugar proves it’s more than just a novelty. Swap it into everyday recipes and suddenly everything tastes richer and more complex.

• Bake with it: Use it cup-for-cup in place of white sugar in cookies, cakes, muffins, or scones. It adds a subtle maple backbone without overpowering. Try it in apple pie, pumpkin bread, or cinnamon rolls for instant fall vibes.
• Upgrade breakfast: Sprinkle it over oatmeal, yogurt, or cold cereal. Unlike brown sugar, which can clump, maple sugar melts quickly and evenly.
• Sweeten drinks: Stir into coffee, tea, or hot cocoa. It dissolves easily and lends a cozy maple aroma. A maple-sugar latte is basically autumn in a mug.
• Whipped cream boost: Swap it for powdered sugar when whipping cream. The flavor is transformative—suddenly, your pie topper tastes like it belongs at a sugaring shack.
• Savory rubs and marinades: Mix with salt, pepper, and spices for a dry rub on pork, salmon, or chicken. Its natural caramelization creates a gorgeous crust on roasted or grilled meats.
• Finishing touch: Dust over baked apples, roasted carrots, or even popcorn. Maple sugar has enough character to work as both a seasoning and a sweetener.

Once you start using maple sugar, you’ll find yourself reaching for it almost instinctively.

The Takeaway

Maple sugar may look like a niche specialty item, but it deserves mainstream status. It’s an easy, flavorful substitute for granulated sugar, it connects to a centuries-old tradition, and it brings a distinct sense of seasonality to whatever you cook. For me, it’s not just a farm-stand souvenir—it’s the flavor of fall itself. And once you bake with it, I think you’ll feel the same.

These apple recipes include cozy apple desserts, breakfast ideas, and more! They’re perfect for making after apple picking or on any crisp fall day.

Have you gone apple picking yet this fall? I haven’t, but I’m already dreaming about all the apple recipes I’ll make once I do. I’ll toss raw apples into fresh fall salads, pile them on my morning overnight oats, and of course make cozy apple desserts like apple cake and apple crisp.

In case you’re looking for fall apple inspiration, I’ve rounded up these and more of our best apple recipes below. Some are sweet, some are savory, and all of them are perfect for fall. Make one after a trip to an apple orchard…or on any cool day. Happy apple season, friends!

Apple Desserts

Apple Crisp

I make this classic apple dessert every single fall! With a buttery brown sugar and oat topping, it’s so much easier than pie…but just as delicious.

Apple Cake

This apple cake is amazingly moist, warmly spiced, and easy to make in one bowl. It goes QUICK in our house, but on the rare occasion we have leftovers, I love eating a slice for breakfast.

Apple Pie

You can’t make a list of apple recipes and not include apple pie! I add a little lemon zest to the cinnamon-spiced filling for a bright, fresh twist.

Applesauce Cake

Tangy cream cheese frosting takes this simple spice cake over the top.

Baked Apples

Don’t feel like chopping apples for a pie or crisp? This recipe is the apple dessert for you! You’ll top apple halves with a brown sugar and cinnamon crumble, then bake until they’re soft and juicy.

Apple Oatmeal Cookies

These healthy apple cookies are totally vegan and gluten-free. Oat flour and whole rolled oats give them a delicious soft texture, and almond butter adds nutty depth of flavor.

Apple Crumble

An oat-y, nutty topping covers a thick layer of cinnamon-spiced apples. Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (or whipped cream), this recipe is my idea of a perfect fall dessert.

Apple Breakfast Recipes

Overnight Oats – Apple Pie Variation

These apple pie-inspired overnight oats are my favorite fall breakfast! I stir cinnamon and applesauce into the oats for cozy depth of flavor and top them off with sautéed cinnamon apples, fresh apples, and toasted pecans.

Apple Muffins

These moist, tender muffins are packed with juicy chunks of apple. I often enjoy them plain for breakfast, but when I’m craving more of a treat, I add a brown sugar crumble topping and a powdered sugar glaze.

Homemade Applesauce

This homemade applesauce is one of the simplest apple recipes on this list…but it’s also one of the best. Thick, sweet, and tangy, it’s far more flavorful than store-bought applesauce. Enjoy it on its own, or try it in a breakfast bowl with granola and yogurt!

Cinnamon Apple Scones

Dotted with diced apples and topped with a cinnamon glaze, these cute little scones are a festive fall treat. Tip: They freeze perfectly. I love to keep a stash on hand for grab-and-go breakfasts on busy mornings!

Savory Apple Recipes

Waldorf Salad

My fresher spin on this retro salad features a creamy, tangy Greek yogurt dressing. I love it with crackers or over greens for lunch.

Spinach Salad

This lush salad has a delicious mix of sweet and tart flavors. I love how the tart cranberries, feta, and tangy dressing balance the sweet apples and candied pecans. It’s always a crowd-pleasing side dish at a fall meal.

Sweet Potato Soup

I toss a whole apple into this creamy fall soup! It brings out the sweetness of the sweet potatoes, helping their flavor pop against the savory seasonings here.

Roasted Delicata Squash with Apples

This elegant side dish is practically fall on a plate! Creamy roasted delicata squash plays off hearty kale, savory herbs, pearl onions, and crisp apples. A tangy apple cider vinegar dressing ties it all together.

Farro Salad

Every fall, this salad is one of the apple recipes I make most often. Packed with nutty farro, salty pecorino, sweet dates, crisp apples, and bitter greens, it’s such a fresh, filling lunch!

Butternut Apple Cranberry Sandwich

Aka the ultimate fall sandwich! Crisp apples like Honeycrisp or Pink Lady are best here—I love how their crunch contrasts with the tender roasted squash.

How to Make a Cheese Board

Apples+cheese are a match made in heaven! If you need an easy appetizer for a fall gathering, simply slice apples and set them out with a few types of cheese to make a quick grazing board. Grapes, crackers, olives, and/or fig jam are nice additions too.

Kohlrabi Apple Slaw

When I come home from a fall farmers market with apples and kohlrabi, I always make this slaw. It’s super refreshing, filled with the crunchy kohlrabi, crisp apples, fresh herbs, and a tangy mustard dressing.

Beet Salad with Goat Cheese & Balsamic

Tender, sweet roasted beets and crisp, tart apples team up in this show-stopping fall salad. It’s one of my favorite recipes to make for fall gatherings. To get ahead, I always roast the beets a day or two in advance.

These moist, fluffy pumpkin cupcakes are perfectly paired with cream cheese and cinnamon frosting.  

There is one fall flavor combo that truly has a hold over me this time of year and it’s pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good pumpkin muffin. But sometimes the only thing that will hit the spot is a cupcake! And this recipe is a good one. You gotta give these a try – for Halloween, Thanksgiving, or just a fall day when the weather starts to change.

You won’t regret it. 

Pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting 

This recipe makes 12 cupcakes.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Cupcakes

• 1 1/2 cups (158 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/3 cup of sugar
• ⅔ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 – 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup pumpkin purée
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 ½ tbsp real maple syrup
• ⅓ cup of Greek yogurt

Ingredients for Cream Cheese Frosting

• 12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 160 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 3 cups of powdered sugar
• ¾  teaspoon of ground cinnamon

    

Pumpkin Cupcakes

This cupcake batter could be turned into a traditional cake batter, if needed. BUT I like that cupcakes are individual servings, easy to grab, faster to bake, and don’t require slicing into pieces at an event. That said, here’s how to make delicious pumpkin cupcakes.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.

2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Continue by adding the sugar and mix until combined. 

3. In another bowl, whisk the vanilla, pumpkin, oil, eggs, maple syrup, and yogurt. 

4. Add the pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients. Scrape down the sides as needed and mix until combined.

5. Fill the paper liners three quarters full, using an ice cream scooper. 

6. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Once ready, remove them from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before removing them from the pan. 

7. Remove them and set them on a cooling rack, baking sheet, or plate, so you can frost them. 

Cream Cheese Frosting

The tanginess of the cream cheese in this frosting is such a nice balance against the other ingredients and pairs perfectly with the pumpkin cupcakes too!

1. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, mix the cream cheese with the butter until soft and smooth. 

2. Beat in the vanilla and cinnamon. Mix until combined. 

3. Add in the powdered sugar gradually, and manually mix until combined. 

4. Place the frosting in a piping bag fitted with a large closed star tip. Pipe over cooled cupcakes and sprinkle a bit more cinnamon on top if you like. 

Notes: I used an Ateco 827 star tip. 

These bite-size apple fritters are crispy, tender, and full of apple flavor—and you won’t believe how easy they are to make. The simple batter is made with basic ingredients, including flour, sugar, melted butter, and milk, along with baking powder and eggs for lightness and lift. You’ll need two apples for this recipe, preferably a crisp, sweet variety, such as Rome or Gala. And while you won’t have to seek out any special equipment to make these fritters, you will need to do a bit of deep frying (we’ve got tips for making it a smooth and safe process). Serve them warm with a generous dusting of confectioners’ sugar for the ultimate fall treat.

Equipment Needs

Heavy-bottomed pot: Choose a medium to heavy pot for this recipe (a Dutch oven works well if you have one). A solid, heavier pot will hold its temperature better than a lighter one, which is key when deep-frying.

Thermometer: A deep-fry thermometer helps ensure your oil stays at the correct temperature while frying—too low and the fritters will end up pale and soggy; too hot and you run the risk of the exterior browning before the insides can cook through. If you don’t have a deep-fry thermometer, also known as a candy thermometer, check the temperature periodically with an instant-read thermometer.

Ice cream scoop: While not essential for this recipe, an ice cream scoop will form round, evenly sized fritters and make transferring the batter to the oil a snap. Alternatively, you can use two small spoons (one to scoop up the batter and the other to scrape it into the oil).

Baking sheet with wire rack: Once your fritters are golden and crispy, transfer them to a rimmed baking sheet lined with a cooling rack to drain. If you don’t have a wire rack that fits inside, you can line the baking sheet with a few layers of paper towels instead.

Spider or slotted spoon: If you have a spider—a metal skimmer commonly used in Asian cooking—pull it out for this recipe. Otherwise, use a slotted spoon to remove the golden fritters from the oil. In a pinch, you can use a pair of tongs.

The Best Apples for Apple Fritters

When choosing apples for this recipe, choose a firm, crisp variety that’s on the sweeter side, such as Rome, McIntosh, or Gala. Avoid Red Delicious and Golden Delicious apples, which can easily become mushy and fall apart when cooked. 

Deep-Frying Dos and Don’ts

DO use the right oil: When deep frying, use a neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as vegetable oil, peanut oil, corn oil, or safflower oil. Avoid those with lower smoke points, like olive oil, or ones that can leave food with an off, fishy flavor, like canola oil.

DO add food gently: To minimize the risk of burns, drop scoops of batter into the oil as gently as possible and not from too high up, which can result in splashing.

DON’T use a lid: Unlike when simmering or steaming, you never want to cover your frying oil with a lid. Doing so can raise the temperature too high, which runs the risk of a grease fire. (Do have a tight-fitting metal lid handy, however, in case of fire, so you can cut off the oxygen and extinguish the flame.)

DON’T crowd the pan: Adding too much food at once can cause the oil to drop in temperature, which impacts the taste and texture of your fritters (the oil should stay between 320°F and 350°F). Instead, add just a few scoops of batter at a time, which will also give the fritters room to bob and bubble around.

These easy air fryer apple fritters are made with cottage cheese, sliced apples, and a simple homemade glaze. They’re crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. An amazing healthier twist on a classic sweet treat with all the iconic flavors of fall! I can’t wait for you to try this recipe .

Ingredients to Gather

• Diced apples: where are my honey crisp fans at?! I love the flavor and crisp texture of honey crisp apples, but you do you and choose the apple variety of your choice.
• 2% blended cottage cheese: any fuller fat cottage cheese will work for this recipe. I recommend at least 2%, but I’ve also tested this with 4% and it worked great. Any low fat cottage cheese will have a higher water content, which will require more flour to form into a dough.
• Brown sugar: you’ll toss the diced apples with brown sugar which is just straight up perfect fall flavors IMO.
• Ground cinnamon: same goes wit the cinnamon! It’s a perfect complement to the apple and brown sugar flavors of fall.
• Unsweetened almond milk: this is my preferred liquid for these fritters. Technically, any milk will work, but I prefer the mild flavor of plain, unsweetened almond milk.

Find the list of full ingredients in the recipe card below. 

My Method for Making Air Fryer Apple Fritters

1. Prepare the apples: Add the diced apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon to a bowl, and toss to coat the apple pieces. 
2. Prepare the dough: Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the apples, and stir to mix. Then, add in the blended cottage cheese and stir until a ball starts to form. Then, use your hands to knead the dough in the bowl. Lightly flour a work surface and turn the dough out before cutting into 4 pieces. Place 2 apple fritters on parchment paper and press down to a traditional fritter shape (round or oblong). 
3. Air fry the fritters: Air fry the fritters, flipping halfway through to brown both sides.
4. Make the glaze: Add the powdered sugar and almond milk to a bowl and whisk to combine. That’s it! 
5. Glaze and enjoy! Dip the fritters into the glaze; set them on a wire rack, and allow the glaze to set for a few minutes before serving!

The Perfect Sweet Treat

I love making these apple fritters in the morning with the kiddos. Something about sitting in the porch on a cool fall morning enjoying one of these yummy treats with a cup of coffee while the kiddos play .

These apple fritters also make for a great after school snack or sweet treat after dinner. You really can’t go wrong with the ingredient list here, so choose your own adventure on when and where you serve ’em.

If You Have Leftovers

If you have leftover apple fritters, allow them to cool completely before storing on the counter in a vented bag. As the apples continue to soften over time, they will seep moisture and can cause the fritters to become soggy if stored in an airtight container. Venting it helps prevent this.

More Easy Air Fryer Recipes

Why did my apple fritters get soggy?

This could be happening for a couple reasons! If you crowd the apple fritters too much in the air fryer, it will actually steam them instead of air fry them. Make sure your fritters are not touching in the air fryer.

The other reason this could be happening is because you did not allow them to cool before storing leftovers. I recommend venting the bag or container you store leftovers in to prevent the apple moisture from creating a soggy texture. You can also air fry leftover fritters for a minute or two before serving to crisp them up again.

How do you prevent air fryer apple fritters from sticking to the basket?

I recommend cooking these apple fritters on parchment paper in the air fryer. Not only does it prevent them from sticking to the basket, it also prevents the lines from the grate on the air fryer from transferring onto the fritters.

Can I make these gluten-free?

I have not tested these apple fritters with GF flour, but my go-to is always Bob’s Red Mill 1:1. If you test this ingredient swap, please let me know how it goes in the comments!

Easy Apple Butter Zucchini Bread—a simple zucchini bread topped with clusters of cinnamon sugar and served with whipped cinnamon maple butter. This is not your average loaf. The secret? A little apple butter baked right into the batter. You don’t really know it’s there, but it’s what makes each slice extra soft, perfectly sweet, and so flavorful.

I’ve been in such an end-of-summer baking mood lately. I think it’s the light right now—the way it filters through the trees feels so warm and a little autumn-like. It just makes me want to bake!

Last week, with a pile of zucchini on the counter, I decided to make a loaf. No chocolate this time (even though, yes, that would be amazing). I wanted something simple and cozy… but still special. The apple butter was kind of a spur-of-the-moment decision, but it’s what ended up making this bread so delicious.

We might not be in apple season just yet, but this loaf has me counting down the days. It’s that perfect in-between recipe—late summer zucchini meets the warm, spiced flavors of early fall.

These are the details

Ingredients

• Zucchini
• salted butter
• brown sugar
• plain Greek yogurt
• apple butter – you could also use maple, but apple butter is best
• eggs
• vanilla extract
• whole wheat or all-purpose flour
• baking powder
• salt
• salted butter

Ingredients – for the Cinnamon Maple Butter

• salted butter
• maple syrup
• vanilla
• cinnamon
• sea salt

Steps

Looking for other baking recipes? Here are my favorites:

Chocolate Chip Espresso Yogurt Cake

5 Minute Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread Mug Cake

Maple Banana Bread with Cinnamon Spice Butter

Vanilla Chai Hot Chocolate

Lemon Chai Cake

Earl Grey Blueberry Lemon Cake

Lemon Key Lime Pie Bars

Lemon Strawberry Dutch Baby with Ricotta Cream

Tahini Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Lastly, if you make this Easy Apple Butter Zucchini Bread, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!