15 Apple Appetizers for Fall

Ooey gooey baked brie is one of our favorite appetizers year-round. Come fall, our pick (sorry, we couldn't resist) for favorite baked brie recipe comes topped with maple- and cinnamon-scented apples and sweet-and-spicy pecans and bacon. For a double dose of apple appetizer goodness, scoop up your cheese and toppings with crunchy apple slices.

While fruit dip recipes generally refer to things you dunk fruit into, this creamy mixture sneaks apples right into the dip itself. Nutty browned butter infuses even more flavor into the warmly-spiced cream cheese blend. Again, feel free to dunk in apple wedges or try apple-cinnamon mini rice cakes or the pie crust "chips" called for in the original appetizer recipe.

Soufflés, the pillowy, light-as-air creations you might know and love from the dessert menu, need not be sweet. This ramekin-based recipe (try them in these six-ounce porcelain soufflé cups) steps into the savory side with salty cheddar cheese and a dash of spicy cayenne pepper to balance out the rich caramelized apples.

In summer, we're wild about the classic tomato-basil bruschetta. But as we tiptoe into autumn, we can't resist this sweet, savory, and super-easy apple-goat cheese version. Just like its warmer weather cousin, these crostini are topped with fresh herbs — just more cool weather ones, like thyme and oregano.

If melty, decadent brie is more your style than tangy, crumbled goat cheese, try this recipe on tiny toasts. Buttery and brown sugar-coated Granny Smiths (or your favorite apple variety) team up with that aforementioned brie, crunchy sourdough baguette slices, and nutty pecans in this crowd-pleasing apple appetizer.

Dive fork-first into an apple appetizer recipe that gives new definition to "fruit salad." With more than 1,200 five-star reviews, this is one starter not to be missed. With a homemade lemon poppyseed dressing drizzled over every bite of romaine, apples, pears, and cashews, this is a refreshing way to start any fall meal.

This well-balanced, produce-packed soup is a comfy yet nutritious first course. That's because beyond the apples, it's loaded with vitamin-rich sweet potatoes and carrots, as well as plant protein-strong lentils. Fresh ginger, cumin, chili powder, and paprika perk up the flavor of the creamy yogurt-infused soup.

Caramelized onions are one of our favorite cooking labors of love. The flavor you can coax out of two ingredients (onion and butter) by simply skillet-cooking and taking your time is a pretty magical thing. Here, that concept gets amplified with fall flavors when diced Granny Smith apples join the sauté party. Pile that all atop a wheel of brie and wrap in a sheet of puff pastry for an elegant yet totally-doable apple appetizer.

Why wait until entrée time to savor a slice of pizza? We give you permission to eat these pies come appetizer time. They're essentially cheese board fixings — feta cheese, fresh herbs, apples — all served on a layer of pan-fried pizza crust.

Created to pair perfectly with juicy and tart Granny smith slices, this no-cook apple appetizer recipe features sweetened cream cheese and toffee baking bits. If you prefer things more salty than super-sweet, try coating the dip in toasted pecans or walnuts instead of toffee. Or for a higher-protein and lower-calorie filling, trade vanilla Greek yogurt for the cream cheese.

Why invest in a dehydrator to make fruit chips when you can score the same results by cooking them low and slow in the oven? The key is to slice the apples evenly and super-thin (try using a multi-blade adjustable mandoline) and they'll bake up to dunkable, crunchy perfection in just about an hour. Enjoy solo or dunk in one of the apple appetizer dip recipes featured in this round-up.

Ideal as an apple appetizer on small slices of bread or as breakfast on full pieces of toast, this five-minute recipe is a winner with kids — and kids at heart. It calls for just four ingredients: apples, bread, cinnamon, and butter.

For another all-ages fave, try these five-minute apple sandwiches that use fruit slices as the "bread." The original apple appetizer recipe calls for creamy peanut butter and granola, but they're endlessly customizable with your choice of spread (think: Nutella, almond butter, sunflower seed butter, cashew butter) and toppings (try nuts, dried fruit, other cereals, coconut flakes, or chocolate chips).

Yes, we know we've featured a lot of brie here, but that's because it is an ideal partner for nearly every apple variety. For this apple appetizer, that dream duo gets a boost from a sprinkle of verdant fresh oregano and a schmear of irresistible homemade fig jam. (If you're short on time, you could definitely trade in store bought, such as Dalmatia Fig Spread.)

While the fresh and zesty citrus and chervil sauce says "spring," the sweet apples, salty Parm, and rich olive oil make this a full-fledged fall appetizer. This no-cook apple appetizer makes a fancy-looking dinner party starter that will have everyone begging for the recipe.