5 Recipes to Take Advantage of an Early Apple Season
![](http://food.fnr.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/food/fullset/2010/9/14/0/CCXTR103_Apple-Pie-2091_s4x3.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.462.suffix/1371593116546.jpeg)
Apple lovers get ready: Our favorite fall fruit is now coming into season sooner than expected. From the apple-growing regions of New York, Michigan, and Washington, we can expect to get a jump-start on everything apple, from pick-your-own apple orchards to frosty mugs of apple cider. Though a simple caramel-dipped apple is our favorite, there are plenty of delicious ways to take advantage of autumn’s early bounty. Bake apples into sweet pies and crumbles, or roast them for a savory companion to meat.
Get the Recipe: Four and Twenty Blackbirds Salted Caramel Apple Pie (pictured above)
Slice into this updated version of an American favorite. Layers of thin apple slices are steeped in a rich salted caramel sauce and baked in a tender butter crust.
![Chuck Hughes - Apple Turnover](http://food.fnr.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/food/fullset/2012/8/14/0/CCCDO404_apple-turnover-recipe_s4x3.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.462.suffix/1371609516775.jpeg)
Adrian Mueller, 2012, Adrian Mueller / AMueller.com, Cooking Channel, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Crackly puff pastry cradles caramelized Honeycrisps. Top these turnovers with a dollop of delectable fresh sheep’s cheese.
![](http://food.fnr.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/food/fullset/2012/4/26/0/CCXTR503_crispy-fried-oysters-recipe_s4x3.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.462.suffix/1371607331887.jpeg)
Get the Recipe: Crispy Fried Oysters with Smoky Bacon and Apple Ragout
Cornmeal battered fried oysters top a thick stew of savory bacon and tender, sweet apples for a salty-sweet duo that won’t disappoint.
![](http://food.fnr.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/food/fullset/2011/11/21/0/CC-Bobby-Deen_Healthy-Crunchy-Fennel-and-Green-Apple-Salad_s4x3.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.462.suffix/1371602882613.jpeg)
Get the Recipe: Crunchy Fennel and Green Apple Salad
Combine this fresh fall fruit with crisp fennel and watercress and toss in a citrus vinaigrette for a sweet and refreshing salad.
![Cooking Channel's Spiked Apple Cider Cocktail](http://food.fnr.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/food/fullset/2012/8/14/0/CC_corky-pollan-spiked-apple-cider-cocktail-recipe_s3x4.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.822.suffix/1381356680480.jpeg)
Adrian Mueller, 2012, Adrian Mueller / AMueller.com, Cooking Channel, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Bathe matchstick slivers of Granny Smith in freshly pressed apple cider topped with a bit of bubbly for a refreshing late-summer cocktail.