With the official start of autumn around the corner, it's just about that time to hit up the orchard for the season's best activity: apple picking. I think we can agree that the real fun is getting those crisp apples back to the kitchen, then cooking and baking them up every which way.

From indulgent fritters and sweet desserts, to savory soups and fresh salads, these 20 recipes will help you make the most of this year's apple haul.

There is no denying the light, pillow-soft texture of a deep-fried donut — especially one that's stuffed with fresh fall apples.

These smooth, sweet, delicious honey custards are baked in round ramekins and topped with caramelized apples.

When it comes to desserts featuring apples, apple pie is a must; it's an autumn essential. You can't go wrong when it comes to this classic dessert.

This one-bowl wonder makes a fabulous loaf. It's dense and rich, with nutty brown butter and specks of sweet apples flooding each and every bite.

For those nights you just want an easy, warm dessert, baked apples have your back. It's nothing elaborate, which is what makes this dessert so perfect. Just don't forget the ice cream on the side.

This is one recipe where the slow cooker does all the work. All you need to make this easy applesauce is water, few pounds of apples, lemon juice, cinnamon, and a few hours of time.

This is the kind of recipe that brings maximum pleasure with little effort. It's a moist cake swirled with cinnamon and small bites of apple.

If you've ever felt like baking was too much of an exact science, this simple tart recipe will prove otherwise.

Of course, there's a lot to love about tender muffins studded with sweet chunks of apple. But we'd be kidding ourselves if we didn't admit that the crisp, buttery streusel was the part that won us over.

When you need something just a little more indulgent than a slice of pie, this is the dessert for you — a whole warm apple snuggled inside pie dough, baked until golden and crisp, then drizzled with caramel sauce.

Step aside, oatmeal. These warm farro breakfast bowls will warm you up in the morning and satisfy you until lunch.

Don't be fooled — this is no muffin. What you're getting are little pull-apart nuggets of buttery, gooey apple-cinnamon goodness.

Chopped apples are folded into a honey-sweetened cake batter to make these cute little cakelets, which are drizzled with a flavorful apple spice glaze, then sprinkled with toasted almonds.

This sweet, gooey pull-apart bread would make one decadent breakfast, brunch, or dessert treat on a cool fall day.

Making an apple crisp in your slow cooker gives you the ability to go out on whatever fall adventures you have planned and be greeted with a sweet treat when you get home.

Yes, you can eat pie for breakfast if that pie is in the form of these not-to-sweet, extra-filling homemade granola bars.

This traditional German cake is humble and homey — the best part is, you probably already have all the ingredients for it in your pantry.

These delicate, individual pies are are sweet as they look and are sure to impress whoever is lucky enough to eat them.

Don't worry about peeling the apple or de-stemming the kale for this soup. The finished bowl is mildly sweet with a bit of apple, and it has that beloved bacon-y edge that goes so well with sautéed greens.

Meet the lighter, meat-free version of a traditional Waldorf salad. There is a wonderful balance of sweet and savory with the perfect amount of crunch in every bite.

This recipe is chock-full of classic fall flavors: earthy butternut squash, apple cider, sage, and even a touch of brown sugar.

This apple-cabbage salad is made to pair with fall comfort classics, but it's as vibrant and fresh as any summer predecessors.

This salad takes a little work, but rewards you with an amazing flavor and texture combination of nutty brown butter vinaigrette, crunchy Brussels sprouts, crisp slices of sweet apple, and warm toasted hazelnuts.

This is a fun twist on a warm spinach salad, with the hearty kale standing up to a rich pancetta dressing and tart apples.

Sweet chunks of apple blended with savory bacon and caramelized onions are tucked away in a flaky pastry triangle for an indulgent bite any time of day.

Beyond the chunks of apples themselves, this hearty stew is enhanced with both hard apple cider and apple cider vinegar to ensure it's full of fall flavor.

There might not be anything for comforting than this gooey sandwich, filled with chicken and a quick apple and Brussels sprout slaw, for lunch or dinner this fall.

This sweet, smoky, savory casserole is sure to wake up your taste bud in the morning. It's the ultimate pick for a Saturday brunch with family and friends.

While the homemade spelt crust in this recipe is nutty and unique, don't hesitate to save time by swapping in your favorite brand of store-bought pizza dough.

This simple sandwich can be assembled in under six minutes and packs up extremely well, which means it's the ultimate choice for a picnic lunch on a warm fall day.