Apple compote is a quick and easy, sweet and chunky apple sauce made with fresh apples flavored with warming spices, vanilla and maple syrup. This apple compote recipe makes the perfect topping for pancakes, french toast, oatmeal, ice cream and more.
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Why Should You Make This Recipe
I love a fresh and easy fruit topping. have several easy and fresh cooked fruit recipes on the blog that I absolutely adore. My Blueberry Compote, Cherry Compote, Blackberry Compote and Strawberry Glaze are a few of my favorite fruit topping recipes on the blog. I am so excited to add this easy apple compote recipe to the blog.
- The perfect cozy fall texture and flavor. There are few foods as cozy as cooked, warmly spiced apples to enjoy when the weather gets cooler. Just peel, dice, spice, cook and enjoy.
- The perfect topping. Whether you need a quick and easy apple topping for cheesecake, cakes, pancakes, waffles, french toast or as a fun mix in for ice cream or yogurt this fruit compote from apples makes the perfect breakfast or dessert topping.
Ingredients
This apple spiced compote needs only a handful of simple ingredients to make and you probably already have them in your pantry and fridge.
Ingredients: Gather apples, light brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and lemon juice.
Substitutions
Here are my recommended substitutions to make this easy cooked apple sauce topping if you need them.
- Apple: Choose the apple you like that is also good for baking and cooking. A mix of Granny Smith, Jonagold or Honeycrisp apples are all great choices for this compote recipe.
- Light Brown Sugar: For an easy refined sugar free option use maple sugar, honey or maple syrup.
- Maple Syrup: Use an equal amount of light brown sugar or honey.
- Lemon Juice: Feel free to use 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of your preferred liquid. I suggest using lemon, apple juice or apple cider.
- Vanilla and Ground Spices: These are flavor add-ins and optional, but highly recommended. Use up to 2 teaspoons of your favorite spice blend or simply use ground cinnamon.
How To Make
Learn how to make apple compote in a few easy steps.
- Peel the apples using a vegetable peeler, apple peeler or a knife. Core the apples using an apple corer or simply slice the apples into quarters and remove the core using a knife. Dice the apples into ¼ inch to ½ inch cubes. If this compote is being used as a filling for a pastry, I suggest dicing the apples in ¼ inch pieces. If you are using this apple compote as a topping, ½ inch pieces are perfect.
- Add the diced apples to a medium pan, pot or sauce pan. Top the diced apples with lemon juice, light brown sugar, maple, vanilla extract, ground spices and salt. Gently stir to fully mix the ingredients together. Heat the mixture over medium- high heatfor about 8 - 10 minutes or until the apple begin to breakdown and release their juices. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for additional about 10 - 15 minutes, stirring fairly frequently to prevent the apples from sticking to the pan. Remove the apple compote from the heat. Transfer the stewed apple sauce to a serving dish or top your favorite breakfast or dessert with the spiced apple topping and enjoy.
How To Store, Freeze, Thaw and Serve
- Store: Keep the apple compote in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. For longer storage transfer the compote to the freezer.
- Freeze: Store an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 - 3 months.
- Thaw: Transfer the frozen apple sauce to thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Serve: Apple compote is the perfect topper for any breakfast or dessert dish you would typically add fruit on or serve with fresh fruit such as pancakes, waffles, parfait, cake, cheesecake, even ice cream. I suggest serving apple sauce compote with my Apple Cinnamon Pancakes, Oat Flour Pancakes, Date Cake or Hot Milk Cake.
M’s Expert Tips
- Use apples meant for baking. Choose the apple you like that is also good for baking and cooking. A mix of Granny Smith, Jonagold or Honeycrisp apples are all great choices for this compote recipe.
- Diced the apples. The perfect size for dicing the apples to make compote is about ¼ to ½ inch.
- Add cornstarch for a glossy apple compote. Add 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water to the compote if you prefer a glossier, more apple pie like compote.
- Use warming spices. Cooked apples are already delicious, but adding 1 - 2 teaspoons of ground warming spices such as cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and nutmeg will really help this apple sauce compote shine.
- Stir fairly frequently. Once the apples have started to break down a bit, make sure to stir fairly frequently. This helps to prevent the apples from sticking.
- Add water if needed. Should the apples start sticking or looking a little dried out, add 1 - 2 tablespoons of water to the apples to help them finish cooking without getting too dry.
- Serve warm. The most flavor and the best texture of the apple compote happens when the compote is served warm.
FAQs
Apple compote and applesauce generally use the same ingredients, but are different final dishes. Compote is a fancy word for simple cooked fruit sauce. Apple compote retains the shape of the diced apples. Applesauce is typically cooked down in the same way apple compote is, but is pureed into a smoother applesauce after cooking.
Use this sweet and spiced chunky apple sauce to top dessert and breakfast dishes such as french toast, pancakes, waffles, ice cream or cheesecake.
This apple sauce can be sweetened with brown sugar, maple sugar, honey or maple syrup.
This easy and fresh apple sauce compote lasts about 2 weeks when stored in the fridge.
Other Apple Recipes to Try
If you try this Apple Compote recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! Happy Baking! - M
Apple Compote Recipe
Equipment
- 1 vegetable peeler
- 1 knife
- 1 medium pot or sauce pan
Ingredients
- 2 pounds apples about 6 - 8 medium to large apples
- ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (60 ml) maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger, nutmeg or cloves
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 - 2 tablespoons (15 - 30 ml) water, as needed
Instructions
- Peel the apples using a vegetable peeler, apple peeler or a knife. Core the apples using an apple corer or simply slice the apples into quarters and remove the core using a knife. Dice the apples into ¼ inch to ½ inch cubes. If this compote is being used as a filling for a pastry, I suggest dicing the apples in ¼ inch pieces. If you are using this apple compote as a topping, ½ inch pieces are perfect.2 pounds apples
- Add the diced apples to a medium pan, pot or sauce pan. Top the diced apples with lemon juice, light brown sugar, maple, vanilla extract, ground spices and salt. Gently stir to fully mix the ingredients together.¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, ¼ cup (60 ml) maple syrup, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract , ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon , ½ teaspoon ground ginger, nutmeg or cloves, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Heat the mixture over medium- high heat for about 8 - 10 minutes or until the apple begin to breakdown and release their juices. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for additional about 10 - 15 minutes, stirring fairly frequently to prevent the apples from sticking to the pan. Remove the apple compote from the heat. If needed, add 1 - 2 tablespoons water to help the apples finish cooking.1 - 2 tablespoons (15 - 30 ml) water, as needed
- Transfer the stewed apple sauce to a serving dish or top your favorite breakfast or dessert with the spiced apple topping and enjoy.
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