RAPID CITY, S.D. — Apple trees across the Black Hills are heavy with fruit as the fall harvest begins, leaving many homeowners with one big question: what to do with it all.
From baking and preserving to sharing with neighbors, the apple harvest offers more than just baskets of fruit, it brings chances for creativity and community. Local growers say the key is to start picking now, before overripe apples fall and go to waste.
What To Do With the Harvest
- Bake it. Classic apple pies, crisps, and muffins are tried-and-true favorites, filling kitchens with the scent of cinnamon and spice.
- Preserve it. Apples can be sliced and frozen for later use, simmered into applesauce, or turned into jams and jellies.
- Press it. Homemade apple cider — sweet or fermented — has become a popular way to capture the season.
- Dry it. Dehydrated apple slices make a healthy snack that lasts through winter.
- Share it. Neighbors, food banks, and community groups often welcome fresh fruit donations.
Why It Matters
Apples are one of the region’s most abundant fall crops, and many families have a tradition of picking them together. Gardeners say the fruit represents more than food; it’s about carrying on recipes passed down through generations and finding new ways to get creative in the kitchen.
“It’s not just about making pie,” one Rapid City resident said. “It’s about the memories that come with it, peeling apples with your kids, putting jars of applesauce on the shelf, or delivering a basket to a friend.”
Recipes to Try
Homemade Applesauce
- 8 apples, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup sugar (optional)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Simmer all ingredients over medium heat until apples are soft. Mash for chunky sauce or blend for smooth.
Baked Apple Chips
- 3 apples, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Arrange slices on a baking sheet and sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake at 225°F for 2 hours, flipping halfway through.
Apple Crisp
- 6 apples, sliced
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup oats
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
Toss apples with sugar and place in a baking dish. Combine oats, flour, and butter; sprinkle over apples. Bake at 350°F for 40 minutes until golden and bubbly.
Canned Apple Pie Filling (Author’s Favorite)
- 6 quarts sliced, peeled apples
- 4 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 10 cups water
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
In a large pot, whisk sugar, cornstarch, spices, salt, and water until smooth. Cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Stir in lemon juice. Add apple slices and simmer 5 minutes. Ladle into sterilized quart jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. Process in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes.
When ready to bake, pour one jar into a pie crust, add a top crust, and bake as usual.
With baskets full and pantries stocked, this year’s apple crop can bring sweetness to the table long after the season ends.