Grilled Apples: The Unexpected MVP of Your BBQ
If you’ve mastered ribs, nailed brisket, and your neighbors are low-key jealous of your smash burgers, we’ve got another grilling challenge for you. Apples. Yes, we said what we said.
Apples on the grill are sweet, smoky, juicy, and totally underrated. They’re the BBQ sidekick you didn’t know you needed — or the star of the show if you do it right.
Grilling apples caramelizes the natural sugars, giving you a perfect mix of smoky, sweet, and tangy. You’ll look like a culinary genius with basically zero effort.
What Are the Best Apples for the Grill?
Not all apples are great with heat. Some will turn mushy and soft faster than you can say “pass the tongs.” We recommend firm apple varieties that hold their shape. Try these:
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Granny Smith, which are tart, sturdy, and provide a perfect balance with rich meats and cheeses.
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Honeycrisp—they are a fan-favorite and caramelize like a dream on the grill.
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Fuji are firm, crisp, and go well with both sweet and savory pairings.
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Pink Lady apples are known for their tang and sweetness, making them a good choice for grilling and snacking.
Whether you’re headed apple picking with your family in the fall or buying from the grocery store or farmers market, be sure you examine your apples closely. If the fruit feels at all squishy or bruised, it’s going to turn into a sad pile of apple mush on the grill. (And we don’t want to say we told you so, but…)
How to Grill Apples
The good news is that grilling apples is almost foolproof. Seriously. If you can flip a steak, you can handle some fruit. Here’s how to turn those apples into smoky, caramelized bites of magic:
Prep Your Grill
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Clean your grill using a quality grill brush or wood scraper and scrub it down.
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Preheat your grill to a medium heat (around 350–375°F) — just enough to caramelize the apples without torching them. Our Flame Boss WiFi Thermometer can help make sure you get just the right temperature range.
Prep the Apples
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Wash your apples to remove any dirt, leaves, and wax.
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Pat the apples dry with a paper towel to reduce excess moisture.
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Core the apples using an apple corer or knife — whichever you prefer.
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Slice your apples into rings or large chunks/wedges. Rings look great and don’t fall through the cracks and the chunks work great for skewers/kabobs.
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Leave the peel on to help hold everything together and add some texture.
Make Your Marinade or Flavor
One of the best things about grilling apples is that you can customize them to your liking. Sweet or savory, they’re always delicious. Here are some marinade and flavor combos to try.
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Classic Sweet: Coat your apples with melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon for a classic combo that’s always a crowd-pleaser.
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Maple Sweet: If you want a different sweet combo, brushing your apples with classic maple syrup is another great option.
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Savory: Mix a little bit of olive oil, sea salt, and rosemary or thyme for a savory flavor combo that goes perfect with pork or chicken.
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Tangy: Drizzle a bit of your favorite balsamic over the apples before and after grilling for a tangy-sweet combo that’s delicious with chicken or steak.
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Spicy Sweet: If you wanna spice things up, try a bit of honey with a little cayenne or chili powder for a spicy-sweet combo. Hot honey is all the rage right now and another great option!
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Boozy: If you want a bit of an adult twist, glaze the apples with bourbon, rum, or brandy and a splash of maple syrup.
Grill the Apples
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Oil your grates to avoid sticking
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Place your apples directly on the grate using tongs and heat gloves to avoid burning yourself.
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Grill for about 3-4 minutes per side. Whether using rings or skewers, you want to grill until you see some caramelization and those gorgeous grill marks.
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Coat your apples with extra marinade or glaze as needed
Serve
Once done, you’ll want to serve them hot off the grill. Honestly, there’s really no wrong way to eat them. Depending on whether you’re looking for more of a sweet or savory approach, here are a few ideas to help inspire your next meal.
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Eat the apple rings straight as a side.
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Pile the apple chunks on pork chops or chicken.
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Toss the grilled apples in a salad with some balsamic vinaigrette dressing.
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Drop the apples on some vanilla ice cream or yogurt for a perfect dessert.
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Add them to a grilled cheese sandwich (apple, brie, and bacon is a fire combo).
Trust us when we say you’re really only limited by your creativity.
Kick Some Ash On Your Next Grilling Adventure
Grilling apples is one of those “why didn’t I think of this sooner?” moves. They’re easy, fun, and make you look like the grill master who’s always three steps ahead.
While delicious any time of year, we know that apples are especially popular (and readily available) in the fall. With that in mind, don’t miss these handy resources for all things fall, football, and grilling.
And of course, Kick Ash Basket is here with all your must-have grilling accessories. Don’t miss our iconic baskets, cans, and dividers that are designed to up your grill game and make grilling and cleanup a total breeze.
Want more great grilling inspiration like this? Be sure to join the Kick Ash Crew — our exclusive Facebook group!