What to Cook for Apple Spas 2026: 15 Lenten Apple Recipes

Apple Spas is observed on August 19, the Feast of the Transfiguration. In 2026 it falls on a Wednesday. The date is within the Dormition Fast, which runs from August 14 through August 27. The church calendar permits fish for the feast, but this collection keeps every recipe Lenten and centered on apples. The date and the tradition of blessing the new fruit harvest are described by Foma magazine and Pravoslavie.Ru.

Fasting practice and the use of honey can vary. If you avoid honey, replace it with the same amount of maple, date or thick sugar syrup.

Calories are estimates per 100 g of the finished dish. The exact number depends on the apple variety, oil absorption and how much moisture evaporates.

Firm tart-sweet apples work best for baking. They keep some texture after heating and do not make the batter watery.

1. Lenten apple sharlotka without eggs or dairy

Sparkling water gives this Russian-style apple cake its lift, while the apples keep the crumb moist. Use a 22 cm round pan.

Open the complete recipe with 7 step photos

Ingredients: apples 600 g, plain flour 220 g, highly carbonated water 250 ml, sugar 140 g, neutral vegetable oil 70 ml, baking powder 10 g, cinnamon 1 tsp, salt 1 pinch.

1. Heat the oven to 180 C. Slice the apples thinly and arrange half in a lined pan.
2. Mix the water, sugar and oil. Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt, then stir only until the dry pockets disappear.
3. Pour the batter over the apples, add the remaining slices and bake for 40-45 minutes. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes.

This Russian-language video shows a similar sharlotka made without eggs or milk. Use the written quantities above, which are calibrated for a 22 cm pan.

2. Lenten pour-over apple pie

A mixture of vegetable oil and hot water soaks the dry semolina layers in place of butter. Grate the apples with their peel for better texture.

Ingredients: apples 800 g, semolina 160 g, plain flour 160 g, sugar 130 g, vegetable oil 100 ml, hot water 80 ml, baking powder 10 g, cinnamon 1 tsp, salt 1 pinch.

1. Combine the semolina, flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Divide the dry mix into three portions and the grated apples into two.
2. Layer dry mix, apples, dry mix, apples and the final dry portion in a 22 cm pan.
3. Mix the oil and hot water, pour evenly over the pie and pierce it in 15-20 places with a skewer. Bake at 180 C for 50 minutes.

Time: 15 minutes prep and 50 minutes baking. Yield: 10 servings. Calories: about 200 kcal per 100 g.

3. Lenten apple strudel made with lavash

Thin lavash replaces stretched dough and cuts the work nearly in half. Check the label: the lavash should contain only flour, water and salt.

Ingredients: 2 thin lavash sheets, 400 g total, apples 600 g, sugar 60 g, raisins 60 g, walnuts 50 g, vegetable oil 30 ml, cinnamon 1 tsp, lemon juice 1 tbsp.

1. Dice the apples and mix them with the sugar, raisins, nuts, cinnamon and lemon juice.
2. Brush the lavash with oil, spread over the filling and leave a 3 cm border. Fold the sides inward and roll tightly.
3. Brush with the remaining oil and bake at 190 C for 20-25 minutes. Rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Time: 10 minutes prep and 25 minutes baking. Yield: 8 servings. Calories: about 210 kcal per 100 g.

4. Egg-free apple fritters

Apple puree binds the batter and sparkling water keeps the fritters tender. Add extra oil to the calorie count if you pour it generously into the pan.

Ingredients: apples 300 g, plain flour 180 g, sparkling water 170 ml, sugar 30 g, baking powder 6 g, cinnamon 0.5 tsp, salt 1 pinch, vegetable oil 2-3 tbsp.

1. Finely grate the apples. Mix with the water, sugar and salt.
2. Stir in the flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Rest the batter for 5 minutes.
3. Cook small fritters over medium heat for about 2 minutes per side. Cover the pan while the first side cooks.

Time: 25 minutes. Yield: 12 fritters. Calories: about 185 kcal per 100 g.

5. Apple, banana and oat cookies

Banana replaces the egg and part of the sugar. If your rolled oats are large, pulse half of them in a blender.

Ingredients: rolled oats 200 g, apples 250 g, ripe banana 120 g, raisins 50 g, vegetable oil 30 ml, cinnamon 1 tsp, salt 1 pinch.

1. Mash the banana. Grate and lightly squeeze the apple, then mix both with the oil, raisins and cinnamon.
2. Add the oats and rest for 10 minutes. Shape 12 flat cookies with damp hands.
3. Bake at 180 C for 16-18 minutes, then cool completely on a rack.

Time: 12 minutes prep and 18 minutes baking. Yield: 12 cookies. Calories: about 175 kcal per 100 g.

6. Lenten apple semolina cake

The semolina needs time to hydrate. Do not skip the rest or the finished cake may contain hard grains.

Ingredients: semolina 200 g, water 250 ml, apples 400 g, sugar 120 g, plain flour 80 g, vegetable oil 70 ml, baking powder 10 g, vanilla sugar 10 g, salt 1 pinch.

1. Mix the semolina, water and sugar, then rest for 20 minutes. Stir in the oil.
2. Add the flour, baking powder, vanilla sugar and salt. Fold in the diced apples.
3. Transfer to a 22 cm pan and bake at 180 C for 40-45 minutes.

Time: 20 minutes soaking and 45 minutes cooking. Yield: 8 servings. Calories: about 195 kcal per 100 g.

7. Dairy-free apple crumble with vegetable oil

This dessert combines a juicy filling with a crisp oat topping. Serve it warm, but let it stand for 10 minutes after baking.

Ingredients: apples 600 g, plain flour 130 g, rolled oats 80 g, sugar 90 g, vegetable oil 90 ml, cinnamon 1 tsp, lemon juice 1 tbsp, salt 1 pinch.

1. Slice the apples and toss with the lemon juice, cinnamon and 30 g of sugar. Place in a baking dish.
2. Stir the flour, oats, remaining sugar, salt and oil into coarse, damp crumbs.
3. Scatter the topping over the apples and bake at 190 C for 30 minutes.

Time: 10 minutes prep and 30 minutes baking. Yield: 6 servings. Calories: about 205 kcal per 100 g.

8. Baked apples with honey, walnuts and raisins

Choose firm apples of the same size so they cook at the same rate and keep their shape.

Open the complete step-by-step photo recipe

Ingredients: 4 apples, honey 40 g, walnuts 50 g, raisins 40 g, cinnamon 0.5 tsp, water 80 ml.

1. Cut off the tops and remove the cores without piercing the bottoms. Mix the nuts, raisins, honey and cinnamon.
2. Fill the apples, place them in a baking dish and pour the water around them.
3. Bake at 180 C for 25-30 minutes. See the full photo guide for baked apples with honey.

Time: 10 minutes prep and 25 minutes baking. Yield: 4 servings. Calories: about 120 kcal per 100 g.

9. Sugar-free apple fruit leather in the oven

Its sweetness comes entirely from the fruit, so choose ripe, fragrant apples. A 1.5 kg batch fills about one large baking tray.

Open the complete recipe with 6 step photos

Ingredients: apples 1.5 kg, water 50 ml, lemon juice 1 tbsp, cinnamon optional.

1. Chop the apples, add the water and cook covered for 20 minutes until soft. Blend with the lemon juice.
2. Spread the puree 4-5 mm thick on a silicone mat or good baking parchment.
3. Dry for 6-7 hours at 70-80 C with the oven door slightly open. It is ready when the surface is dry and the sheet peels away easily.

Time: 30 minutes prep and about 7 hours drying. Yield: about 300 g. Calories: about 235 kcal per 100 g.

A tart apple brightens crisp cabbage, while sweet aromatic fruit works best in cinnamon compote.

10. Cabbage, carrot and apple salad

You can prepare this salad one hour before serving. Much longer than that, the apples release juice and the cabbage loses its crunch.

Ingredients: white cabbage 400 g, apple 200 g, carrot 100 g, vegetable oil 30 ml, lemon juice 15 ml, sugar 0.5 tsp, salt 0.5 tsp, fresh dill 10 g.

1. Finely shred the cabbage, salt it and gently squeeze it by hand. Julienne or coarsely grate the carrot and apple.
2. Mix the oil, lemon juice and sugar until the grains dissolve.
3. Combine the cabbage, carrot, apple, dill and dressing. Rest for 10 minutes.

Time: 15 minutes. Yield: 4 servings. Calories: about 60 kcal per 100 g.

11. Fresh apple compote in a saucepan

Do not boil the apples for too long. A short simmer followed by a covered rest gives the drink a cleaner, stronger aroma.

Open the complete recipe with 5 step photos

Ingredients: apples 500 g, water 2 L, sugar 80 g, cinnamon 1 stick, lemon 2 slices.

1. Bring the water, sugar and cinnamon to a boil. Cut the apples into large wedges.
2. Add the fruit and simmer for 5 minutes after the liquid returns to a boil.
3. Add the lemon, remove from the heat and cover for 20 minutes. Serve warm or chilled.

Time: 20 minutes active work and 40 minutes steeping. Yield: 2 L. Calories: about 25 kcal per 100 ml.

Use sound fruit and clean sterilized jars. Do not reduce the specified acid, vinegar, sugar or processing time in preserves intended for long storage.

12. Apple compote for winter without jar sterilization

A double-pour method avoids processing the filled jar in a water bath. The apple pieces stay intact and the drink remains clear.

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Ingredients for one 3 L jar: apples 600 g, sugar 250 g, citric acid 0.5 tsp, about 2.5 L water.

1. Fill one-third of a sterilized jar with prepared apples. Pour boiling water to the top, cover and stand for 15 minutes.
2. Drain the liquid into a saucepan, add the sugar and citric acid, then boil the syrup for 2 minutes.
3. Pour it over the apples to the rim, seal and invert the jar. Follow the complete apple compote photo recipe.

Time: 45 minutes. Yield: one 3 L jar. Calories: about 47 kcal per 100 ml.

13. Five-minute apple jam

A short boil helps the slices hold their shape. Most of the elapsed time is for drawing the juice out of the apples.

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Ingredients: apples 1 kg, sugar 700 g, lemon juice 2 tbsp, cinnamon optional.

1. Cut the apples into thin slices, cover with the sugar and leave for 4 hours.
2. Bring slowly to a boil while stirring carefully. Boil for exactly 5 minutes.
3. Transfer to sterilized jars and seal. See the complete five-minute apple jam recipe.

Time: 20 minutes active, 5 minutes boiling and 4 hours resting. Yield: about 1.1 L. Calories: about 300 kcal per 100 g.

14. Spicy adjika with apples and tomatoes

Apples soften the acidity of the tomatoes and give the sauce more body. Follow the vinegar amount and cooking time exactly for storage.

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Ingredients: tomatoes 3 kg, apples 1 kg, sweet peppers 1 kg, carrots 500 g, garlic 150 g, 2 hot peppers, vegetable oil 200 ml, 9% vinegar 100 ml, sugar 150 g, salt 2 tbsp.

1. Grind the tomatoes, cored apples, sweet peppers and carrots. Simmer for 60 minutes after the mixture boils.
2. Add the oil, sugar and salt, then cook for another 20 minutes. Add the garlic and hot peppers.
3. After 10 minutes add the vinegar, return to a boil and fill sterilized jars. Check the complete apple and tomato adjika recipe.

Time: about 2 hours. Yield: about 5 L. Calories: about 80 kcal per 100 g.

15. Apple and pear compote with cinnamon for winter

Pears add a honeyed aroma and apples provide acidity. Choose firm fruit so the wedges do not break down.

Open the complete step-by-step photo recipe

Ingredients for one 3 L jar: apples 400 g, pears 400 g, sugar 250 g, cinnamon 1 stick, citric acid 0.5 tsp, about 2.2 L water.

1. Put the fruit wedges and cinnamon in a sterilized jar. Cover with boiling water for 15 minutes.
2. Drain the liquid, add the sugar and citric acid, then boil for 2 minutes.
3. Pour the syrup back, seal and cool under a blanket. See the step-by-step apple and pear compote recipe.

Time: 50 minutes. Yield: one 3 L jar. Calories: about 45 kcal per 100 ml.

• For sharlotka, semolina cake and crumble: firm tart-sweet apples that balance the sugar and keep their shape.
• For baking whole: medium apples of the same size with sound, strong skin.
• For fruit leather and jam: ripe fragrant fruit. Small bruises can be cut away, but spoiled apples are unsuitable for preserves.
• For compote: small firm apples or clean, undamaged wedges.
• For salad: a juicy crisp apple with noticeable acidity.

• Bake the sharlotka, semolina cake and cookies on the evening of August 18. Cover only after they cool completely.
• Start the fruit leather in the morning or the day before because drying takes 6-7 hours.
• Do not mix strudel apples with sugar ahead of time. They will release too much juice.
• Compote can be cooked and chilled a day ahead, and its flavor will become stronger.
• Cut the salad just before serving and put the stuffed apples in the oven about 35 minutes before the meal.

• Mixing sharlotka batter for too long. Stop as soon as the flour disappears or the crumb will be dense.
• Using very juicy, soft apples in a pie. Excess moisture leaves a gummy layer around the fruit.
• Slicing Lenten baking while hot. The egg-free crumb firms as it cools and then crumbles less.
• Spreading fruit leather too thickly. The center stays sticky while the edges become brittle.
• Reducing the vinegar or sugar in preserves intended for room-temperature storage.

• Lenten honey spice cake with poppy seeds
• What to preserve in August
• How to choose fruit and vegetables

The main image and recipe illustrations were created with AI.