2025 Apple Recipe Contest Winners and Recipes

(Updated: Sept. 2, 2025, 6:14 a.m.)

We hosted the annual Apple Recipe Contest at the North Carolina Apple Festival on Friday, August 29th. It was a great event to kick off the Apple Festival Weekend. We received 35 entries and our judges spent the morning making some difficult decisions. Thank you to everyone who entered the contest, we saw some really creative and delicious entries.

Congratulations to our 2025 Apple Recipe Contest Winners. Find their winning recipes below:

Two women stand on an outdoor stage. The woman on the left wears a red apron and holds a "Grand Champion" ribbon. The woman on the right wears a pink shirt and a sash that says "NC Apple Ambassador." Both are smiling at the camera.

Grand Champion: 

Keira Donaldson Chouchou aux Pommes

Desserts

A frosted cake sits on a table with a red and white checkered tablecloth. The cake is decorated with red fondant apples, pecans around the top edge, and what appears to be gold leaf flakes. A small white flag with "D4" written on it is stuck into the side of the cake.

1st Place: 

Marlene Merrell We Will Survive WNC (from Hurricane Helene) Applelicious Cake
Two women are standing on an outdoor stage. The woman on the left is wearing a pink T-shirt, a black skirt, and a white "NC Apple Ambassador" sash. The woman on the right is wearing a green sweater and white pants, and she is holding a red ribbon that says "Desserts 2nd Place." Both are smiling at the camera. A large red banner is behind them.

2nd Place:

Tracey Trapp Apple Pie Short Cake Cupcakes
A photo shows two women on an outdoor stage. The woman on the left is wearing a pink T-shirt and a white sash that says "NC Apple Ambassador." The woman on the right is wearing a blue patterned dress and holding a green ribbon. Both are smiling at the camera. In the background, a large screen reads "North Carolina Apple Festival, Hendersonville."

3rd Place: 

Summer Huntley-Dale Orchard Apple Cheesecake Trifecta

Breads

A full-length photo shows two women on an outdoor stage. The woman on the left is wearing a white top and a rust-colored cardigan, and she is holding a "Breads 1st Place" ribbon. The woman on the right is wearing a pink T-shirt and a white "NC Apple Ambassador" sash. Both are smiling at the camera. A large screen behind them reads "North Carolina Apple Festival, Hendersonville."

1st Place: 

Shelby Scattergood Brown Butter Apple Cinnamon Rolls
A plate of six muffins in white paper liners sits on a table with a red and white checkered tablecloth. A small white flag with "B2" written on it is stuck in the center of the muffins.

2nd Place:

Marlene Merrell Apple Blueberry Sunrise Coffee Cake Muffins with a Buttery Streusel Topping
A woman with a long floral dress and a "Breads 3rd Place" ribbon is standing next to a young woman wearing a pink T-shirt and an "NC Apple Ambassador" sash. They are on an outdoor stage, smiling for the camera. A large screen behind them reads "Apple Festival."

3rd Place: 

Donna Freeman Italian Herb Bread

Pie/Pastries 

A woman in a black top and a woman in a pink T-shirt stand on a stage, smiling. The woman on the left is holding a ribbon, while the woman on the right is wearing a sash that says "N.C. Apple Ambassador."

1st Place:

Keira Donaldson Chouchou aux Pommes
A light-colored plate holds three apple turnovers drizzled with white icing, along with three small apples. A small white flag with "P6" written on it is stuck into one of the turnovers.

2nd Place:

Elizabeth Whitten The Orchard Scones
A woman with a long floral dress and a "Breads 3rd Place" ribbon is standing next to a young woman wearing a pink T-shirt and an "NC Apple Ambassador" sash. They are on an outdoor stage, smiling for the camera. A large screen behind them reads "Apple Festival."

3rd Place: 

Donna Freeman Apple Raspberry Pastries

Kids

A smiling boy in a white T-shirt and black shorts stands next to a young woman wearing a pink T-shirt, black skirt, and a white sash that says "NC Apple Ambassador." The boy is holding a "Kids 1st Place" ribbon. They are on an outdoor stage with a large red banner behind them.

1st Place:

Myers Pridmore Caramel Apple Pie
A girl and a young woman are standing on an outdoor stage. The girl on the left, wearing a pink T-shirt, holds a red ribbon that says "Kids 2nd." The young woman on the right is also wearing a pink T-shirt, a black skirt, and a white sash that says "NC Apple Ambassador." Both are smiling at the camera. A large red banner is behind them.

2nd Place:

Claire Winslow Apple Blondies
A photo shows a boy and a young woman standing on an outdoor stage. The boy on the left, wearing a light gray T-shirt, holds a green ribbon. The woman on the right, wearing a pink T-shirt and a white "NC Apple Ambassador" sash, smiles at the camera. A large screen behind them reads "Apple Festival."

3rd Place:

Keegan Capps Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls

Local Business Winner: 

A smiling woman in a teal tank top is standing on an outdoor stage, holding a large trophy. Next to her is a smiling young woman wearing a pink T-shirt and a white sash that says "NC Apple Ambassador." A large screen behind them reads "North Carolina Apple Festival, Hendersonville."
Fletcher Village Bakery Dutch Raisin Walnut Apple Pie

A big thank you to our judges!

And a big thank you to our prize sponsors!

2025 ARC Sponsors
Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn Email this article Print this article

Join our mailing list!

Enter your email address to receive updates.

Written By
Abigail Pierce profile picture
Abigail Pierce
More About