9 Apple Items Hitting Fast Food Menus This Fall

Fall may be synonymous with pumpkin spice mania, but apple fans know that autumn is actually prime time to enjoy their favorite fruity, comforting treats, from crisp ciders to pies and other apple desserts. It's also the time of year when fast food chains roll out their own apple-centric sweets and drinks, and we've sought out the most exciting drops for 2026. From coffee to shakes, cookies, and cakes, these are the most notable apple-themed goodies hitting fast food menus this coming fall.

This year has actually delivered a few disappointments to diehard apple fans thus far. Starbucks' popular, seasonal apple crisp drinks are missing from its fall menu this year, and other chains known for sweets and drinks — namely Dunkin' and Dutch Bros. – have also excluded apple flavors from their latest autumn-themed releases. But don't despair: Spots like Dairy Queen, Popeyes, Taco Bell, Krispy Kreme, and more have put out delightful dishes inspired by apple pies, crisps, cheesecakes, and just good old apples. 

A few of these treats qualify as some of the best new fast food items of 2026, and even better, most are available to order as of this writing. Head to the drive-thru quickly, though, as many of our picks are limited-time offerings that will eventually disappear to make way for peppermint, hot chocolate, and other winter flavors.

When we say Dairy Queen's August Blizzard of the Month is fall in a cup, most people would think "pumpkin," but it's actually a Caramel Apple Cheesecake flavor with caramel apple filling, vanilla soft serve, and cheesecake chunks. Reviewers say it's full of apple flavor balanced by the rich, melt-in-your-mouth cheesecake, making it one of the best ice cream treats to buy this month – and we mean this month, as this Blizzard will vanish come September.

Forget chicken: Sweets fans should try Popeyes' shockingly tasty miniature cheesecake desserts, including the Caramel Apple Cheesecake Cup, a fall favorite that returned to menus in July. This simple treat of caramel apple-swirled cheesecake over a graham cracker crust has been rated a 10 out of 10 by customers, thanks to its combo of fresh apple and caramelized flavors with a rich, slightly dense texture that's just like a good New York-style cheesecake.

Are you a chocolate, vanilla, or apple Frosty person? That's a legitimate question now that Wendy's has dropped the Apple Crumble Frosty Fusion, which launched on August 3. The classic vanilla ice cream treat gets an upgrade with spiced apple syrup and a sweet and crunchy oat crumble mixed in, creating a frozen dessert that perfectly embodies homemade apple crumble, according to customers. Tasters appreciate that the apple spice notes are especially strong, not wimpy.

On August 18, McDonald's launched four Caramel Apple Pie McCafé drinks: an iced coffee, hot and iced lattes, and a frappe, all made with caramel apple pie syrup, apple pie crumble topping, and salted caramel whipped topping. While it sounds nice enough, McDonald's new fall coffee is actually getting roasted by fans who say the flavor is too artificial — even chemical- or candle-like. However, the frappe won some customers over, so it may be worth trying.

Made with a rich caramel apple filling inside a crispy empanada shell, Taco Bell's Caramel Apple Empanada was a fan-favorite dessert until it was discontinued in 2019. After seven years, the chain finally brought it back on August 18 as part of a 2016-themed throwback menu, and customers agree that this fast food fall dessert is still worth all the hype. It's warm, crunchy, creamy, and full of apple bits for a nice fruity flavor.

Nothing Bundt Cakes has an upcoming drop that apple lovers can't miss. An Apple Pie Cake will arrive on September 14, featuring spiced cake with cinnamon apples and a brown sugar streusel topping. The new flavor is already drawing hype from customers, who should make sure to try it before it leaves menus on September 27. Additionally, Nothing Bundt Cakes is giving a nostalgic childhood treat new life with a Cosmic Brownie-esque Galactic Brownie Cake.

If you're bummed about the lack of Starbucks apple crisp drinks this fall, Krispy Kreme has new hot, iced, and frozen Apple Crisp Lattes that could stand in. Launched on August 11, these drinks blend espresso, milk, and apple crisp-flavored syrup, topped off with whipped cream, a caramel drizzle, and cookie topping. Reviewers note that they're very sweet and a bit artificial-tasting, despite being naturally flavored, but they may be better than McDonald's apple coffee drinks.

Crumbl's brand new Caramel Apple Crisp Cookie is more like a mini apple crisp than a cookie, but it's tasty regardless. This treat debuted on June 29 to positive reviews, with customers enjoying the warm, gooey, rich texture with cinnamon, apple, and caramel flavors in harmony, balanced by a scoop of light vanilla bean mousse and more caramel on top. Don't forget to grab a fork if and when this autumnal treat returns to future Crumbl weekly lineups.

Wienerschnitzel may not be the most popular chain in America, but fast food fans say its Apple Pie Shake and Sundae are two of the best apple items of 2026. Customers love the rich consistency of the shake with pieces of cinnamon apples throughout, while the sundae has more noticeable pieces of crunchy graham cracker to go with the creamy vanilla soft serve. These treats are limited edition, but still available at Wienerschnitzel as of this writing.