This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of The Marzetti® Brand. The opinions and text are all mine.
Ever heard of apple carving?
I suppose just about everybody has carved pumpkins at one time or another but what about apple carving? I have to admit – I had no idea this was a thing. Until I went to Pinterest…holy apple-carving Batman! Wow! There are some really talented folks out there. Psst: Don’t miss the $50 Visa Gift Card Giveaway below! We’re celebrating fall, y’all!
Great for all ages
Using apples makes it a lot easier to hold and to carve. We used pumpkin carving tools since they are much safer to use than knives. Apple skin is really soft so you could even use plastic knives or spoons. Plus, you can totally eat the apple that you discard as you carve. Ha! Grab some food-safe markers and you can add color to your carvings!
Gather the family ’round!
This was such a fun activity for my family to try. We are no Michaelangelo’s but it was such an easy, breezy and affordable activity. Plus, we set aside some apples just to snack on while we worked. I think we snacked more than we carved since we had some Marzetti® Old Fashioned Caramel Dip on hand. I mean, it was made to go with apples. Thick, rich and creamy and a must-have at our fall fun! Turn up the music and start a new family tradition!
How to get started
Use any kind of apples or even pears! I grabbed a few different kinds: Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Gala and a couple different types of pears. 
Lemon Juice Helps
This isn’t absolutely necessary but it will keep the apples from turning too brown too quickly on you. And if you aren’t going to eat your apple creations, this will help them last for a couple of days. I just put about 2 tbsp. of lemon juice with a cup of water and mixed it up into each of these spray bottles. As you carve, keep spraying a little on as you go.
My Mom was in town for the week so we had her join in on the fun. She absolutely loved it and kept saying “This is so relaxing!” She actually made a little fruit basket with her apple and a pear squid. So cute!
Easy to set up and clean up!
At everyone’s spot at the table, I taped down some parchment paper. I also put plenty of paper towels out too. This all helps with the cleanup later (which I, of course, made everyone participate in that fun too!) The family that carves and cleans together, stays together 🙂 
Alex’s apple looks like a Lucha Libre wrestler. I call it “Luscious Libre.” 😉 
Melon ballers are used for so much more than melons!
Gene decided to make a jack-o-lantern with his apple. He used a melon baller to scoop out the inside and it was crazy easy. He ate all the apple “guts” too. You can’t do that with pumpkins! Dip those apple pieces into the Marzetti® Old Fashioned Caramel Dip and carve. Eat, dip and repeat!
We wanted this one to stay around for a couple of days so we could put a tea light into it and let it glow like a pumpkin. Gene squirted his apple often with lemon juice to keep it from browning.
I decided to go with a red pear. At first she was going to be a beauty queen pear with eyelashes. Then somewhere along the way I decided she was a little more hillbilly and fun! Hey, you gotta let the art speak to you. 😉
We even carved a few extra apples just to spread our Marzetti® Old Fashioned Caramel Dip into.
I’m thinking these would be perfect for holiday parties. Isn’t caramel with apples purdy?
Apple carving really is such a fun family and friends activity. Invite folks over, turn on the music and have a great time. 
I’m thinking apple carving parties are totally gonna become a thing. You heard it here first. 😉
Happy Apple Carving!
My favorite fall activity is road trips to see the leaves changing color and also going to Harvest Festivals.
I love to decorate pumpkins in the fall!
We enjoy driving around to look at the fall colors. ???? Thanks for posting such a fun idea! I hate carving pumpkins but we can do apples!
Getting dressed? Haha I love fall fashions. Also cooking/baking – nothing like welcoming the warming of the house instead of dreading it! Hot apple cider… everything about fall is great 😉 Thanks for this!
I like taking my kids to the pumpkin farm and buying pumpkins and produce.
I like wearing costumes for Halloween.
my favorite fall activity is football and tailgating. Love the fall foods, apples and caramel is on the top of the list.
The Apple carving is such a cute and great idea! Simple, fun, and perfect for the little ones. Thank you for sharing.
We go to the state fair. I love it!
Love the apple carving idea abd the caramel dip!
Fall is my favorite time of year . The beautiful colors , smells and food . I love making baked apples , pumpkin bread , pumpkin roll and so many more . We used to carve apples to make witch heads . They dry and look awesome .
Our favorite fall activity is hayrides and pumpkin picking at our local farm ????
I love this idea. We’ve got a ton of apples and this will be a great way to use them.
I love to walk my dogs in the multi-colored leaves and hear that rustle under our feet in the crisp fall air!
My favourite fall activities are apple and pumpkin picking! I also love baking pumpkin cakes and apple pies and making my own cider.
I guess my favorite fall thing is taking pictures of the beautifull trees bush etc in their fall finery.
I have 3 apple trees that just started producing this year. This a great activity for the nieces and nephews
I like making quilts,wall hangings and table toppers out of Halloween fabric or fall colors fabric.
I love getting out my soup and Apple recipes this time of year. My house sure smells good!!
Love pumpkin and apple picking this time of the year!
I love to make fresh apple pie in the fall. After all an apple a day keeps the Doctor away.
Football!!!
I love all the decorating! Pumpkins, spiders, cats, OH MY!!!
My favorite fall tradition is celebrating my birthday. Bonfires and hoodies are icing on the cake
We love going to our local Mountain community to pick apples and have a piece of freshly baked apple pie!
Baking! After a summer at the grill, it’s nice to turn on the oven for baking and casseroles!
I like to go to the mountains and pick apples, but the drive is what makes it really special. Love to see the beautiful fall colors on the trees.
My favorite fall activity is baking for the various holidays.
I love baking this time of year!!!! On cool mornings it is so nice to have breads or cookies baking in the oven, the aroma is awesome.
Love taking hikes! Look at the fall colors!…cheers…Gina F.
My favorite fall activity is hanging out with friends around a bonfire and taking the kiddos to the pumpkin patch!
We’ve gone to the same pumpkin patch for years. It’s just not fall until we go.
Nope, no thank you, I will pass. I don’t have a favorite fall activity, my kiddos are grown up and the activities have stopped.
I love decorating my house and going to our local apple farm here in East Tennessee!
decorating my house and planning for Oktoberfest
parties and Halloween parties,and now doing your
apple carvings.I usually make camel dip,but this is so much
easier and for a great display.Thank-You!
Fall is my favorite time of year.
Have to try carving!
Going to pumpkin patch, buying pumkins, and mums. Decorating the yard.
I like to walk in the fallen leaves.
One of my favorite fall activities is turning my oven back on to back delicious fall goodies! My oven doesn’t get turned on during the hot and humid months of summer, so fall is something we look forward to! I enjoy baking and making home cooked meals.
Fall is my favorite season. I love decorating with pumpkins and indian corn and making homemade applesauce with apples from the farmers market
My favorite fall activity is driving to the mountains and looking at the leaves.
I live in Florida and would love to start holiday cooking but it is still too hot!
I love sweater weather! The trees , the smell autumn is my favorite season. And of coarse food is great too!
I love all the stuff you make, and so does the family 🙂 thank you for all of the love and effort you put in to these amazing dishes
Love,
The Barrett’s
My favorite fall activity…. anything apple, and pumpkin, after walking in the leaves. Fall is my most favorite season.
Making pumpkin. Cake.
I love cooking soups, stews, and Roasts, all the comfort food.
I LOVE fall craft fairs, casseroles, cutting firewood, raking leaves, cleaning out the barn and wearing sweatshirts. Then there is trick or treating, pumpkin carving, and school halloween parties. And…anything ORANGE!
We took a drive from NJ to Vermont to see the leaves in their glory. I love to decorate my house for the fall. I love to make soups and chili with crusty bread. There are many things to love this time of year.
I love everything about fall. The cooler weather makes me so much happier with everything and everyone!
I love to decorate the house in all the fall themes and have the house smelling of fall scents( apples. Pumpkins and cloves)
I Love going to The Fall Festivals and taking road trip to see the Fall Colors
Love to make and eat all things pumpkin spice
Awesome! Love the idea
This is my favorite time of year. Love going to Carver’s Apple Orchard in Cosby each fall, buying fresh apples (and fried apple pies), looking at the gorgeous fall leaves, wearing sweaters and boots!!!
I love to go to the pumpkin farm and do the hayrides and the corn maze!
I love going to Fall festivals and hay rides.
Apple picking is the best!
What a very cute idea!
Weekend trips to nowhere just to see the changing colors. Putting on a warm sweater and sitting on the porch watching the trees sway in the breeze.
Fall brings us some of the best beach days of the year so spending time on the beach is our favorite activity.
Visiting the pumpkin patch with my sister, then carving our pumpkins and toasting the seeds
My favorite fall activity is camping in the N. Ga mountains and going to all the Apple Barns.
Our family goes on an annual fall picnic to Letchworth State Park, the Grand Canyon of the East, here in NY state. Lots of food, soup, chili, games, hikes. A wonderful time together.
I love decorating my front porch and baking pumpkin bread. Thanks for a great giveaway.
My favorite thing to do in the fall is cook lots of homemade soups, chilis and stews the crockpot. I love warm food when it’s cold.
One of my favorite fall activity is carving the pumpkin, while roasting the pumpkin seeds! 🙂
We like to visit a local farm/orchard for picking out pumpkins, going on hay rides, and going through a corn maze.
This is such a fun idea! Everything about the Fall season appeals to me!
I love taking nature walks with my son and Watching the leaves fall
Love going thru the pumpkin patch with the girls.
Great idea I love this have to do this with the grand kids
Normally I would say fall baking, but my little guy is so excited for all of the upcoming holidays he has me excited for them too!
I love going with the family to the pumpkin patch each fall!
Creating a cool Jack-O-Lantern.
I love walks in the crisp air, the leaf colors, and the fall festivals!
I look forward to the spectacular fall colours!
I love baking with pumpkin and apples (and eating the results!).
In the fall I like to go apple picking and do a lot of baking
My favorite fall activity is attending all of the fall festivals and craft shows!
My favorite fall activity is spending the day at the pumpkin patch with my family.
Thank you for the wonderful giveaway
Erin
I love taking my children to the pumpkin patch and watching them select their pumpkin.
LOL I just added carmel dip to my grocery list! Already have the apples!
My favorite things to do for Fall is to color Fall pictures and put them up in the house. I also enjoy putting up Fall and Halloween decorations. I used to love watching our sugar maple change colors day by day, but we lost it a few years ago. Too many bugs and lightning strikes.
I enjoying using honey pumpkins to make tasty pumpkin bread for family and friends.
I love decorating my yard with pumpkins and corn stalks!!!
I love having bonfires and making chili. I really enjoy the cooler weather and hiking in the woods ????
I love making pumpkin bread this time of year!
Love fall festivals and carving pumpkins with my grandkids.
I think apple carving is going to become a favorite! My favorite, now though, is a toss up between hiking and fall decorating.
I love pumpkin anything! I love to bake. ..I also am loving your Apple idea!
Love being outside picking up pinecones, taking walks and looking at the harvest moon.
My favorite thing about fall is football and everything apple! I especially loved to make a great spiked cider..so yummy!
The thing I love to do for the holidays is making my family’s 3 favorite cheesecakes: sweet potato cheesecake, caramel apple cheesecake and cherry cheesecake. There is never any left overs when we have these 🙂
I remember cute little elderly people dolls years ago whose faces were intricately carved from apples and dried making them so distinctive and unique.
These apples would be such a fun project after an autumn family outing. Thanks for the great idea.
I enjoy decorating my door with fall wreaths, and making them for my friends, and others who may asked me to make one for them.
I also enjoy making treats for my small kids in the family such as Halloween, and Christmas.
I love everything about fall. The colors, the smells. Apple cider and pumpkin pie, mulled cider, etc. I love walking in the falling leaves and making smores and carving pumpkins with my grandkids.
I love the opportunity to bake any time of the year but it’s especially fun now that the weather is cooler! My granddaughter has been helping me so that doubles the pleasure!!
My favorite thing to do in the fall is to go to the Pumpkin Patch with our grandchildren and see all the pretty colors in the woods on the drive up there. Thank you for the wonderful idea of apple carving and for the wonderful giveaway.
Making pumpkin and apple pies.
I love Fall baking, and taking Fall road trips.
My favorite fall activity is decorating and baking.
Both of my son’s birthdays are in October. Love fall!
I love to go leaf “peeping”!
For sure the first thing is decorating the house inside and out!
I love a daycation in the mountains – looking at the colorful leaves and finding (or picking) apples to bring home for fall cooking.
I love all the decorating!
My favorite fall activity is going to the local high school football games and watching my granddaughter cheer. Also, on Sunday afternoons we attend our grandson’s midget league football games. The cool weather is nice to enjoy and the beautiful colors of the trees.
Baking pumpkin goodies and decorating my house for fall/Halloween!
My favorite fall activity is going to the Great Smokey Mountains to see the leaves change. They are spectacular!
Love the alternative to pumpkin carving….at least my kids would get to enjoy eating the apples after they carved them lol. I enjoy using up the seeds from the pumpkins we carve to make spicy pumpkin seeds…..then the pumpkin hits the compost when it’s done so I get another use out of it. My favorite fall activity would be gardening since it’s cooled off where I live and I can enjoy the outdoors more.
Baking and decorating
My favorite fall activity is decorating for Halloween and Thanksgiving! I love the fall colors.
I love decorating my house for Halloween and baking anything with applies or pumpkin!
I love decorating my house and baking with pumpkin!
I have to add theses ideas to our halloween feast
My hubby love fresh apple pie and other apple desserts, and I love baking them for him
My favorite fall activity is Going to Haunted Houses! Also wearing all the flannel my heart could want. :]
Fall to me is a time where cooler weather permits for using the oven again without heating up the whole house. It is a time to enjoy the crispness in the air and see the leafs turning colors. Selecting pumpkins, mums and cornstalks to decorate our yard is a family time we always enjoy. All in all the Fall season is one of my favorites.
I love everything about the fall, and Halloween, I would have to say my favorite thing to do is visit the apple orchards at this time of year.
Great ideas! We love baking and sitting around a warm fire enjoying family and friends.
I love seeing everyone slowly decorating for fall in the area we live in. It starts slowly and then really picks up steam right before Halloween and lasts till new years.
I love the fall colors (which is something we don’t see here in Houston TX). I love to craft with all the fall colors I can find at Michaels and Hobby Lobby, These fall colors relax me and make me very happy.
Just like you, I had never heard of apple carving before – thanks for enlightening me!
I love all the sights and smells of fall – seeing the leaves change colors, all the fall decorations, and the smells of baking (pumpkin, cinnamon)!
Oooo!! Apple carving is a cool idea! My favorite fall activity would be baking with all the fall flavors, like squash and apples!
Leaf watching and baking. The weather is finally cooling off enough to use the oven again! 🙂
we like to go apple picking and pick our pumpkins out of the patch
We enjoy riding through the woods catching the deer crossing the road and the changing of the leaves!!
My favorite fall activity is picking fresh apples from the tree, making fresh apple pies and walking while its nice and cool outside. I just love Fall being in the air!!
These are very cute and different. I love to decorate the house…every room of course. As well as the outside. Once I get started there’s no stopping me.
My favorite fall activity is to decorate the house.
Can’t wait to try this with the grandsons. They love to carve pumpkins. I’m sure they’ll love carving out the apples.
Fall is my favorite time of the year, love all the colors of changing trees and find the cool air quite refreshing.
Just baking in general. Apple pie. Pumpkin pie. Breads. Just love it.
Baking anything & everything pumpkin!
making crafts to take to state fairs and visiting the state fair and pumpkin patches
My favorite fall activity is cooking/baking. I love all the seasonal produce and the cooler weather makes it easier to deal with the heat from the kitchen.
I love cooking with new crop apples in the fall. Haven’t tried carving but love the idea of carving out the inside as a vessel for a dip!
I love doing quite a few things in fall, going for walks, baking , picking apples and pumpkins, love roasting pie pumpkins to make homemade pumpkin pie, THE ONLY thing I need to learn to do is make crust , it always fails for me.
I love cooking new recipes in large batches to freeze so over the winter when a big snowstorm we can just heat up a nice soup or stew
Going to the mountains and driving around looking at the changing leaves.
My favorite activity is the annual color tours we go on. But I also love the baking I can do after the sweltering summer.
My favorite activity would have to be hands down making Apple pie. I like to make it when the Charlie Brown episodes come on for Thanksgiving. That’s my favorite. Sitting down with family eating dessert and watch tv. LOVE!!
I love baking! Pumpkin bread. fresh apple cake, holiday favorites, the whole works!
Thanks for the chance to win!
I love to rake the leaves in the fall and do some baking.
I love baking pumpkin bread and banana nut bread in the Fall.
Making fresh pressed apple cider and caramel apples are my favorite fall activities.
We love going to the apple orchard & pumpkin patch!!
We enjoy watching the Fall colors come out!
I love decorating for fall and all of the yummy pumpkin recipes
going to the pumpkin patch
Definitely, baking. I love making caramel apples, pumpkin muffins, and butternut squash.
we like to go pumpkin picking and we make applesauce
Baking for the holidays…..yum!