Aplets & Cotlets
Quick Bite
Aplets & Cotlets are chewy Washington fruit-and-nut candies made with apples, apricots, and walnuts, then dusted with powdered sugar. They are soft, sweet, orchard-y, and basically Turkish delight wearing a Pacific Northwest sweater.
History
Aplets & Cotlets come from Cashmere, Washington, where Liberty Orchards made them into one of the state’s most recognizable sweets. The company’s roots go back to 1918, when Armenian immigrants Armen Tertsagian and Mark Balaban founded what began as an apple-growing and fruit-packing business.
The candy was inspired by lokum, the soft, chewy confection often known as Turkish delight. Washington’s orchard country gave the idea a local twist: apples for Aplets, apricots for Cotlets, and walnuts for texture and richness. The result was a fruit-and-nut candy that felt both old-world and very Wenatchee Valley.
Aplets & Cotlets became popular as gifts and road-trip souvenirs, especially from the Cashmere area. They were the kind of candy grandparents bought, tourists discovered, and Washington families associated with holidays, fruit boxes, and “we brought you something from our trip.”
Liberty Orchards has gone through ownership changes, and there was even a moment when the company appeared likely to close. But the candy survived, and Aplets & Cotlets remain a nostalgic Washington treat with a very specific soft, powdered-sugar personality.
Fun Facts
- Aplets are apple-walnut candies, while Cotlets are apricot-walnut candies.
- The candy was inspired by lokum, also known as Turkish delight.
- Cashmere, Washington, is the classic home of Aplets & Cotlets.
Where to Try
The source of Aplets & Cotlets and the essential name tied to the candy’s Washington history.
A Washington specialty-gift source that sells Liberty Orchards Aplets & Cotlets as a local food gift.
Aplets & Cotlets often appear in local gift shops, especially where Washington fruit products and regional souvenirs are sold.
About the Game
This recipe is part of Van Life Challenge, a travel-themed board game from Gray Dog Games where players explore the United States, discover regional foods, and collect memorable experiences along the way.
Each featured food celebrates a real place, a local flavor, and the kind of delicious roadside discovery that makes every trip feel like an adventure.
Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- Prepare the pan: Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment and lightly grease it.
- Bloom the gelatin: Sprinkle gelatin over cold water and let it bloom for 5 minutes.
- Start the fruit mixture: In a saucepan, combine applesauce, apricot preserves, sugar, lemon juice, and salt.
- Cook: Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until thick and glossy.
- Add gelatin: Stir in bloomed gelatin until fully dissolved.
- Add walnuts: Fold in chopped walnuts.
- Pour: Pour into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Chill: Chill for at least 4 hours, or until firm.
- Make the dusting mixture: Mix powdered sugar and cornstarch in a bowl.
- Cut and coat: Cut the candy into squares and toss each piece in the powdered sugar mixture.
- Store: Store in an airtight container with parchment between layers.
