My mom was just introduced to Honeycrisp apples by some of her relatives, who apparently raved to her about how delicious and exceptional this variety of apples is, and went on and on about it. (I guess this is the kind of conversation grown-ups typically have…yikes!) This extended exaltation of Honeycrisp apples seems to have tampered with her psychology, as it drove her to make a special trip to the produce section of the grocery store the next day. While I looked for my preferred Gala or Granny Smith apples, she scooped up a couple Honeycrisps, shocking me as I have never seen her eat an apple. Never. “I hope I remember these apples,” she told me as I just shook my head and grabbed the first apples I could find for myself.

The following day, for breakfast, my mom cut up one of the Honeycrisp apples she’d selected, making the most ridiculous faces and sighs of intense pleasure. She told me, “Honeycrisp apples are not too sweet, not too tart.”

“They’re tasteless, in other words,” I summarized. “No!” she asserted, shaking her head emphatically. “They aren’t tasteless at all!” But when I asked her to describe the taste of the apple, she couldn’t seem to find the words. “I can understand how you wouldn’t like them,” she finally conceded. “But they’re perfect for my sisters and me!”

“Whatever you say,” I said, and went to the fruit basket to find an apple for myself. I distinctly remembered buying a couple apples specifically for me when we’d been at the market. But somehow, all the apples in our family fruit basket bore that same obnoxious sticker with those dreaded words: Ranier Honeycrisp. I recalled that moment at the produce section the day before, visualizing what had happened: I’d reached into the immense pile of pinky red apples without looking, too busy arguing with my mom about Honeycrisp apples to pay attention to the stickers identifying the type of apple I was purchasing. I hadn’t checked to see what I’d bought…until now.

Oh, well, I thought. Might as well give this Honeycrisp thing a try, since we happen to have them. After I taste how bad it is, I’ll have even stronger evidence that mom and her sisters are wrong. With grim resolve I washed the thing, with a deliberate stroke I cut it into pieces, and with low expectations I spread peanut butter on a Honeycrisp morsel, hoping the peanut butter’s nutty flavor might somewhat compensate for the likely tastelessness of the apple. With cold determination I opened my mouth and took a bite to find…it was delicious! More tart than sweet, but without the sourness of a Granny Smith, the Honeycrip was, well, crisp, and quite juicy and infused with just a hint of sweetness. It had its own unique flavor that I can’t really describe in words…you’ll just have to try one to see what the craze is about! I know my mom’s saying “I told her so” as she reads this, but I just can’t pretend to despise Honeycrisps anymore. They really are a special type of apple.

Feel free to use whatever type of apple suits you in these sweet pockets of succulent fruit. I used Granny Smith, since we were all out of Honeycrisp. The Granny Smith contributed some lovely flavor, but I’m sure using a Honeycrisp apple would give it a distinctive taste as well.

These are basically blintzes: fruit and cream cheese all wrapped up in egg roll wrappers and brushed with just the faintest touch of cinnamon and sugar. Serve them warm as a guaranteed crowd-pleaser!

Sweet Spring Rolls with Fruit and Cream Cheese

makes 8 rolls

Note: Ingredients listed here are what I used exactly. However, I found the eight egg roll wrappers I happened to have on hand weren’t quite enough to accommodate so much fruit. I recommend either decreasing the amount of fruit, or using the same amount but filling up a few more egg roll wrappers.

Ingredients:

for rolls

• 8 Nasoya brand egg roll wrappers
• 4 wedges Laughing Cow Smooth Sensations Cinnamon Cream Cheese Spread
• 1 small to medium banana, sliced with each slice cut in half
• 6 strawberries, chopped
• 1 medium Granny Smith apple, chopped
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, cut into smaller pieces
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• optional: 3 tbl almonds

for coating

• 2 tbl Earth Balance Original or Whipped (I used whipped because that’s what we happened to have in the house)
• 1 tbl Truvia Baking Blend
• generous dash of cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 Fahrenheit. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil, and spray with nonstick spray.

For rolls: Lay out egg roll wrappers. On each one, spread about 1/2 a wedge of Laughing Cow Smooth Sensations Cinnamon Cream Cheese Spread. Cream cheese should come almost to the very edge of the wrappers, to help seal them. Next arrange fresh and dried fruit in the center of each wrapper. Be sure to get a good mix of the different fruits in each roll. If desired, sprinkle sliced almonds in each one.

For coating: Melt Earth Balance in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl. Add Truvia and cinnamon. Mix well.

Put it all together: Roll each of the spring rolls closed however you choose. Brush with cinnamon-sugar coating.

Bake on prepared pan in 400 Fahrenheit oven for about 10 minutes.

Serve warm for a delectable delight!

Below: a rainbow of flavor…

Spread cream cheese, arrange fruit, and wrap like so:

Brush with cinnamon-sugar coating:

Bake until golden.

Enjoy!

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