This post was written by a guest blogger.
Every year growing up, my family would drive up to Apple Hill in Placerville, California and buy several huge boxes of apples. Cooking, mashing, and canning those apples became a tradition our family loved –not to mention enjoying insane amounts of the best homemade applesauce in existence.
(That reminds me. Time to text Mom and get the recipe – that’ll definitely be one for the blog!)
Ever since then, I’ve been an apple snob. I haven’t bought anything but a Fuji in years because those were our family faves. Of course, this baked apple recipe doesn’t require you to be as picky as I am. Really, any sweet apple will do, such as a Gala or maybe even a Golden Delicious.
The first time I ever tasted a baked apple happened just a few months ago. One night, I was craving something sweet, but my husband and I were trying to be good eaters. A couple of years ago, we would’ve zipped over to Cold Stone for a massive cup of ice cream complete with cookie dough batter, fudge, and all sorts of stuff that gives real food eaters the heebie-jeebies. And diabeetus.
My husband decided to make baked apples (which I had never even heard of), and I was excited for this new treat! Really, that’s the secret to being good – you have to have a bunch of go-to recipes in your repertoire to satisfy just the craving you’re having. Or you’ll end up eating a heart-attack-in-a-cup, like we used to.
My favorite part about these baked apples is the gooey syrup that oozes out when you cut a slice of the apple– perfect for dunking individual slices. YUM!!
Guys, this recipe is super-duper easy. Just cut, fill, and bake and you’ve satiated that sweet craving.
Okay, enough talk about how amazing these healthy sweet treats are! Down to business.
Cinnamon Baked Apples
Ingredients
- 2 TB butter softened
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 TB brown sugar
- 2 apples such as Fuji, Gala, or Golden Delicious (preferably organic since apples are on the dirty dozen list)
- 2 TB dried fruit or nuts, I like to add cranberries, raisins, and pecans, optional
- 1/4 cup apple juice or water, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cut out the cores of the apples (this tool is handy) about 3⁄4 of the way down. Make sure not to cut all the way through or the good stuff will fall out the bottom when it melts!
- Mix together all the ingredients and plug into your apples. Usually we sprinkle the top with more cinnamon.
- Place apples on cookie sheet (or muffin pan) and put it in the oven for 30 minutes. For extra-tender apples add the apple juice or water to the sheet.
- Take apples out and allow to cool a few minutes before serving.
- Yields two apples; can easily double or triple recipe as needed.
Nutrition
Note from Kristin: My apple supply is a bit limited right now, so I used Granny Smith apples (a sour variety) and they were delicious in this recipe! I poured a couple of tablespoons of heavy grass-fed cream over each apple for a special breakfast treat. YUMMO!
Erin Smith blogs with the husband over at Eat Real Stay Sane. She’s abnormally obsessed with peanut butter, teddy bears, and science fiction. Also, she will accept any picture of border collie puppies. Or real border collies. Follow her on Facebook and her blog.
What size of Muffin tin do you use?
Do you peel the apple around the top or middle to prevent it from bursting?
Hey Vickie, I use a standard-size muffin tin, but this will depend on the size of your apples. Another option is to cut the bottom of each apple to create a level surface and place the apples in a baking dish, standing up. I don’t peel the apple around the top or middle, but you could if you want.
Hi there,
This looks divine and I’m instantly craving it! I’m curious to know what the apple juice or water does? Want to make sure I know before I make this goodness.
Hey Kathy, I think you’ll love the baked apples :)! The water or juice adds moisture to the pan, and produces very soft, moist apples.
Yum! Baked apples are wonderful!!
Thanks, Cece. They are the perfect fall treat.
What a beautiful and simple recipe. And I just adore that precious muffin tin! Great photos and post! Thank you for sharing, Erin!
Thanks Kelly! It is SO easy and I’m all about easy recipes. Kristin has to be credited for the cute muffin tin though 😉 I love her pictures that she does.
Thanks, Erin! We love these apples :).
Oh my god I loooove fall recipes! Yay for cinnamon + apples 🙂
Thank you, Medha! I love fall as well. There’s nothing like pumpkin, apples, and cinnamon!!!!
Definitely can’t go wrong with cinnamon and apples! 🙂
That is a brilliant idea to add milk to that tasty stuff and have it like a cereal! Mmmmm!!