These cozy baked apples are filled with a buttery cinnamon sugar oat crumble and super easy to make. Enjoy warm with ice cream and a drizzle of date caramel sauce for the ultimate fall dessert!
I really try to enjoy every season but I love fall weather and flavors! As soon as those crisp mornings roll around, I’m craving all things apple (check out all my apple recipes). I can’t wait to take Liv to an apple orchard… something I have fond memories of growing up!
Whether you have an abundance of apples and don’t know what to do with them, or are just craving an apple treat, these baked apples are going to be your new go-to. They take a little bit of effort to get the apples cored but the end result is 100% worth it!
What are Baked Apples?
Baked apples are presented in all different ways! They can be sliced, chopped or whole apples but they are all baked until they are soft and juicy and usually combined with cinnamon, sugar and butter. The recipe I’m sharing today is for whole apples that are filled with a delicious buttery cinnamon sugar oat crumble. The end result is kind of like an inside-out apple crisp! Similarly, you can also try my baked pears!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
First of all, baked apples are super easy to make! The hardest part is coring the apples but then you just set and forget as it bakes and gets extra delicious.
You can make these apples ahead of time for a fancy dinner party or a simple family dessert.
They’re like single serving apple crisps making them perfect for portion control.
They are gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan – a great option for those with gluten and dairy allergies.
Here’s What You Need
apples – you want to make sure you use a firm, slightly sweet apple. I dive into this more below but I like using Honeycrisp, Fuji or Pink Lady apples!
old fashioned rolled oats – for the crumble filling. Make sure you grab gluten-free oats if needed.
coconut sugar – the less-processed upgrade for granulated sugar or brown sugar. You can use either of those if you don’t have coconut sugar on hand though!
chopped walnuts or pecans – any chopped nut works for this recipe, but I prefer the flavor of walnuts or pecans. You can also omit the nuts and use more raisins or oats if you have a nut allergy.
raisins – optional but adds extra flavor, texture and a slight sweetness to the apples.
cinnamon – the perfect spice pairing!
salt – to bring all of the flavors together.
coconut oil – unsalted butter also works. Make sure either is softened to room temperature for this recipe.
warm water, apple cider or apple juice – prevents the apples from drying out or burning during baking.
What Are The Best Apples to Use For Baking?
Like I mentioned above, you want to make sure you have a firm, slightly sweet apple for this recipe! We don’t want mushy, flavorless apples when we’re done baking. I like using Honeycrisp, Fuji or Pink Lady apples – try making a few different kinds of apples and see what your favorite is!
How to Core and Prep Apples
Fair warning: this is the hardest and most time-consuming part of the recipe! Don’t attempt this recipe unless you’re feeling patient… ha! Start by using a paring knife to cut around the core about halfway down into the apple. Make sure you don’t cut through the bottom of the apple.
Use a spoon, apple corer, melon baller or grapefruit spoon to carefully dig out the core and then scoop out more of the apple and any other seeds so you have a little cavity inside your apple that is about 1.5 inches wide.
tip!
Work slowly, be patient and take breaks if you get frustrated!
How to Serve Baked Apples
These baked apples are decadent and delicious on their own but if you want to take them to the next level… I have some ideas.
Serve with a side of vanilla ice cream. I love Halo Top Creamery vanilla ice cream, which is a low cal/low sugar ice cream that actually tastes pretty darn good!
You will wow your guests or family with this spread for dessert!
How to Store Leftovers
Leftover baked apples store really well. Allow the apples to cool slightly before storing them in an airtight container. They will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I recommend popping them back in the oven (at 375°F) to reheat but you can microwave them if you’re in a time crunch.
These cozy baked apples are filled with a buttery cinnamon sugar oat crumble and super easy to make. Enjoy warm with ice cream and a drizzle of date caramel sauce for the ultimate fall dessert!
3Tablespoonscoconut oil or unsalted butter (vegan if needed), softened to room temperature
¾cupwarm water, apple cider or apple juice
For serving: vanilla ice cream, coconut whip cream, date caramel sauce, dash of cinnamon
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Add the oats, coconut sugar, chopped nuts, raisins (if using), cinnamon, salt and coconut oil to a bowl. Mix together until combined.
Using a paring knife, cut around the core, about halfway or 3/4 down into the apple. Make sure to not cut through the bottom of the apple. Use a spoon to carefully dig out the core. Once the core is out, use a spoon to scoop out some of the apple and to dig out any more seeds so that you have a cavity about an inch and a half wide. This takes a bit of patience and arm muscle. This can also be done with an apple corer, melon baller or grapefruit spoon.
Transfer your apples to a 8 or 9 inch baking dish, standing them upright, and if they wobble you can slice a little bit off the bottom to make them more stable. Spoon cinnamon oat filling into each apple, filling all the way to the top.
Pour the warm water or apple juice/cider around the apples in the bottom of the dish. This helps prevent the apples from drying out and burning.
Bake for 45-60 minutes or until the apples are easily pierced with a fork. The longer you bake them the softer and mushier your baked apples will be.
Remove apples from the oven and spoon the liquid from the pan over the apples before serving. This adds a little moisture to the skin, but it’s completely optional.
Serve warm with coconut whipped cream or ice cream, date caramel sauce and a dash of cinnamon.
Notes
Coconut sugar: You can use granulated sugar or brown sugar instead.
Nuts: Any chopped nut works for this recipe. You can also omit the nuts and use more raisins or oats if you have a nut allergy.
Such a great fall desert! A perfect do ahead recipe for that night. I prepped the apples and filled them with the oatmeal mixture, then all I had to was add the warm water right before popping it into the oven. The vegan caramel sauce was so good too!! Thanks so much!
Such a yummy recipe!! Was having friends over for dinner and this made for a perfect fall desert! I prepped the apples, filled them with the oatmeal mixture then just needed to add the warm water right to the baking pan right before popping it into the oven. Made the house smell so good! Thank you!! The vegan caramel sauce was so good and made a decadent topping too!! A hit with
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Such a great fall desert! A perfect do ahead recipe for that night. I prepped the apples and filled them with the oatmeal mixture, then all I had to was add the warm water right before popping it into the oven. The vegan caramel sauce was so good too!! Thanks so much!
Woo!! Happy to hear these baked apples were a hit, Maureen! Thanks so much for the review and star rating. I really appreciate the feedback!
Such a yummy recipe!! Was having friends over for dinner and this made for a perfect fall desert! I prepped the apples, filled them with the oatmeal mixture then just needed to add the warm water right to the baking pan right before popping it into the oven. Made the house smell so good! Thank you!! The vegan caramel sauce was so good and made a decadent topping too!! A hit with