Baked apples are a simple and elegant dish. Sweet, tart and crisp, whole apples are stuffed with a brown sugar and cinnamon mixture and baked until soft and tender. Our baked apples recipe is a perfect dessert for those seeking an uncomplicated, sweet treat that may be similar to apple crisp but not as time-consuming.
Easy Baked Apples
Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 apples, Gala or Fugi
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar, divided
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, divided
- dash of nutmeg, optional
- apple cider, apple juice, or water to fill the bottom of the pan
Supplies
- paring knife
- small spoon or melon baller
- 8×8 baking dish
Directions
Wash and dry apples. Using a paring knife, carefully slice around the top core from the apple. Do not cut through to the bottom of the apple. Using a small spoon with sharp edges or a melon baller, remove what you’ve cut, leaving a well.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place the apples in an 8×8 baking dish.
Next, scoop one tablespoon of brown sugar into each apple. Then separate the butter into tablespoons. Cube each tablespoon of butter into fourths. Place each cubed tablespoon of butter into a single apple. Then, sprinkle a 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon onto each apple, followed by a dash of nutmeg.
Pour 1-inch of apple cider, apple juice or water around the apples in the baking dish.
Bake for 45-50 minutes or until apples are fork-tender. Allow the apples to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve apples with homemade whipped cream or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream drizzled with caramel sauce. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Check out how you can prepare whipped cream from scratch for your baked apples!
Baked Apples To Your Tastes
Brittany Baxter
Our baked apples recipe uses a simple mixture of brown sugar and cinnamon with melted butter for a rich, saucy sweet dressing. Apple cider is used at the bottom of the pan to keep the apples from charring and drying out while baking in the oven, while also giving the apples a delicious cider flavor. For ease and convenience, swap apple cider for apple juice or water. If you’re so inclined, feel free to add a splash of rum, whiskey, bourbon or brandy to the liquid for warm, spicier notes.
Baked apples are easy to change to your tastes. If you prefer a crunchier texture, simply add some nuts to the well of the apple. Almonds, pecans, and walnuts are popular favorites.
For added sweetness and tartness – try adding some raisins, golden raisins, or dried cranberries for pops of familiar fall colors that will pop on your dish.
Alternative Baking Methods
Instant Pot Baked Apples
If you can’t wait for your baked apples to finish in the oven, there are other ways of preparing this uncomplicated dessert. If you have an instant pot, follow steps 1 and 3 in our original recipe. Then follow these steps for instant pot baked apples:
- Place your apples in a small pan, about 7 inches in diameter. Place that pan onto a trivet and place into the instant pot.
- Secure the lid on the instant pot and set to sealing position.
- Select the manual setting or pressure-cook setting; cook on high, and set time for 14 minutes. When complete, allow the pressure cooker to release, about 5 minutes naturally.
- Carefully remove the baked apples with tongs. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!
When fall hits, cozy up and dig into a warm, soft, sweet, and spicy baked apple! Our easy baked apple recipe will surely become your new go-to comfort dish to whip up in a snap!
