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These Baked Apples featuring tender, soft apples filled with buttery oats, warming spices, crunchy nuts are a showstopper! It can be our little secret how easy they are to make!
If you love the flavors of apple crisp with oats or a slice of Dutch apple pie, you will love this recipe for Baked Apples. The same flavors, with minimal effort!
Cozy Baked Apples with Buttery Cinnamon Streusel
There is nothing better than a soft, sweet apple paired with a buttery, crisp cinnamon topping. It is a combination that screams fall and always warms me to the core.
And these Baked Apples deliver just that--a soft, warm apple with the most incredible filling. Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream and you have a simple dessert perfect for fall.
Happy Cooking! xo Kristen
Notes on Ingredients
- Apples: Select a firm apple suitable for baking, so the baked apples don't become mushy or meal. For a sweeter dessert, opt for Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Pink Lady. For a tarter base, choose Granny smith.
- Oats: Rolled oats, quick or old-fashioned, both work well.
- Nuts: Walnuts or pecans are both great options. Omit the oats if needed.
- Brown Sugar: To give the baked apple filling a rich, caramel-like flavor.
- Butter: To create an irresistible, buttery filling. Unsalted butter is best here.
- Spices: Cinnamon and nutmeg for warming undertones.
- Lemon Juice: Just a touch to help the apples not to brown. Fresh is best, but jarred 100% lemon juice can be used.
How to Make Baked Apples
While the process of making baked apples is incredibly easy, I have a few tips along the way to ensure incredible results.
- Prepare Apples. Wash and dry the apples. Slice off the top, then use a melon baller or spoon to scoop out the core, seeds, and some of the flesh, leaving about ½ inch of the apple intact. Discard the seeds and core, but chop the scooped-out flesh and mix it into the filling for extra apple flavor.
- For the filling, use a fork, pastry cutter, or your hands to mix the oats with the butter, sugar, and spices until just crumbly. Mix the chopped-up apples into this crumble.
- Prepare Filling. Mix the oats, sugar, and spices until combined. Add the butter and mix until crumbly. Add the apples and stir to combine.
- Stuff Apples. Stuff the cavity of each apple with the prepared crumble, then place into a greased baking dish.
- Bake. Bake until the apples are tender, yet still intact and not mushy.
- Serve. Serve the baked apples warm with a scoop of fresh whipped cream, hommade vanilla ice cream, or Instant Pot yogurt.
Allergy Modifications
While this recipe for Baked Apples is already soy-free, corn-free, and egg-free, it is easy to make this recipe also gluten-free, nut-free, and/or dairy-free with the same delicious results.
- Gluten-Free: Check to ensure your oats are certified gluten-free.
- Dairy-Free: Use your favorite non-dairy butter, such as Earth Balance. Serve with non-dairy ice cream.
- Nut-Free: Instead of chopped walnuts use an additional 2 tablespoons of oats.
More Apple Recipes
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If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Baked Apples
Ingredients
- 6 medium firm apples, washed
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- ¼ cup brown sugar, dark or light
- ¼ cup rolled oats, quick or old-fashioned
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- dash of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (175℃) and grease a 2-quart or 8 x 8 cake pan.
- Cut off the top of the apples and use a melon baller or spoon to scoop out the core and seeds of the apple, being sure to leave about ½-inch of perimeter of the apple intact. Use a pastry brush to brush the inside of the apple with lemon juice.
- Chop up the top of the apple and any remaining flesh of the apple. This should be about 1 to 1½ cups of diced apples.
- In a small bowl, mix together ¼ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup rolled oats, ¼ cup chopped walnuts or pecans, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg, and dash of salt until combined. Add the cubed 3 tablespoons unsalted butter and mix again with your hands or two forks until a crumble-like consistency is reached. Stir in the chunks of chopped apples.
- Pack the cavity of the apple with the crumble mixture.
- Place the apples in the prepared dish. Add 1-2 inches of water to the bottom of the dish, being careful not to pour any into the apples. The exact amount of water will depend on the size of your pan.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the apples, are cooked through and tender, yet not mushy, and the top of the filling is golden brown.
- Serve apples warm plain, with yogurt, or with ice cream.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Oh, WOW! These are AMAZING! Yummmy!!!!! So incredibly delicious! My autumn has just been made more wonderful with this delicious baked apple recipe!
These have all my favorite flavors of fall. I love how easy they are to throw together, too!
These apples were delicious, what a cool way to serve them!! I added a topping of homemade whipped cream and we could not get enough.
Thanks for sharing Lily! I am happy to hear you enjoyed!
You mention that the recipe is for the Instant Pot but you only give instructions for the oven. Would baked apples work in an Instant Pot? Love the recipe just want to know which way to cook.
Hi Barbara, I am not sure where you see the mention of Instant Pot? That said, I have tried baked apples many times in the instant pot and they need to be cooked in a baking dish on top of a rack for 5 minutes with natural pressure release. The texture is not my favorite I will say. I hope that helps 🙂