These Baked Apples are cooked to perfection with the warm, comforting, flavours of butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and ginger. This recipe is one you will turn to over and over as it is quickly and easily made with simple ingredients that you may already have on hand. Your home will fill with the tantalising aroma of apples and warm spices.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- This is a recipe made from readily available ingredients and thankfully can be enjoyed all year.
- It is evidence that the simplest recipes are often the best, and the ones we most turn to.
- The apple segments do not become mushy; they are baked until tender, but still holding their shape.
- You can enjoy them as a stand-alone dessert, or for breakfast with your favourite cereal and a dollop of yoghurt.
- You can easily increase the recipe to suit larger numbers.
- They are naturally gluten-free and nut-free.
Recipe Inspiration: apples and warming spices are a match made in heaven. Like my Stewed Apples, this is a simple recipe that is so flexible.
Ingredients and Substitutions:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
- Apples – I used Pink Lady, but you can use Honeycrisp, Fuji, Granny Smith, or a combination of whatever you may have on hand.
- Light brown sugar – adds caramel sweetness.
- Ground cinnamon and ground ginger – are warm, aromatic spices. Ensure your spices are fresh for the best flavour.
- Sea salt – a small amount brightens the flavours.
- Unsalted Butter – adds silkiness to the sauce. To make the Baked Apples dairy-free and vegan, use an appropriate substitute.
- Lemon juice – the acidity brightens the flavours and helps prevent the apples oxidising.
Variations:
Spice – vary the spices to suit your taste. You could use star anise, nutmeg or cloves.
How To Make Baked Apples:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
1 – Prepare your apples:
Peel the apples and cut in half. Use a sharp knife to remove the core from each half. You will also need to trim the woody part on the bottom of the apples. Cut each half into quarters. Add the apples and lemon juice to a large baking dish.
2 – Prepare your spice blend:
Combine sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and salt in a small bowl.
3 – Combine in your baking dish:
Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon mixture over the apples. Dot the butter over the top and put the baking dish into your preheated oven.
4 – Bake until tender:
After about 10 minutes, remove the dish from the oven and gently turn the apple pieces over. Return to the oven for a further 10-12 minutes or until cooked to your liking. Remove from the oven, toss the apple in the juices, and then serve.
Hint: the total cooking time will vary depending on the type of apple you use, and how tender you like them.
Tips for Success, Storage and FAQs:
I prefer to peel them as the peel tends to become tough when baked.
Yes, they can. Cool them completely then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. As the sauce contains butter, it will solidify slightly, so they are best if gently reheated on the stove or in the microwave.
They can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Depending how long they were initially cooked, they may be softer after defrosting.
Top Tip:
To ensure that all the sauce ingredients are properly combined, be sure to gently stir the apples a couple of times.
Serving Suggestions:
You will find so many ways to enjoy these Baked Apples. For instance, you could:
- Serve them for breakfast with a dollop of plain yoghurt, topped with walnuts and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
- Warm them and serve with my No-Churn Vanilla Ice Cream. Like my Stewed Pears, the contrast of the warm apples against the cold ice cream is so good. To add some crunch, my Chewy Amaretti Cookies are great companions.
- Serve them with our Oat Flour Waffles or Pancakes.
- Partner them with my Caramelised Yoghurt Cream – they are so good together.
The warm, comforting fragrance of these easily made Baked Apples is reminiscent of autumn/fall, but in many places, you will be able to enjoy them throughout the year. They are light enough to be served in warm weather but provide a sense of cosiness when served warm in cooler weather. I do hope that you enjoy this family favourite.
Alex xx
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Baked Apples
Please note:
For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results. All oven temperatures listed are for fan forced.
Ingredients
- 6 medium apples – I use Pink Lady – prepared weight 725 g (1.6 lb), after peeling/coring See Note 1
- 70 g (⅓ cup) light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter – cut into small cubes See Note 2
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200 degrees C (390 F).
- In a small bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. Set aside.
- Peel the apples and cut them in half. Use a sharp knife to remove the core from each half, along with any stringy fibres that run from the stem to the core. You will also need to trim the woody part on the bottom of the apples.Cut each half in quarters so you have eight pieces per apple.
- Add the apples and lemon juice to a large baking dish and toss together. Sprinkle with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. (My baking dish is approximately 21 cm X 30 cm (8 ¼ x 12 inches).Dot the butter over the top in approximately 1 teaspoon pieces and put the baking dish into the oven.
- After about 10 minutes, remove the dish from the oven and gently turn the apple pieces over.Return to the oven for a further 10-12 minutes or until cooked to your liking. The total cooking time will depend on the variety of apple you use, and how tender you like them – I personally prefer them to still hold their shape.Once cooked, remove from the oven and toss the apples so they are well coated in the juices.Serve with yoghurt, ice cream, granola or enjoy on their own.
Notes
- Apples: I have used Pink Lady Apples. If you prefer, you can use Honeycrisp, Fuji, Granny Smith or a combination of whatever you may have on hand. Different apples will produce a different texture and level of sweetness, so you may need to adjust accordingly.
- Tablespoon: we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20 ml (4 teaspoons).
- Storage and re-heating: add the cooled apples to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. As the sauce contains butter, it will solidify slightly, so they are best if gently reheated on the stove or in the microwave.
- Freezing: allow to cool and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Depending on how long they were initially cooked, they may be slightly softer after defrosting.
Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional Disclaimer:
The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
Oscar
I just made these Baked Apples, and they’re perfect! The butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and ginger make them so warm and comforting, and the whole house smells amazing.
Alexandra Cook
Thank you, Oscar 🙂
I am really happy you enjoyed this recipe! Alex xo