These Cinnamon Baked Apples are a perfect fall dessert made up of soft, tender apples in a sweet citrus syrup. Serve them warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and everyone will want a second helping!
Easy Cinnamon Baked Apples
At this point, fall is definitely my favorite season for baking. There are so many great, homey flavors and ingredients to toy around with! I mean, we’ve got pumpkin, cinnamon, apples, nutmeg… and sometimes you can even mix all four together.
Anyway, before I go off on a tangent, the main point is this: Fall is the time to whip up cozy dessert recipes, like these easy Cinnamon Baked Apples! Though there are a number of desserts that you can make with freshly picked apples from your local orchard, I’m advocating that this baked apples recipe be at the top of the list.
These tender cored apples are filled with cinnamon, brown sugar, and chopped nuts, then soaked in an orange-juice-and-brown-sugar syrup. I love the citrus-y flavor that the orange juice adds, but you can also use apple cider for a fully fall-themed dessert.
Whichever route you decide to take, I’m sure you’ll love these warm cinnamon apples as much as we do!
Recipe Ingredients
To make these simple baked apples, you’ll need just 6 ingredients. Well, technically 7 if you count ice cream as essential… and I usually do. :)
- Apples: Wash your apples thoroughly before coring them. See the next section for info on what kinds of apples to use.
- Cinnamon: They can’t be cinnamon baked apples without a little ground cinnamon! Feel free to add in a sprinkle of nutmeg or ground cloves, too.
- Nuts: Both chopped walnuts and chopped pecans will work here, you can pick your favorite.
- Brown Sugar: Light brown sugar and dark brown sugar both work.
- Butter: For extra rich flavor!
- Orange Juice: As mentioned above, apple cider also works here.
The Best Kinds of Apples to Use
There are a few different kinds of apples that you can use for this recipe. I use golden apples most often, but you can also use Honey Crisp, Fuji, Jonagold and Gala apples. Honestly, though some work/taste better than others, any apple that you have on hand should yield good results.
How to Make Cinnamon Baked Apples
Alright, now that you’re all filled in, we can get baking. These cinnamon baked apples take about 20 minutes to prep, and the hardest part is probably coring the apples. In other words, this process is super easy – but the end result looks elegant and tastes delicious! So, win-win.
Here are the step-by-step instructions:
Preheat the Oven to 375°F: Then grease a square baking dish (I used a 10×10 baking dish) with butter or non-stick spray.
Wash the Apples: And, with a knife, core each apple starting at the stem, and remove the center of the apple. Place each prepared apple in the prepared baking dish.
Make the Filling: In a small bowl, prepare the filling by mixing the cinnamon, nuts, and 1⁄4 cup of the brown sugar together. With a spoon, place the filling inside the center of each apple.
Add Butter: Divide your butter into six small pieces and place a small piece on top of each apple.
Make the Syrup: In another bowl, mix the orange juice with the rest of the brown sugar to make the syrup. Pour inside of the pan to let the apples sit in the juice.
Bake the Apples: Bake for about 50 to 60 minutes, or until the apples are soft and the syrup has thickened.
Can I Make THese in the Crockpot?
Yes! You can definitely make these cinnamon baked apples in your crockpot. Follow all of the directions on prep work (steps 1-5), and then cook them for 2 hours on high or 4 to 5 hours on low. Depending on the size of your crockpot and the apples, you may only be able to fit 5 apples in your crockpot.
Tips for Success
Whether you decide to make them in the crockpot or in the oven, I promise these apples will become an instant family favorite. Here are some tips that will help you get the best results every time you make them:
- Should I Peel My Apples? I usually don’t, but you can. Not everyone is a fan of the texture of baked apple skin, so it’s totally fine to remove it.
- Customize the Filling: Feel free to change of the spices by adding nutmeg, ground cloves, or even apple pie spice. You can also do pecans or walnuts or both.
- Can I Slice My Apples Instead of Baking Them Whole? Sure. Just mix the filling ingredients and the pieces of butter in with the apple slices, add the syrup, and bake. I would recommend baking these apples covered this way (with a lid or aluminum foil), and baking for 20-30 minutes instead of 50-60. (You can bake for longer if they’re not tender enough at that point, but you just want to make sure not to over-bake them.
Serving Suggestions
Though cinnamon baked apples are great on their own, add-ons are still welcome! I’ve got some ideas on the matter if you need suggestions:
- Ice Cream: Vanilla (or cinnamon) ice cream makes a great topping for these baked apples. Treat yourself to a scoop or two!
- Whipped Cream: If you want to skip the ice cream but are still craving a little something sweet, you could add some whipped cream.
- Fresh Fruit: The extra sweet syrup in the bottom of the baking dish/crockpot tastes great over a bowl of mixed berries!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
These apples are best fresh, but they will store well if they’re not topped with ice cream. To store, allow your baked apples to cool completely and place them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat them in the microwave before serving. You can also pop them in a baking dish and reheat them in the oven for a couple of minutes, if you like.
Can I Freeze These?
I’m not a huge fan of freezing these baked apples because the texture tends to become mushy, but if you don’t mind that too much, you can store them in the freezer. They should keep well in an airtight container for a month or so.
Cinnamon Baked Apples
Ingredients
- 6 golden apples
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ⅓ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- ¾ cup brown sugar, divided
- 2 ½ tablespoons butter
- 2 cups orange juice or apple cider
- Vanilla or cinnamon ice cream, optional for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a square baking dish (I used a 10×10 baking dish) with butter or non-stick spray.
- Wash the apples. With a knife, core each apple starting at the stem, removing the center of the apple. Place each prepared apple in prepared baking dish.
- In a small bowl, prepare the filling by mixing the cinnamon, nuts, and 1⁄4 cup of the brown sugar together. With a spoon, place the filling inside the center of each apple.
- Divide your butter into six small pieces and place 1 small piece on top of each apple.
- In another bowl, mix the orange juice with the rest of the brown sugar to make the syrup. Pour inside of the pan to let the apples sit in the juice.
- Bake for about 50 to 60 minutes, or until the apples are soft and the syrup has thickened.
- Serve baked apples warm by themselves, or you can top them with ice cream for an extra special treat!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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More Fall Baking Ideas
Looking for more easy fall baking recipes? Here are some of my favorites:
- Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread
- Caramel Apple Dump Cake
- Apple Blondies Recipe
- Pumpkin Sheet Cake
- No-Churn Apple Pie Ice Cream
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So good, easy to make and delicious.