Name: Simple Baked Cinnamon Apples
Ingredients: 4 large, firm apples: The star of the show! It’s essential to choose the right variety. You want an apple that can hold its shape during baking and offers a good balance of tartness and sweetness to complement the filling. Varieties like Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Braeburn, or Gala are excellent choices. Their sturdy flesh prevents them from turning into mush in the oven.; 1/2 cup packed brown sugar: This provides the deep, caramel-like sweetness. The molasses content in brown sugar adds a rich, complex flavor that white sugar simply can’t replicate. You can use light or dark brown sugar, with dark offering a more intense molasses flavor.; 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats: These are not for your morning oatmeal! In this recipe, rolled oats provide a wonderful, chewy texture to the filling. They absorb the buttery, sugary juices, creating a crumble-like center that contrasts beautifully with the soft, baked apple. Avoid using quick-cook or instant oats, as they can become mushy.; 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon: This is the soul of the recipe. A generous amount of ground cinnamon infuses the entire dish with its signature warm, spicy, and sweet aroma and flavor. It’s the scent that will fill your kitchen and make everyone’s mouth water.; 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg: A pinch of nutmeg is the secret weapon. It enhances the sweetness of the apples and adds a layer of warm, nutty complexity that perfectly complements the cinnamon. It’s a small addition that makes a big difference in the overall flavor profile.; 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened: Butter brings everything together. It adds richness, helps the sugar caramelize, and creates a luscious, syrupy sauce at the bottom of the pan. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the saltiness of the dish, and softening it makes it easy to mix into the filling.; 1 tablespoon lemon juice: A splash of freshly squeezed lemon juice is crucial for two reasons. First, it prevents the flesh of the apples from browning (oxidizing) after you’ve cored them. Second, its bright acidity cuts through the sweetness of the sugar and apples, balancing the flavors and making the entire dish taste more vibrant.; 1 cup of hot water: This is poured into the bottom of the baking dish, not into the apples themselves. The water creates steam in the oven, which helps the apples cook evenly and become incredibly tender without drying out. It also mixes with the buttery, sugary juices that overflow from the apples, creating a delicious syrup for serving.

Ingredients

Scale

Here are the simple, wholesome ingredients you’ll need to create this masterpiece of comfort. Each one plays a crucial role in building the layers of flavor and texture that make these baked apples so irresistible.

4 large, firm apples: The star of the show! It’s essential to choose the right variety. You want an apple that can hold its shape during baking and offers a good balance of tartness and sweetness to complement the filling. Varieties like Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Braeburn, or Gala are excellent choices. Their sturdy flesh prevents them from turning into mush in the oven.
1/2 cup packed brown sugar: This provides the deep, caramel-like sweetness. The molasses content in brown sugar adds a rich, complex flavor that white sugar simply can’t replicate. You can use light or dark brown sugar, with dark offering a more intense molasses flavor.
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats: These are not for your morning oatmeal! In this recipe, rolled oats provide a wonderful, chewy texture to the filling. They absorb the buttery, sugary juices, creating a crumble-like center that contrasts beautifully with the soft, baked apple. Avoid using quick-cook or instant oats, as they can become mushy.
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon: This is the soul of the recipe. A generous amount of ground cinnamon infuses the entire dish with its signature warm, spicy, and sweet aroma and flavor. It’s the scent that will fill your kitchen and make everyone’s mouth water.
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg: A pinch of nutmeg is the secret weapon. It enhances the sweetness of the apples and adds a layer of warm, nutty complexity that perfectly complements the cinnamon. It’s a small addition that makes a big difference in the overall flavor profile.
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened: Butter brings everything together. It adds richness, helps the sugar caramelize, and creates a luscious, syrupy sauce at the bottom of the pan. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the saltiness of the dish, and softening it makes it easy to mix into the filling.
1 tablespoon lemon juice: A splash of freshly squeezed lemon juice is crucial for two reasons. First, it prevents the flesh of the apples from browning (oxidizing) after you’ve cored them. Second, its bright acidity cuts through the sweetness of the sugar and apples, balancing the flavors and making the entire dish taste more vibrant.
1 cup of hot water: This is poured into the bottom of the baking dish, not into the apples themselves. The water creates steam in the oven, which helps the apples cook evenly and become incredibly tender without drying out. It also mixes with the buttery, sugary juices that overflow from the apples, creating a delicious syrup for serving.

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Instructions

Follow these step-by-step instructions to ensure your baked apples turn out perfectly tender, flavorful, and beautiful every single time. The process is simple and rewarding.

Preparation and Preheat: Begin by preheating your oven to 375°F (190°C). This is a crucial first step, as a properly heated oven ensures the apples start cooking immediately and evenly. Select a baking dish that is large enough to hold all four apples comfortably without them touching. A 9×9 inch square dish or a similar-sized round pie plate works perfectly.
Prepare the Apples: Wash and dry your apples thoroughly. Now, it’s time to core them. Using an apple corer is the easiest method. Press it down through the center of the apple, from the stem end, stopping about a half-inch from the bottom. You want to create a hollow cavity for the filling, but leave the base of the apple intact to act as a “bowl.” If you don’t have an apple corer, a sturdy melon baller or a small, sharp paring knife will also work. Carefully scoop or cut out the core, being mindful not to pierce through the bottom. Once cored, brush the inside white flesh of the apples with the lemon juice. This will prevent them from turning brown while you prepare the filling.
Create the Cinnamon Oat Filling: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the packed brown sugar, old-fashioned rolled oats, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg. Stir them together with a fork until they are evenly distributed. Add the softened unsalted butter to the bowl. Using a pastry blender, a fork, or even your fingertips, cut the butter into the dry ingredients. Continue mixing until the mixture is crumbly and resembles coarse, wet sand. Every oat and grain of sugar should be coated in a little bit of butter.
Stuff the Apples: Place your cored and prepped apples upright in the baking dish. Now, take the delicious cinnamon oat filling and generously stuff it into the hollowed-out center of each apple. Don’t be shy—pack it in tightly. You can mound a little extra on top of each apple, as some of it will melt down into the apple as it bakes.
Prepare for Baking: Once all the apples are stuffed, carefully pour the 1 cup of hot water into the bottom of the baking dish, around the apples. Be careful not to pour water directly over the filling. This water bath is the key to creating a steamy environment that cooks the apples to tender perfection.
Bake to Perfection: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes. The exact time will depend on the size and variety of your apples. You’ll know they are ready when the apples are very tender (a paring knife should slide into the side of an apple with no resistance), the tops are golden brown, and the filling is bubbly. The water in the pan will have transformed into a wonderful, light cinnamon syrup.
Rest and Serve: Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven. Let the apples rest for about 5-10 minutes before serving. This allows them to cool slightly and for the molten-hot filling to set up a bit. Serve them warm, spooning some of the delicious cinnamon syrup from the bottom of the pan over each apple.

Nutrition

Serving Size: one normal portion
Calories: 400
Carbohydrates: 70g
Fiber: 7g