Best Baked Apples With Cinnamon Recipe

I’m excited to share my Best Baked Apples Recipe, crisp fresh apples stuffed with a cinnamon-sugar filling and baked until tender.

I never thought a tray of baking apples could feel like a small miracle, but this Best Baked Apples Recipe did that for me. One bite and the bright snap of the apple gives way to tender flesh, while a dusting of ground cinnamon curls into every nook and makes you look up, surprised.

I keep thinking I could explain exactly what happens, yet I kind of like that it stays a little mysterious, like there’s a secret pocket of flavor waiting. It’s simple, a touch stubborn, and it keeps pulling me back for just one more slice, every single time.

Ingredients

• Apples: high in fiber, natural sweetness, tart edge if you use Granny Smith.
• Brown sugar: gives caramel richness and moisture, adds sweetness and depth.
• Cinnamon: warm spice, lowers perceived sweetness, smells amazing when baked.
• Nutmeg: tiny but fragrant, adds cozy earthy spice, use sparingly tho.
• Butter: gives silkiness and browning, boosts flavor and mouthfeel.
• Walnuts or pecans: crunchy texture, helpful fats and protein, optional but great.
• Raisins or dried cranberries: chew, bursts of sweetness or tart punch, contrast.
• Old fashioned oats: add rustic chew, soak up juices, add fiber and body.
• Vanilla extract: tiny lift to flavor, rounds edges and smells homey.

Ingredient Quantities

• 4 large baking apples (Honeycrisp, Granny Smith or Fuji), about 2 pounds
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
• 1/4 cup raisins or dried cranberries (optional)
• 2 tablespoons old fashioned oats (optional)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
• 1/4 cup apple cider or water (optional)
• pinch salt

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Core 4 large baking apples, leaving the bottoms intact so filling wont fall out; peel them if you like, and toss cut apples with 1 tablespoon lemon juice if using to prevent browning.

2. In a bowl mix 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg and a pinch of salt.

3. Stir in the optional stuff: 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, 1/4 cup raisins or dried cranberries, 2 tablespoons old fashioned oats and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract if you want them.

4. Cut 4 tablespoons unsalted butter into small pats or cubes so it melts evenly.

5. Stuff each apple cavity tightly with the sugar mixture, press it down good so it stays packed, and top each filled apple with a pat or two of butter.

6. Arrange apples upright in a baking dish, pour 1/4 cup apple cider or water into the bottom of the dish to keep them moist and catch the juices.

7. Cover the dish with foil or a lid and bake about 25 to 30 minutes until apples are almost tender when pierced with a fork.

8. Remove the cover and bake another 10 to 15 minutes so tops brown and the juices thicken; bake longer for very firm apples, total time about 35 to 45 minutes.

9. Let apples rest 5 to 10 minutes out of the oven so the juices settle, then spoon the pan syrup over each apple and serve warm.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven set to 375°F (190°C)
2. 9-inch baking dish or similar ovenproof dish
3. Paring knife for coring and peeling apples
4. Apple corer or melon baller to remove cores quickly
5. Mixing bowl for the sugar and add-ins
6. Measuring cups and teaspoons
7. Small spoon or spatula to pack the filling into the apples
8. Aluminum foil or a tight-fitting lid to cover while baking
9. Fork or skewer to test doneness and to serve

FAQ

Best Baked Apples With Cinnamon Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Apples (Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Fuji): swap 1 for 1 with firm pears like Bosc or Anjou — they hold up well in the oven but might get a bit softer, so check them a little earlier.
• Light brown sugar: use coconut sugar 1:1, or granulated sugar plus 1 tablespoon molasses (for that molasses flavor), or about 3 tablespoons maple syrup (if you use maple cut back a bit on any added liquid).
• Unsalted butter: replace with equal amounts of coconut oil, ghee, or a plant based/butter spread; flavor will change slightly but texture stays rich.
• Chopped walnuts or pecans / raisins or dried cranberries: swap nuts for chopped almonds or toasted oats, or use sunflower/pumpkin seeds for a nut free option; dried fruit can be swapped with chopped dates, dried cherries, or apricots.

Pro Tips

1) Pick apples by feel not just name. A firm one will hold shape, but if some are super hard and some soft your bake will be uneven so try to match them, or cut the really hard ones a few minutes longer.

2) Toast the nuts and plump the dried fruit first, it makes a big flavor jump. Toss the raisins or cranberries in warm water or cider for 10 minutes so they dont suck all the moisture from the filling.

3) Level the bases if they wobble but dont core right through the bottom, just shave a tiny bit so they sit steady in the dish. Pack the filling down tight, press it in with the back of a spoon so it wont fall out as they roast.

4) Cover for most of the bake then uncover at the end to brown, and check doneness with a fork not the time on the recipe, ovens vary a lot. If the juices are too thin, slip them into a small pan and simmer to reduce until syrupy.

5) Finish with a little butter and/or a splash of vanilla or a pinch of salt right after they come out, it wakes up the flavors. Serve warm with yogurt or vanilla ice cream while the filling is gooey.