This recipe is actually a fully reworked version of one of my oldest desserts: Individual Pear and Apple Crisps. You’ll find the full recipe below, but are some key elements that make this recipe work:
Choose your apples wisely.
Honey crisp and Gala apples worked best in my recipe tests (I also tried Granny Smith and Fuji). If I had to choose, I’d pick Honey crisp, as shown in these photos. They are substantial in size, full of flavor and vibrant even after baking.
Prepare the apples carefully.
This baked apple recipe yields beautiful and delicious results, in large part because of how we slice the apples.
Slicing off the tops of the apples gives us easier access to the insides for scooping and provides greater surface area for steam to escape from the apple flesh, reducing the likelihood that the skin will split open. The tops create a micro-environment that helps the apple bake evenly throughout and prevents the filling from becoming too golden. All that, and the apple tops are cute .
Add water.
Once you’ve nestled the prepared apples into a square baking dish, pour some water into the dish. The water will help steam and soften the apples while they bake, preventing them from drying out.
These delightful baked apples turn out perfectly, every time! This baked apple recipe features tender apples stuffed with a buttery oat filling. It’s easy to make gluten free, dairy free and nut free.
INGREDIENTS
- 4 medium Honeycrisp or Gala apples
- ½ cup old-fashioned oats
- ¼ cup lightly packed coconut sugar or brown sugar
- ¼ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional but recommended)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of fine salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ¾ cup water
- Optional serving suggestions: Scoop of vanilla ice cream or plain Greek yogurt
If you’re short on time, you can “bake” your apples in the microwave. Prep the apples as the recipe instructs. Put them in a deep, microwave-safe casserole with a cover. Microwave for 4 minutes and check on the apples. When they are ready, they’ll be tender and a little slouchy, but not mushy. You may need to microwave them for a total of 10 minutes, depending on the size and variety of apples, as well as the wattage of your microwave.
