Description
Imagine the comforting aroma of warm spices and tender fruit filling your kitchen. These Cozy Baked Cinnamon Apples are a simple yet utterly delightful treat, perfect for a chilly evening or a sweet after-dinner indulgence. They’re naturally sweet with hints of spice, making them a wholesome and satisfying dessert. These apples bake to tender perfection, glistening with a cinnamon-kissed glaze, and are simply divine served warm with a dollop of cream or a scoop of ice cream.
Ingredients
4 large, crisp baking apples (Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Braeburn)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
Vanilla bean ice cream (for serving)
Instructions
1. Warm your oven to 375F (190C). Lightly butter or spray an 8×8-inch baking dish or a medium cast-iron skillet.
2. Wash and core the apples, then slice them into roughly 1/2-inch thick pieces. Keep the skins on.
3. Arrange the apple slices in your prepared baking dish.
4. Drizzle the lemon juice over the apples and gently toss them.
5. In a small bowl, mix the melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until a thick paste forms.
6. Pour this cinnamon-sugar mixture over the apples. If you’re using nuts, sprinkle them on top now.
7. Use a spatula to coat every apple slice evenly with the mixture.
8. Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes. Midway through, carefully stir the apples to coat them with the bubbling syrup.
9. The apples are ready when they are soft to the touch of a fork and the sauce is thick and bubbly.
10. Let the apples cool for about 5 minutes before serving warm, ideally with vanilla bean ice cream.
Notes
Your apples are ready when they are easily pierced with a fork and have softened significantly. The topping should be visibly golden and smell wonderfully fragrant.
Try to cut your apple slices to a similar thickness. This ensures they all cook evenly, so you don’t have some slices mushy and others still firm.
Ensure your butter is truly cold when making the topping. This helps the crumble stay light and crisp rather than turning pasty as it bakes.
If your apples are particularly tart, you might want to err on the side of adding a touch more brown sugar to the apple mixture. Conversely, if they are very sweet, you can slightly reduce it.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45-55 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American