Baked Apple with Cinnamon (Printable)

Tender baked apples infused with cinnamon and brown sugar for a warm, comforting treat.

# What You Need:

→ Apples

01 - 4 medium apples (Gala, Honeycrisp, or Braeburn)

→ Filling

02 - 4 teaspoons brown sugar or maple syrup
03 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
04 - 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
05 - 2 tablespoons raisins or dried cranberries (optional)
06 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided into 4 pieces

→ For Baking

07 - ½ cup apple juice or water

# How to Make It:

01 - Set the oven to 350°F to prepare for baking.
02 - Wash and core the apples carefully, keeping the bottom intact to hold the filling.
03 - Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, nuts, and dried fruits in a small bowl if using.
04 - Place apples in a baking dish and fill each core with the prepared cinnamon mixture.
05 - Place a piece of butter atop each filled apple.
06 - Pour apple juice or water into the baking dish around the apples to prevent drying.
07 - Bake the apples for 30 minutes until tender but still holding shape.
08 - Serve warm, optionally accompanied by vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It's embarrassingly easy to make but tastes like you spent hours planning something elaborate.
  • Your kitchen fills with the kind of smell that makes people ask what you're baking before they even walk through the door.
  • Works for weeknight dessert or fancy enough for guests, and nobody needs to know how simple it actually is.
02 -
  • Don't bury your apples completely in water or they'll turn mushy and lose their structure, which defeats the whole purpose of this dish.
  • The cinnamon-to-sugar ratio matters more than you'd think because too much cinnamon tastes medicinal, but too little and the filling disappears into the apple.
03 -
  • Choose apples that are roughly the same size so they finish baking at the same time and you're not fishing out some that are done while others need five more minutes.
  • A Moscato or slightly sweet dessert wine pairs unexpectedly well with these, turning a simple dessert into something that feels more intentional.

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