Growing up, baked apples were a delicious fall treat we enjoyed as an after-dinner dessert. I loved how the house smelled like apples, cinnamon, and comforting sweetness. There are variations of this dessert. Some fill the center of the apple with raisins, walnuts, brown sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon and top them with whipped cream. However, we always enjoyed the simple approach of brown sugar and cinnamon. It wasn't fancy but warm, comforting, and delicious.
I like to use Cortland or Gala apples for baking. Red and Golden Delicious bake up mushy and lose their shape. Granny Smith is too tart for my liking. Fuji is nice but difficult to find locally. Gala is easy to find at our local orchards. It holds its shape well after baking. It also has a smooth, soft center that isn't too mushy or tart. However, use your preferred baking apple or whatever you have on hand.
The process is simple, and I can't really call it a recipe. I bake one apple per person. Wash the apples well and dry them. Cut the core from the apple, leaving the apple intact with a deep well in the center. Pampered Chef makes a handy little tool for coring apples. However, one can also find an apple corer in any kitchen gadget section of any big box store. Place the apples in a baking dish that has been prepared with butter. Cream together softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Fill the center well of the apple with the creamed mixture. I usually gauge the amount of butter with one tablespoon of butter per apple. I also add two tablespoons of brown sugar per apple and a half teaspoon of cinnamon per apple. However, adjust the amounts to your preference. Bake the apples at three-hundred fifty degrees for a half hour to forty-five minutes.
The brown sugar and natural juices from the apples create a delicious cinnamon-y syrup. Serve warm, spooning the syrup over the apples. You could also add vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, but I prefer the warm, fall goodness of the simple apple.
Now is the perfect time to enjoy fresh, local apples. If you have time and are so inclined, shopping at a local orchard or, better yet, apple picking is a great fall activity. It's a wonderful way to support small, local growers or farms, and this simple recipe makes a lovely fall dessert.
On this lovely September Friday, stay safe, be smart, enjoy simple and delicious food, and keep washing your hands.
🍎🍏My mom made baked apples and fries apples quite often. She would put mini marshmallows in the apples before baking- with cinnamon sugar and chopped nuts. Yummy!🍏🍎
She also made the best apple muffins and apple cake!
I think I'm going to make some baked apples this Fall!🍏🍎