Baked Apples are this fall’s low-maintenance version of apple crisp! They are cored and stuffed with a delicious buttery brown sugar cinnamon crumble, and are basically a deconstructed apple crisp. They have the familiar warm spices, the irresistible brown sugar oat topping, and we can’t forget the tender, sweet apples. This is the perfect way to use up extra apples from apple picking!

baked apples with crisp topping and served with vanilla ice cream

Apple Crisp Baked Apples is one of the best cozy, fall desserts! They look and feel super special and fancy, but are actually so easy and even healthier than your classic apple crisp recipe. This comforting treat tastes incredible right out of the oven, especially on chilly nights.

If you’re on the hunt for something sweet, warm and delicious that pairs wonderfully with vanilla ice cream, this will be your new go-to recipe.

So good! Making these for the second time tonight. Love that these are a guilt free dessert that tastes like apple pie!

— Liz

Reasons to love this recipe

  • Quick & easy to make: Totally fuss-free and can be in the oven with just 10 minutes of prep.
  • Healthier: This recipe calls for just 2 tbsp of sugar and 1 tbsp of oil. You only need 5 simple ingredients, plus spices. If you swap the ice cream for Greek yogurt, you might even get away with eating one of these for breakfast.
  • Versatile: This recipe is for 4 baked apples, so it’s great for a small family, or you double the recipe for a crowd. You could also scale it down, for just one or two servings.
  • Pre-portioned: We love how these are like individually portioned apple crisp. They’re the perfect easy dessert to serve your family, but they also look special enough to serve at a dinner party!
  • Make-ahead: A few hours before you’d like to serve the apples, prepare them, stuff them with the oat mixture, then pop the whole pan in the refrigerator. Bake the apples during dinner, and by the time dessert is ready, your whole kitchen will smell like a tantalizing, fall-spiced Yankee Candle brought to life.
baked apple in white bowl with a gold spoon

Ingredients needed

If you’ve never made baked apples before, you are seriously in for a treat. This recipe only requires a few staple ingredients & spices but the result is absolutely incredible. Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Apples. You’ll need 4 medium firm crisp-sweet apples, such as Pink Lady or Honeycrisp. We do not recommend using a soft variety like Cortland or McIntosh—they will not hold their shape during the baking process.
  • Rolled oats. We like using old-fashioned rolled oats for the best texture, but if you only have quick oats on hand, those work too. Use certified gluten-free oats, as needed.
  • Spices. All the warm fall spices! This recipe uses a pinch of salt, cinnamon, ginger, cardamon, nutmeg and cloves. You can always just use cinnamon, apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice if that’s what you have available.
  • Brown or coconut sugar. Just enough to add a bit of sweetness to the crisp stuffing.
  • Chopped pecans. Adding nuts, like pecans or walnuts, to the crisp filling gives it great flavor and a little added crunch. Feel free to leave this out for a nut-free filling.
  • Coconut oil or melted butter. Just a small amount of either will give the oat mixture that perfect crispiness.

How to make this recipe

While I generally love just about any recipe made with apples, these stuffed baked apples have been an obsession recently. They’re insanely simple to make, you only need a handful of ingredients and they are just SO delicious. Here’s the simple process:

  1. Prep the apples. Slice off the top of the apples and then use a spoon and paring knife to core the apples. Use the knife to widen the cavity enough, so that you can stuff it with plenty of the oat crisp mixture.
  2. Make the filling. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, salt, spices, sugar, chopped pecans, and melted butter.
Mixing oats, brown sugar and spices in large mixing bowl.
Stirring together oats with brown sugar, pecans and cinnamon in a large bowl.
  1. Stuff the apples. Spoon the oat mixture into the apples, pushing down slightly to fill the apple completely.
  2. Bake. Transfer the stuffed apples to a baking dish. Fill the baking dish with about a 1/2 inch of hot water. Cover with foil and bake the apples for about 40 minutes and until they’re nice and tender.
  3. Serve. Top with ice cream (a must!) and enjoy!
Apples with a stuffing of oats and brown sugar in a baking dish.
Baked apples topped with oat crisp filling on a small white plate.

Expert tips

  • Level your apple. If your apples do not stand upright, simply cut the bottom of the apple to make it more level. Just be careful not to cut into the cored hole.
  • Hollow out apples. Use a spoon or melon baller and a paring knife to remove the center of the apple. You will want to hollow out a bit more than just the core, so you have plenty of space for the filling.
  • Stuffing the apples. For more crispy goodness, pack the apples with as much filling as will fit and add some of the filling on top.
  • Don’t cut all the way through. Make sure not to cut all the way through the bottom of the apples when you’re hollowing them out. If you do, the filling will come out of the bottom as the apples bake.
  • Alternatively, cut the apples in half. Instead of stuffing the cored apples, is to cut these in half and just add the filling to the fleshy part of the apple.

Frequently asked questions

What makes the best baking apples?

The best apples for baking are Jonagold, Fuji, Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Golden Delicious and Granny Smith. They have great flavor and they hold their shape well!

What apples should I use for this baked apples recipe?

Feel free to use your favorite apple variety for this recipe, though, just be aware of the difference that it will make in the final taste. A more tart apple (like Granny Smith) will result in less sweetness. We really like more sweetness, and Honeycrisp or Pink Lady apples are nice and sweet and are firm enough to hold up to the baking process.

Which apples soften when baking?

According to the Washington Post, apples that will likely become too tender during the baking process are Cortland, Jonamac, McIntosh, Macoun, Jonathan, Gala and Mollie’s Delicious. These are great for eating out of your hand or used in a situation where you don’t mind the apples breaking down, such as applesauce, apple butter or even a cake or fritter recipe where the apple will be grated and need not hold up in pieces.

Variations

  • Filling. You can change up the oat mixture to include some different flavors. Feel free to use chopped almonds or walnuts instead of pecans. You can even add raisins, cranberries and/or shredded coconut to the filling.
  • Vegan. This recipe is naturally vegan and dairy-free as long as you use a coconut oil or vegan butter.
  • Gluten free. To ensure this recipe is gluten free, we recommend buying oats that are labeled as certified gluten free.
  • Serving. We love these served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, but they’re also great with a drizzle of caramel sauce or a dollop of whipped cream!

Storage recommendations

If you have leftover baked apples, allow them to cool completely and then store them in a covered container in the fridge. Leftovers will stay fresh for 3-4 days. To reheat a single baked apple, microwave it for about 45 seconds to 1 minute. If you want to warm up several baked apples, you can reheat them in the oven at 350 degrees F until warm.

baked apples stuffed with apple crisp filling and topped with vanilla ice cream

Tools needed

More apple recipes 

If you try this apple recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves this recipe as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.

Baked apples with crisp topping and served with vanilla ice cream.
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Apple Crisp Stuffed Baked Apples

Yield: 4 stuffed apples
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Everything you love about apple crisp has been deconstructed and baked right inside the apple!
Author: Kim

Ingredients

  • 4 medium firm crisp-sweet apples, such as Pink Lady or Honeycrisp (do not use a soft variety like Cortland or McIntosh—they will not hold their shape)

For the crisp mixture

  • 1/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats , gluten free as needed
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger
  • 1 dash ground cardamom
  • 1 dash ground nutmeg
  • 1 dash ground cloves
  • 2 tablespoons coconut sugar or light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped pecans or walnuts, optional
  • 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil or melted butter

For serving

  • vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or Greek yogurt and chopped pecans

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350ºF. Wash and pat dry apples.
  • Slice the top 1/4 off the apples and remove the core with a paring knife and a spoon. Widen the cavity just a bit so it can accommodate the crisp mixture.
  • In a bowl, mix the crisp ingredients and spoon the mixture into the apples, pushing down slightly to fill the apple completely.
  • Set the apples in a baking dish and add about 1/2 inch hot water to the bottom of the dish. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes, or until everything is hot and the apples are tender.
  • Allow apples to cool slightly (only for a couple of minutes) and serve with a scoop of ice cream and chopped pecans. Enjoy!

Notes

*Feel free to use your favorite granola to replace the oat/nut mixture. You will still need to stir the granola with 1 tablespoon coconut oil or melted butter.
*Spices other than cinnamon are optional. If you don’t have one or more on-hand, just leave it out. And feel free to add more or less of any spice.
 
Photos by Molly at Yes to Yolks
Author: Kim
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Serving: 1apple with oat stuffing, Calories: 207kcal, Carbohydrates: 31g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 38mg, Potassium: 201mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 17g, Vitamin A: 50IU, Vitamin C: 6.6mg, Calcium: 30mg, Iron: 1.1mg

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This baked apples recipe was originally published September 2018. It was updated with new content and republished September 2020.