Welcome to this fall’s low-maintenance version of apple crisp! These baked apples are kind of like a deconstructed apple crisp. They have the familiar warm spices, the irresistible brown sugar oat filling 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

It’s apple season and I couldn’t be more excited! Is there anything better than the smell of warm cinnamon apples baking in the oven? I think not! It’s probably my favorite scent of all time, which probably explains why five baked apple pie candles ended up in my cart at the store the other night… oops. I like to make sure I’m well-stocked in the candle department this time of year!

Baked Apples

Apple crisp baked apples are 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. As the temperature dips, I start craving all things apple and pumpkin-flavored. And I know I’m not alone!

If you’re on the hunt for something sweet, warm and comforting that pairs wonderfully with vanilla ice cream, these baked apples will be your new go-to recipe. Best of all, this dessert is totally fuss-free and can be in the oven with just 10 minutes of prep.

Oh, and if you swap the ice cream for Greek yogurt, you might even get away with eating one of these apple crisp baked apples for breakfast. 😉

Ingredients For Baked Apples

  • Rolled oats. I like using old fashioned rolled oats best, but if you only have quick oats on hand, those work too. Use certified gluten free as needed.
  • Spices. All the warm fall spices! I used a pinch of salt, cinnamon, ginger, cardamon, nutmeg and cloves. You can always just use cinnamon 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 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. This will give the oat mixture that perfect crispiness.

ingredients for baked apples in a large mixing bowl

How To Make Baked Apples

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.

  1. 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. Whisk together the simple filling of oats, salt, spices, sugar, chopped pecans, and melted butter.
  3. Stuff the apples with the oat mixture.
  4. 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.
  5. Top with ice cream (a must!) and enjoy!

stirring the oat topping in a large mixing bowl

The Best Apples For Baked Apples

When I’m cooking with apples, I personally like to use an apple that’s sweet with a touch of tartness. Honeycrisp, Pink Lady or Gala apples are my favorite.

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 baked apples that aren’t very sweet.

baked apples topped with cinnamon oats in a baking dish

Tips & Variations

  • You can change up the filling to include some different flavors. Feel free to use chopped almonds or walnuts instead of pecans. You can even add raisins and/or shredded coconut to the filling.
  • 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 in the apple.
  • Hollow out apples with a spoon or melon baller and a paring knife. You will want to hollow out a bit more than just the core, so you have plenty of space in the apple for the filling.
  • When stuffing the apples, pack the apples with as much filling as will fit and add some of the filling on top.
  • 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.

baked apples topped with oat crisp filling

Storing Baked Apples

If you have leftover baked apples, allow them to cool completely and then store them in a covered container in the fridge. They 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 apple in white bowl with a gold spoon

These baked apples are the perfect easy dessert to serve to your family on any old weeknight, but they look special enough to serve at a dinner party! This recipe is for four baked apples, but you can easily multiply it for a crowd. You could also scale it down, for just one or two servings.

I love that this baked apples recipe is so easy to prep ahead of time! 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.

Tools Needed To Make Stuffed Baked Apples:

Classic 4″ pairing/utility knife

Everyday square baking dish

More Apple Favorites 

Applesauce Muffins

Apple Turnovers

Healthy Apple Crisp

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

If you try these baked apples, 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. It’s so fun to see what you’re cooking! Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.

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

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

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

Ingredients

  • 4 medium-sized 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 oats (use gluten free, if 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
  • 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.
  • 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/pecan mixture. I would still 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.