Maple and Cinnamon Spiced Apples
These warm and cozy maple and cinnamon spiced apples are the ultimate in easy homestyle desserts. The baked apples with maple syrup and cinnamon make their own serving dish, and healthy oats mixed in make this dessert simple, but spectacular!
Healthy and yet indulgent baked apple dessert!
Maple Baked Apples
It’s apple season finally, and if you (like me) love the juiciness and crunchiness of this versatile and super healthy fruit, you know how exciting it is to grab the freshest apples that are perfect for all cooking and baking at this time of year.
When you bake these spiced apples with warm flavors like maple and cinnamon, they combine with the sweetness of the apples, and the slight nuttiness of the oats. All of this wonderful flavor goodness gives you a dessert that’s not only easy, filling, and inexpensive, but tastes like a really warm comforting hug.
Why This Apple Dessert Recipe Works
- This cinnamon maple apple dessert works because it’s another way to use apples when they come into season, besides making apple pies.
- They’re simple to make and taste like mini apple crisp desserts!
- What’s fun about them is that they form their own little “bowl” that the ice cream can melt itself into, and mix with the maple syrup and cinnamon. Sigh – SOO delicious!
- It’s easily adapted to how many people you’re serving.
The Ingredients You’ll Need
To make these apple crisp desserts, I used 4 apples. This maple apple dessert will feed four people (especially when you add ice cream!) but is super easy to adjust to double or even triple.
So, while almost any kind of apples will work for this recipe, you’ll need to be a bit specific when it comes to the shape- the rounder and stouter the apples, the better.
- Apples – Use your favorite firm type of apples. Some apples are better than others for this dessert like Honeycrisp, Braeburn, and even Red Delicious, but at the end of the day, I would simply use what you have on hand, or use your favorites.
- Maple syrup – Use real maple syrup, not pancake syrup. The results will not be as delicious if you use pancake syrup.
- Cinnamon
- Old Fashioned Oats
- Pecans – If you prefer the flavor of walnuts (walnuts and apples are a classic pairing), go ahead and use them instead of pecans.
- Nutmeg
- Ginger – Like the nutmeg, ginger powder is best to use here.
- Apple Cider – Apple cider has a more complex flavor than apple juice, but go ahead and use juice if that’s what you have in the fridge.
- Oil or Butter – Use your preferred fat for this recipe. Even margarine will work here if that’s what you have on hand. To make this a vegan apple dessert, use plant-based butter and even water.
If you have a lot of apples on hand and really enjoy these flavors, I have a recipe for Spiced Caramel Apple Crisp that echoes the flavors in this cinnamon apple recipe. And if you’ve always wondered about the differences between crisps, cobblers, and pandowdy’s I wrote a post that explains all the differences between those baked desserts to help you out.
***** Please look below for the printable recipe card that lists the exact amounts along with full directions and notes for this baked maple apple recipe.
How To Make Baked Apples with Maple Syrup
- Cut off the top portion of the apple and scoop out the core (discard the core portion).
- In a bowl, make up the maple cinnamon oat filling to place inside the center of the apple.
- Place the filled apples into a baking dish and pour the apple cider into the dish.
- Bake in your preheated oven, and be sure to baste the apples with the apple cider mixture periodically.
- Remove and serve with ice cream!
**** Check the recipe card below for exact measurements and directions to make this maple apple crisp dessert perfect every time.
Serving Ideas & Recipe Variations
These maple cinnamon baked apples taste heavenly as is- right when they’re out of the oven- soft and with a bit of crunch, warm from the oven.
You can also top them with some fresh whipped cream, ice cream or even vanilla greek yogurt. Drizzle a bit more maple syrup on top for extra sweetness.
Loved this recipe? Got some more apples? You might also want to try out these delicious Apple Pecan Croissants with Butterscotch Schnapps Sauce for a special desserts for adults.
And if you’re in the mood to try out a dessert with different fruits, my Easy Peach and Blueberry Crisp Recipe is one that packs in peaches and blueberries!
Questions You Might Have
Most definitely! I think it would be an absolutely delicious addition instead of using regular rolled oats but keep in mind that granola often has added sugar so it may make the recipe overall sweeter.
You can in a pinch, but I recommend using rolled oats. They have a chewier texture, and typically, quicks oats are used for blending into different recipes.
Sure. Granny smith apples are typically one of the most popular apples to use when baking pies because they’re a bit more tart, and can withstand the heat of the oven without going mushy. But if you’re looking for the dessert to be a bit sweeter, I’d increase the amount of maple syrup by another tablespoon or two.
Have You Tried This Baked Apples with Maple Syrup Recipe?
How did you switch up the recipe, if you did? What kind of ice cream did you serve it with? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below! Have a fantastic day and thank you for stopping by The Salty Pot today!
~Joanne
Maple and Cinnamon Spiced Apples
This warm and delicious baked apples with maple syrup and cinnamon recipe are the epitome of a warm cozy dessert on a chilly evening!
Ingredients
- 4 apples
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- ½ cup pecans, chopped
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter melted
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- ½ cup apple cider or water
- extra butter for baking (optional, see notes)
- Lemon juice (optional)
Instructions
- Wash and dry the apples. With a sharp knife, carefully cut the top portion of the apple off.
- Remove the core of the apple and discard. Be careful not to poke any holes in the bottom of the apple. Set aside. **see notes below
- In a bowl, mix together the oats, spices, maple syrup and oil or melted butter. Mix well to evenly distribute all the flavors.
- Transfer the apples to a sprayed baking dish. Pack the apples firmly with the oat mixture. Pour the apple cider into the dish that the apples are sitting in.
- Cover the apple dish with foil, and bake for 30 minutes, basting the apples with the cider that's in the bottom of the dish.
- Uncover the apples in the last 10 minutes of baking.
- Remove the apples and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Serve with vanilla bean ice cream, whipped cream and/or a drizzle of caramel. Enjoy!
Notes
Using a spoon or a melon baller is a good way to remove the center of the core.
Brushing the insides and tops of the cut apples with lemon juice will help prevent the apples from oxidizing and turning brown.
A dollop of butter on top of the apples in the last few mintues of baking adds a really nice richness to the filling.
Feel free to replace the whipped cream with sweetened vanilla yogurt for a healthier version of this recipe.
The apples can also be dusted with extra cinnamon or drizzles of maple syrup as well.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 415Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 54mgCarbohydrates: 52gFiber: 8gSugar: 29gProtein: 4g
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
