Baked Apples with Cinnamon Oat Topping

Add Us as a Google Trusted Source

These easy Baked Apples have a crisp, golden oat topping with cinnamon and a touch of brown sugar, like individual apple crisps with just a few ingredients and no peeling or dicing!

Easy Baked Apples

We go apple picking every fall, and these baked apples are one of my favorite ways to use up our haul when I don’t want to bake a whole apple crisp. I love how the apples soften in the oven while the cinnamon-oat topping turns crisp and golden. They’re easy to make with just a few ingredients, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream makes them an extra-special treat. If you prefer pears, try my baked pears.

Why This Baked Apples Recipe Works

I love making these baked apples in the fall, especially when I am craving apple desserts but don’t want to spend much time preparing them. You don’t have to peel or slice the fruit–just cut the apples in half and remove the cores and seeds.

• Healthy treat: Satisfy your sweet tooth while getting a serving of fruit and a little extra fiber.
• Perfectly portioned treat: Like an individual apple crisp. 
• Simple ingredient list: Besides the apples, you just need a few baking basics.
• Easy to scale: Double the recipe if you’re serving more people.

Best Apples for Baking

Any apples will work here. For less-sweet desserts, use Granny Smith. For something sweeter, try Gala, Pink Lady, or Honeycrisp.

How to Make Baked Apples

If you’re serving these stuffed baked apples to guests, you can prep the topping a day in advance. Then, cut the apples a couple of hours before and top them with the oat crumble. Thirty minutes before dessert, pop them in the oven. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions.

1. Prep the apples: Slice each apple in half, then use a paring knife or spoon to remove the core and seeds.
2. Make the oat topping: Combine the 5 topping ingredients in a small bowl.
3. Top the apple halves with the oat mixture, then sprinkle with more cinnamon.
4. Bake the apples in the oven at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes, until soft. Bake time may vary depending on the size.

Variations

• Make it dairy-free: Swap butter for coconut oil or vegan butter.
• No quick oats? Substitute old-fashioned oats (also called rolled oats). Or try these protein oats for a protein boost.
• Make it gluten-free: Use GF flour and check that your oats are certified gluten-free.
• Baked apples without sugar: Replace brown sugar with monk fruit sweetener.
• Fall spices: Swap cinnamon for apple pie or pumpkin pie spice, or add a pinch of nutmeg or ginger to the oats.
• Add some crunch: Mix chopped walnuts or pecans into the topping.

Storage 

• Refrigerator: Let the apples cool, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Reheat in the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds or in the oven at 300°F for 5 to 10 minutes until warm

More Apple Recipes You’ll Love

For more healthy dessert ideas, try one of these five apple desserts this fall!