Apple Cider Baked Apples

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It’s hard to resist a great apple dessert; after all, we all love a good apple.  Most apple recipes hide the main ingredient, the apple, under all kinds of toppings like pie dough, biscuits or crumbles.  Not this recipe, these Apple Cider Baked Apples are defiantly the star of this dessert. Imagine a delicious cider glazed apple filled with cranberries and pecans.

Cinnamon Spiced Baked Apples

apples and cinnamon the best dessert combination ever

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Baked apples are a classic dessert and so simple to make. These cider glazed apples bake up tender and spicy with the sweet crunchy filling inside.  Simply slice down the middle of the apple to reveal the chewy cranberries, crunchy pecans flavored with honey and cinnamon.

With so many apple varieties to choose from it’s hard to know which ones to use for baking.  Did you know there are over 100 varieties of commercially grown apples, plus all the wonderful tiny apple orchards that grow their own varieties you won’t find in a store?  So it boils down to where you live what apples are available to you.

What to look for in a baking apple

Basically you want an apple that will keep its shape and not turn mushy when baked.  When baking whole apples for this apple recipe you want a nice firm apple that holds all the filling inside but will bake up soft.

These are the best baking apples

My two favorites

Fuji – mildly sweet and a little tart

Gala – mildly sweet

These apples also work if they are available to you

Granny Smith – a tart apple

Honey Crisp – nice and sweet

Braeburn – mildly sweet

Jonathan – sweet and tart

Cortland – sweet and tart

Apples are one of my favorite fruits and I love to bake apples when they are in season and at their freshest. Baking whole apples is really easy and I guarantee your kitchen will smell amazing while the apples are baking, then just imagine eating a juicy warm baked apple for dessert.  They taste amazing.

Beautiful red and gold Gala apples

The ingredients for Apple Cider Baked Apples

1. Apples (medium size) I used Gala apples
2. Apple Cider
3. Moscato or a sweet wine
4. Honey
5. Butter
6. Pecans
7. Dried cranberries
8. Cinnamon

How to make easy homemade baked apples

Prepare the filling first by finely chopping the pecans and cranberries with the cinnamon.

Mix apple cider and Moscato together for the glaze

You need to make a space in the apples for all the sweet filling.  A melon baller works perfectly to core the out the center of the apples.

Next,  with a vegetable peeler, peel the apples halfway to the middle.

Spoon the chopped cranberries and pecans into the apple center.  Next, spoon the honey inside the apples, just let is drizzle deep down into the center of the apple.

Sprinkle the apples with cinnamon then spoon some of the apple cider glaze over the top, pour the rest into the bottom of an 8″ x 8″ baking dish.

While the apples are baking occasionally spoon the glaze over the apples to keep them moist and flavorful.

Once the apples are done move to a serving plate. Heat the remaining apple pan juices with the butter in a saucepan over medium heat until thickened and spoon over the apples for a delicious sauce.

Baked in all its glory a delicious Gala baked apple filled with pecans and cranberries sweetened with honey and topped with a sprinkling of cinnamon and a warm apple cider glaze.

Baked Gala Apples

Other One Hot Oven Recipes

For all the apple lovers 

Spiced Apple Cider Oatmeal Bread just says fall and apples.  Filled with sweet cider and warming spices this easy oatmeal bread is a favorite.

Apple Cranberry Galette is just like a pie only easier.  What could be better than sweet apples and tart cranberries wrapped in a flaky pie dough?

Cranberry Winter Fruit Salad with Apples and Pomegranates is a delicious salad bursting is color and flavors. This is a perfect salad to add to your holiday table.

Here is your recipe for baked apples

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5 from 15 votes

Apple Cider Baked Apples

Sweet and tender Apple Cider Baked Apples are simple to make. These apples are filled with delicious honeyed pecans and cranberries and glazed with sweet apple cider. A perfect way to eat an apple.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword apples, baked apples

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes

Servings 4 baked apples

Calories 247.5kcal

Author Jere @ One Hot Oven

Equipment

• Baking pan 8" x 8"
• Melon baller
• Vegetable peeler

Ingredients

• 4 apples, medium-sized Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Cortland
• 4 tbsp dried cranberries
• 4 tbsp chopped pecans
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 4 tsp honey
• 1 cup apple cider
• 1/4 cup Moscato, or a sweet wine
• 1 tsp butter
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon plus extra for sprinkling on the apples

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. An 8” x 8” x 3” pan is required

• Using a melon baller remove the stem and core the apples to remove the seeds. Next, peel the apples halfway down to the center of the apple so the bottom still have the peel on it. Place the apples in the baking pan.s
• Finely chop the dried cranberries and pecans with the cinnamon. Spoon this mixture into the cavities of each apple, packing down the mixture.
• Spoon one teaspoon of honey into each apple.
• Sprinkle the tops of the apples with cinnamon.
• Mix the apple cider and Moscato wine together and spoon some of this mixture over the apples to coat them, and then pour the remaining mixture into the baking pan.
• Bake the apples uncovered for about 1 ¼ hours. After a half-hour carefully remove the baking pan from the oven and spoon the pan juices over the apples then continue baking until the apples are tender. Spoon the pan juices over the apples a few more times until done.
• Test the apples for doneness by inserting a knife into an apple to see if it is tender.
• Remove the apples to a serving dish, and then pour the juices from the bottom of the baking dish to a small saucepan. Add a teaspoon of butter to the pan and cook the apple juice for about 10 minutes on low until thickened. Pour the thickened juice over the apples.
• Serve the apple while warm.

Notes

Use a medium-sized firm baking apple.

Spoon the pan juices over the apples to keep them moist.

One Hot Oven provides approximate nutritional information as a courtesy and cannot guarantee the accuracy for any recipe on this blog.

Nutrition

Serving: 1apple | Calories: 247.5kcal | Carbohydrates: 57.1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3.5g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 25mg

Thanks for stopping by the One Hot Oven Blog today. I hope you try these delicious baked apples.

Don’t forget to check out these One Hot Oven apple recipes for apple cider bread,  an apple galette, and a sweet apple salad.

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Happy Baking!