Baked Apples
Ingredients
- 4 each apples – cored
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup apple cider
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- vanilla ice cream – for serving
Instructions
1. Heat the oven to 375°F. Arrange the cored apples upright in a snug baking dish.
2. In a bowl, mix the brown sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, kosher salt, and raisins until evenly combined.
3. Pack the sugar–raisin mixture into the cavities of the apples, mounding slightly on top.
4. Divide the unsalted butter into 4 pieces and place one piece on top of each stuffed apple.
5. Stir the vanilla extract into the apple cider, then pour the liquid into the baking dish around the apples.
6. Bake until the apples are tender but still hold their shape, 35–45 minutes, basting once or twice with the pan juices; a skewer should slide in with little resistance.
7. Spoon the pan juices over the apples and serve warm with vanilla ice cream for serving.
Baked Apples are a simple, cozy dessert that highlights the natural sweetness and perfume of whole apples. As they bake, the fruit turns tender and spoonable while the centers become syrupy from warm spices, brown sugar, and butter. The result is a balanced bite: soft, fragrant fruit, caramel-like juices, and just enough spice to feel comforting without overpowering the apple.
This dish has deep roots in home cooking across Europe and North America, where apples have long been a staple of autumn and winter kitchens. Early versions were made in hearths or brick ovens, sometimes stuffed with dried fruit and sweetened with molasses or honey. Over time, variations emerged—some with nuts, oats, or cream—yet the essential idea of gently baking whole apples with sugar, spice, and fat has remained beloved for centuries.