Simple Baked Cinnamon Apples

Simple baked cinnamon apples made with only 4 ingredients! Baked Granny Smith apples with cinnamon, sugar & butter. Try these simple, whole baked cinnamon apples!

Simple baked cinnamon apples are the perfect fancy-looking dessert that's secretly one of the easiest things you can make. It goes great with this Classic Vanilla Sauce Recipe, and you’ll impress all your friends and family. It makes a wonderful dessert during the fall and winter seasons and is perfect for serving during Christmas! These whole baked apples only require four ingredients and both the apples and vanilla sauce can be made ahead of time. Just reheat the apples in your oven or microwave right before serving and warm the vanilla sauce on the stove top.

I picked up little baby granny smith apples sold in a bag at Trader Joe’s the other day because I thought they were the cutest little things ever. I knew I had to make whole baked cinnamon apples with them. Since they’re small, they also bake for a shorter amount of time which means they’ll be ready to eat sooner.

I chose to make whole baked cinnamon apples because they make for better presentation and I love the look of an entire baked apple sitting on the plate. They're soft enough where you can easily slice through the apple and cut away the core with a knife. 

If you prefer, you can use sliced apples with this recipe. It tastes just as good but you'll need to reduce the baking time since the apple pieces are smaller. 

Pairs perfectly with this Classic Vanilla Sauce Recipe!

Simple Baked Cinnamon Apples Tips:

While you're peeling the apples, place the already peeled ones in a bowl full of water.  Lemon is optional and helps keep them from oxidizing but just plain water is fine too.

What are the best apples for baked cinnamon apples?

• Granny Smith
• Pink Lady
• Braeburn
• Honey Crisp

For baked apples, you want to choose an apple that has a firm texture that is more tart than sweet. The reason why is because it will hold up well during baking and the tartness complements any sweetness added to your dessert.

You can use softer, sweeter apples such as Gala and Red Delicious but you may want to reduce the sugar a bit and add an extra squeeze of lemon juice to add more tartness.

I find Granny Smith apples are perfect for making whole baked cinnamon apples and chose this variety because of the following reasons:

• Firm texture - they won't break down much during baking and they'll hold their shape.
• Less juicy than other apples -  won't get mushy
• Tart flavor - pairs well with the cinnamon sugar, doesn't end up too sweet, and you'll keep that delicious apple flavor after baking

After covering them with melted butter, give them a generous dusting of cinnamon sugar.  Make it rain baby! Don't worry about coating them completely with cinnamon sugar as you'll baste the cinnamon sugar syrup all over the apples once they bake in the oven. You can also spoon on a coating of cinnamon sugar glaze right before serving.

While baking, the apples release their juices and you will end up with the most DELICIOUS apple cinnamon glaze at the bottom of the baking dish.  Be sure to drizzle this over the apples as it's full of apple flavor.

After taking them out of your oven, you'll end up with the softest, juiciest simple baked cinnamon apples. The flesh is perfectly tender and cooked through. Use the flavorful apple glaze to coat the apples and give it a sweet, tart, and sticky sheen.

Pair these whole baked cinnamon apples with this luscious, silky vanilla sauce and your mouth will thank you!

Can baked cinnamon apples be made ahead and refrigerated?

Yes whole baked cinnamon apples can be made ahead and refrigerated. Reheat in the oven or microwave before serving. They reheat well and still taste amazing afterwards. If you plan to reheat the vanilla custard sauce, do this on the stove top over very gentle heat. You don't want to microwave the custard sauce because it will curdle if overheated. 

How long do baked cinnamon apples last in the fridge?

You can store baked apples in an airtight container and leave it in the fridge for up to 3 or 4 days. You can also freeze them for up to a month.

How to reheat the apples?

Oven: To reheat place the baked apples in a preheated 350 degree F oven and leave covered until warmed through. Warm up time will vary according to the size of your apples so check every 5 - 7 minutes. 

Microwave: Place the apples in a microwave safe dish and heat on high for 1 minute at a time until the apples are warmed through the center. You may need to rotate them between heating. Do not microwave the vanilla custard sauce because it will overheat and curdle. Reheat the vanilla sauce on the stove top over very low heat while stirring. 

I hope you make these simple whole baked cinnamon apples! Please share, rate, and comment below. I’d love to hear from you!

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