If you’re looking for a low-fuss, high-flavor perfect for Fall dessert, then it’s time to give these stuffed apples a try! These stuffed cinnamon baked apples combined cored apples with an apple-crisp style filling combining oats, apple, cinnamon and other warming spices, brown sugar or maple syrup, and butter or coconut oil. Once stuffed, bake the apples until tender – like a perfectly portioned apple-crisp! The result is a dessert that perfectly encompasses Fall and is worryingly addictive when paired with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream and some caramel sauce! Not to mention that it’s a perfect way to use up a bounty of apples (especially after making and freezing plenty of homemade applesauce and apple juice!). The combination of apple and cinnamon is a favorite of mine. Whether using it to make hot mulled apple cider, apple pie overnight oats, homemade applesauce, or these stuffed baked apples. The smell alone of the apple and warming spices is enough to tantalize my tastebuds, get my mouth watering, and warm me up on chilly evenings. Even better, though, this stuffed apple recipe is incredibly simple to prepare. It requires just a handful of ingredients, all working to enhance the natural sweetness of the apple and add extra flavor and crunch without overwhelming. More so, it is naturally gluten-free and can be prepared dairy-free, vegan, and even nut-free if preferred. Plus, you can make it into baked or air fryer baked apples!
The Stuffed Cinnamon Baked Apples Ingredients
Apples: choose the apple variety based on how sweet/tart you wish the apple juice to be. Keep reading for the best apples to use). Oats: you’ll need old-fashioned/rolled oats. Use gluten-free certified if necessary. Walnuts: use raw, unsalted walnuts. Alternatively, pecans or almonds would work. For a nut-free version, omit them entirely OR use sunflower seeds instead. Coconut oil: you can use extra-virgin coconut oil or unsalted butter (dairy or dairy-free) – melted. Sweetener: you can use brown sugar, coconut sugar, or even maple syrup. Adjust the amount to personal taste. For a sugar-free version, you can use xylitol/erythritol or an imitation maple. Spices: I used a warming combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger powder. Plus, a pinch of salt to enhance the flavors in the stuffed apples recipe.
What are the best apples for baking?
While this can come down to personal taste, I’ve found that I tend to prefer apples that are on the sweeter side for stuffed apples.
Honeycrisp: Honeycrisp apples are crunchy, sweet, and juicy with bright red skin and a honey-like flavor. However, they’re also fairly pricey. Gala: firm and crisp with a slightly mild, sweet flavor and delicate notes of vanilla and faint floral undertones. Jonagold: a cross between Jonathan’s (also good for healthy baked apples) and Golden Delicious apples. They are sweet, tart, and fairly crisp. Golden Delicious: Golden yellow-green color with a sweet and slightly rich, honey-like flavor. Braeburn: fairly juicy with a tart but not too tart flavor and rich apple flavor.
If you prefer a tart apple, then Granny Smith apples will work. However, you may need an additional sweetener to balance the tart apple flavor.
Optional Add-ins and Variations
Vanilla: mix some vanilla into the oat filling for extra flavor. Dried fruit: dried cranberries, raisins, craisins, and sultanas will all taste delicious in the stuffed baked apples. Orange zest: a little orange zest added to the cinnamon oat filling will add a lovely depth of flavor. Pair with cranberries for a Christmassy twist on these stuffed apples. Nut butter: for extra richness, you can mix a tablespoon of your favorite nut or seed butter into the cinnamon apple filling (OR drizzle it over the healthy baked apples). Fruity syrup: it’s very simple to bake the stuffed apples directly with homemade syrup. To do so, combine two cups of orange juice or cloudy apple juice (apple cider) with 1/3 cup brown sugar and a little vanilla, then pour this into the bottom of the baking dish you’re using for your apples. Other Spices: a tiny pinch of cloves or cardamom could work in the cinnamon filling. Alternatively, you could use a ready-mixed apple pie spice and dust with a bit of additional cinnamon just before baking. Berries: you could top the stuffed apples with a couple of berries (blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries, etc.) which will become jammy when baked. Vegan: Use coconut oil or vegan butter. Otherwise, this recipe is naturally vegan.
How to Make Healthy Stuffed Apples with Cinnamon
Step 1: Prepare the Apples
First, preheat the oven to 350ºF/175ºC. Then, clean the apples and cut off the top 1-inch of the apple. Then, using an apple corer, spoon, small ice-cream scoop, or melon baller, remove the core and pulp from the middle of the apple (refer to images for how much to remove – I like to leave at least ½ inch of flesh on all sides). Alternatively, you can slice the apples in half, remove the core, and then simply pile the cinnamon oat ‘streusel’ topping over the apple halves (no need to scoop out the middle and mince the flesh). Discard the seeds, then place all the remaining pulp into a medium bowl after mincing it with a knife.
Step 2: Mix the Oat Cinnamon Filling
Roughly chop the walnuts and add them to the bowl with the minced apple along with the oats, spices, oil (or butter), and sweetener of your choice. Mix well until thoroughly combined.
Step 3: Stuff and Cook the Apples
Divide the mixture between the cored apples and then place the tops back on the apples (this will keep the top moist- alternatively, you can top each apple with a tiny pat of butter – ¼ tbsp). If you have any leftover oat mixture, you can use it to make simple apple pie overnight oats or save it in the fridge to top yogurt bowls, etc.
Oven-Baked Apples
Transfer the apples to a baking tray in the center of the oven. Then bake for between 20-25 minutes, or until the apples are tender. At 25 minutes, my stuffed apples still have a little ‘bite,’ the way I prefer. However, this will vary depending on the size and type of apples used. Many take closer to forty minutes. If you like them to be softer, simply bake for longer (up to 50 minutes).
Air fryer Baked Apples
The process for making healthy baked apples in an air fryer is incredibly simple. First, follow all of the above steps. Then: Place the apples (either whole stuffed apples or halved ‘topped’ apples) in your air fryer basket (no need to keep lots of space between as their closeness will help them ‘steam’ and cook – optionally, you could also pour 1/2 cup of water into the bottom of your air fryer basket). Cook in the air fryer at 350ºF/175ºC for 15 minutes or until tender (can take up to 20 minutes for perfectly tender air fryer baked apples).
How to Serve?
Enjoy the stuffed baked apples with cinnamon as is or:
Top the healthy baked apples with a dollop of yogurt (dairy or dairy-free like coconut or soy yogurt). Pour over some custard. Add some whipped cream or dairy-free whipped coconut cream. Top with a scoop of ice cream. Sprinkle some shaved chocolate (dairy or dairy-free) or cinnamon sugar. Drizzle with caramel sauce. It would also pair well with a boozy caramel sauce.
How to Make Ahead and Store?
Make ahead: you can prepare the “stuffing” (minus the apple) several days in advance. You could also core the apples and stuff them, then cover them with plastic wrap until you’re ready to bake. However, if you’re doing the latter, you’ll need to rub some lemon juice over the cored apple interior and mixed into the minced apple – to stop them from browning. Store: allow the baked apples to cool and then transfer the leftovers to an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freeze: frozen and thawed apples will become mushier in texture, and the nuts will become softer, too. However, if you don’t mind this, you can store the healthy baked apples in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw the apples in the fridge overnight, then reheat. Reheat: place the stuffed baked apples back in the oven and bake at 350ºF/175ºC for 15-20 minutes, or in the air fryer for 5-10 minutes until warmed through. You could also heat it in the microwave (between 1-2 minutes), though it will become mushier this way.
Recipe Top Tips and Notes
Adjust the baking time: depending on the type and size of the apples used (As well as your preferred tenderness), the cooking time will vary. From 15-50 minutes. Using the apple pulp: some people prefer not to add the minced apple back into the cored apples, as it will make the filling wetter. If you want to omit it, then you can snack on the apple or save it in the fridge in an airtight container ready to snack on later or add to smoothies or breakfast bowls (oatmeal, overnight oats, yogurt with granola, etc.) If your apples are struggling to become tender: pour some water into the bottom of your baking pan and optionally top with some foil (to help steam the apples). Don’t pour cold water in a glass or ceramic pan, though – only metal trays. Otherwise, use warm water. For easier clean–up: both for the oven-baked apples and air fryer baked apples, it can be a good idea to line below the stuffed apples with some foil for easier clean-up. If your apples are wobbling: you can also use scrunched-up foil to help hold the stuffed apples in place and from topping over. Preheat your air fryer if needed: not all models require this step. But if it does, then make sure to do so. That way, the air fryer baked apples will cook more evenly. For a thicker syrup: if you decide to make the fruit juice syrup, you can make it thicker by adding ½-1 Tbsp cornstarch (create a slurry then add to the juice) to the mixture before baking.
Other Fall Dessert Recipes
Easy Candied pumpkin Pumpkin pie (no-bake) Mini pumpkin cake with coconut cream frosting Mixed berry crumble (with streusel topping) The Best Apple Crisp Recipe (Quick & Easy) Fried Apples Recipe (Southern Style)
If you try this Stuffed Baked Apples with Cinnamon (oven-baked apples or air fryer stuffed apples) recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts/questions below. Also, I’d appreciate a recipe card rating below, and feel free to tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
