by Emma Christsensen

Oatmeal-Brown Sugar Baked Apples Recipe

A winter fruit dessert: Oatmeal-Brown Sugar Baked Apples

If I'm not feeling like making something elaborate and just want an easy, warm dessert, I make this Oatmeal-Brown Sugar Baked Apples recipe.

Scoop out the core and stuff the insides with a mix of oatmeal, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. The baked apples soften into a spoonable treat while the brown sugar melts down into a caramel syrup.

My mom made this dessert all the time when we were kids, and we loved it. Besides the straight-up oatmeal and brown sugar mix, she would sometimes add nuts, raisins or even a scoop of cream cheese or peanut butter as an extra-special treat. For me and my brother, this was the best treat imaginable, while I'm sure my parents loved having a fairly wholesome dessert with which to satisfy their sugar-loving children.

I appreciate this dessert even more now that I'm grown. It still satisfies a weeknight craving for something warm and sweet, but I've also made a double batch for an easy dinner party dessert. Dressed up with a scoop of ice cream, a dollop of crème fraîche, or a drizzle of chocolate sauce, baked apples are a crowd-pleaser -- and it's a good one to have in your back pocket for gluten-free and vegan guests, too.

P.S. Any leftover apples make a fantastic breakfast the next day. I should know -- I've eaten enough of them!

Oatmeal-Brown Sugar Baked Apples

    Prep Time: 20 minutes

    Cook time: 50 minutes

    Yield: Serves 4, easily multiplied for larger crowds.

Oatmeal-Brown Sugar Baked Apples Ingredients

    4 apples, like Jonagold, Fuji or Honeycrisp

    1/4 cup brown sugar (dark or light)

    1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

    1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

    1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

    Pinch cloves

    1 tablespoon butter, divided in four

    1 cup hot water

    Optional extras: orange zest, lemon zest, grated ginger, candied ginger, raisins or other dried fruit, chopped nuts, cream cheese, mascarpone, peanut butter, nutella

    To serve: ice cream, crème fraîche, whipped cream, coconut whipped cream

Oatmeal-Brown Sugar Baked Apples Directions

    Pre-heat oven to 375 F with a rack in the lower-middle position.

    Remove the core of the apples, cutting to within a half inch of the bottom of the apple and creating a well roughly 3/4-inch wide. This is easy to do with an apple corer, but can also be done with a melon baller, grapefruit spoon or a paring knife.

    Mix the brown sugar, oatmeal, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and any extras in a bowl. Divide this mixture between the apples, packing the wells firmly.

    Arrange the apples in a baking dish (like an 8x8 Pyrex dish), and top each one with a pat of butter. Pour the water into the bottom of the dish and cover loosely with aluminum foil.

    Bake for 20 minutes and remove foil. Continue baking uncovered until the apples are soft and the brown sugar has melted into a syrup, an additional 20 to 30 minutes.

    You can test the apples by poking a paring knife through the oatmeal mixture and into the interior of the apple; it should slide into the apple easily with no resistance. The skin on the apples will also become wrinkled and soft by the end of cooking.

    Serve with a scoop of ice cream, crème fraîche, or whipped cream. Leftovers will keep for up to a week and can be reheated in the microwave or eaten cold.

 

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Oatmeal-Brown Sugar Baked Apples - Winter Fruit Dessert Recipe

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