Forget the hard work of apple pie this Fall!! These Baked Apples with a wonderful Basic Apple Crumble Recipe topping will provide you with all of the rich and spicy flavors of fall without the effort of working with pie crust!! If you love other apple recipes for fall, try my Apple Brown Betty, Apple Cobbler, Apple Tarte Tatin, Apple Crisp French Toast, Apple Fritters, delicious Apple Cake with Brown Butter Frosting and Caramel Apple Cheesecake.
Easy Baked Apples with Basic Apple Crumble Recipe Topping!
I’m not quite ready for Fall. I never am honestly. With every fiber of my being, I find myself hanging on to the last threads of summer however I never win this battle so I give up.
Fall is definitely coming and there is no way around that. So I might as well embrace it. I need to start filling my mind with thoughts of pumpkins, beautiful foliage, crisp weather and, of course, apple pie. For me, as the weather cools and autumn begins to take shape, I think about a nice warm and comforting slice of homemade apple pie. And I want it a la mode thank you very much.
Simple Baked Apples for the Fall
Instead of relying on baking a ton of apple pie and missing out on the beauty of the season, try these Simple Baked Apples.
This baked apple recipe starts with whole apples which are stuffed with a Apple crumble recipe and baked to golden perfection. They only take about prep time of 20 minutes or as long as it takes for you to core some apples but then also the creation of the apple crumble to place on top of each apple.
Roasting Apples – Best Apples for Baking
For this particular recipe, I suggest using any apple you personally prefer. However there are certain apples that bake better than others. You will want to select roasting apples based on the following criteria:
- Flesh
- Flavors
Flesh is most important for selecting the best apples for baking. The flesh must be sturdy enough not to totally break down during the roasting process. Because of the high heat, stability is key.
Finally flavors are key. I personally love roasting apples that have a complexity of different flavors. A mix of tart and sweet works best. You don’t want apples that are overpoweringly sweet because the apple crumble recipe will also provide additional sweetness and flavor.
Apples that work really well with this are Granny Apples, Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious and Gala. Try a bunch and see which ones you enjoy the most!
How to Make Apple Crumble for Baked Apple Recipe
Whether you love apple crumbles or apple crisps, they all start with the most delicious and irresistible topping filled with various textures, spices and sweetness.
To make the perfect apple crumble for this baked apple recipe, you will need a few key ingredients:
- Flour
- Sugar
- Salt
- Spice
- Butter
For this recipe, I am using all purpose flour. It has a good sturdy texture and works really well here.
For the sweetness, I am using a combination of both brown sugar and granulated sugar. The brown sugar adds a nice difference in flavor with the molasses.
Tip: Remember to always add salt to any dessert you are baking. It is crucial for balancing texture.
For this crumble, I decided to go with a simple addition of cinnamon. Cinnamon is always the preferred spice compliment for apples. It warms the flavor and adds a nice kick of deliciousness.
Tip: If you want additional flavors, try a blended apple pie spice! It has cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and a variety of other flavors if you want to truly spice things up.
Finally, the butter is the essential combiner of the ingredients. You will find recipes that use both cold butter similar to a pie crust technique but in this recipe, I decided to use melted butter. It keeps the effort for this recipe down.
Final Tips for Baked Apples
Because of the various ingredients you will be adding to the baked apple, make sure that you are wrapping your apples tightly with foil to ensure that the contents do not spill out everywhere.
Allow your apples to somewhat cool when they come out of the oven. This will also allow the apple to firm back up a bit since the baking softens their texture quite a bit.
If you, like me, are short on time but don’t want to skip on delicious fall flavor in the form of dessert, these baked crumble apples will be the answer to your prayers. Want the recipe for these fantastic apples? Head over to my girl Blahnik Baker’s website where I am guest posting today to get all the deets!
- This Spiced Cider Apple Cake recipe is a fall favorite. Seriously Apple cider has never tasted so good!
- This Caramel Apple Cheesecake recipe is seriously unbelievably addictive! It is a fall baking must!
- I can’t get through fall without these Apple Fritters!
- Butterscotch and apples are a match made in heaven in these Butterscotch Apple Bars!
BAKED APPLES WITH BASIC APPLE CRUMBLE RECIPE
Ingredients
For the Crumble Topping
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted then cooled
For the Apples
- 4 apples cored and peeled just at the very tops
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
For the Crumble
- Whisk together flour, both sugars, salt, and ground cinnamon.
- Slowly pour in butter and whisk until crumbs develop then set aside.
For the Apples
- Start by coring the apples from the top with a small knife but add a small amount of core to the bottom of the apples.
- Peel an inch off the tops of the apples.
- Evenly divide and fill each apple with butter and brown sugar halfway then completely fill with crumble and pat on the top.
- Wrap apples in foil and bake for 25-30 minutes then watch carefully for another 5 minutes to make sure apples are still stable and intact. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes then serve.
I totally hear you – summer and fall are my two favorite seasons, so I’m always sad to see summer phase out, but once I accept it and embrace fall, I’m thrilled for all the cozy clothes, cooler nights, and most of all, delicious recipes! I love the idea of actually stuffing these apples with the topping – this would be such a lovely presentation at a party!
Nice! Love that you made something super tasty and a real treat out of a whole food! Great stuff.
This is such an awesome recipe. Have never tried one ever. On my recipe list for sure.
Looks so delicious and perfect for Rosh Hashana too! I love caramel apples ♥
What a great healthy dessert! I love apples in general and your technique in baking them is awesome. Great work and love the ice-cream on top!
This is such a fun idea!