Description
Caramel Baked Apples deliver pure autumn comfort straight from your kitchen to the table. Warm spices and sweet caramel drizzle make this simple dessert a seasonal favorite your family will adore.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruit:
- 6 medium-sized apples
Sauce and Sweeteners:
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup caramel sauce
- ¼ cup apple cider
Spices and Nuts:
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375F (190C) and grab a baking dish that will snugly hold 6 medium apples.
- Wash and dry 6 medium apples. Core each apple, leaving a half-inch base. You can optionally peel the top third of each apple’s skin.
- In a medium bowl, blend ½ cup softened unsalted butter and 1 cup light brown sugar until the mixture looks fluffy and smooth.
- Pour ¼ cup heavy cream into the butter mixture. Sprinkle in 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Stir until completely combined.
- If using nuts, fold ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts into the caramel mixture.
- Arrange the cored apples in the baking dish. Carefully pack the caramel filling into each apple’s center, pressing firmly to fill completely.
- Drizzle ¼ cup caramel sauce over the top of each stuffed apple.
- Pour ¼ cup apple cider into the bottom of the baking dish around the apples.
- Cover the entire dish with aluminum foil. Bake at 375F for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and continue baking for 15-20 minutes until the apples feel tender and the caramel turns golden and bubbling.
- Remove the dish from the oven. Let the apples rest for 5-7 minutes to cool slightly.
- Scoop some caramel sauce from the baking dish’s bottom and spoon over the apples. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired.
Notes
- Select firm, tart apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp for the best balance of texture and flavor when baking.
- Core the apples carefully, keeping the bottom intact to hold the caramel filling securely during baking.
- For a gluten-free version, ensure all ingredients like caramel sauce are certified gluten-free and check your spices.
- Replace heavy cream with coconut cream and use dairy-free butter to make this dessert completely vegan-friendly.
- Prep Time: 20-25 minutes
- Cook Time: 45-50 minutes
- Category: Baked
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 304 kcal
- Sugar: 35 g
- Sodium: 130 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg