5 Ingredients or Fewer
by: Sally
November22,2010
4
4 Ratings
- Prep time 10 minutes
- Cook time 1 hour
- Serves 4
Jump to Recipe
Author Notes
Apples baked in cider somehow taste more of themselves. It goes without saying that this is comfort food, easy to put together and pop in the oven just as soon as dinner is underway. If possible, use cider from a farm stand or farmer’s market—it has a deeper, more concentrated flavor than the grocery store brands, which wash out in comparison. The comfort extends to those times when you are not eating dessert for self-improvement purposes, but want something just a little sweet. These won’t do much damage. You can even omit the sugar if you want to feel pure. - Sally —Sally
Test Kitchen Notes
This dead-simple recipe should be in your back pocket all through apple season. Once you reduce some cider and core a few apples it's virtually hands off, and the results can be anything you want them to be. You can eat the sweet, mellowed apples bare -- a more virtuous cousin of the apple pie -- to restore you when you're feeling cold and low. Or you can dress them up with creme fraiche or ice cream, to celebrate the season. Note: We used Galas and found them to be perfect -- for a primer on the best apples for baking, go here. Feel free to omit the butter to make this dessert parve. —The Editors
- Test Kitchen-Approved
What You'll Need
Ingredients
- 2 cupsapple cider
- 4 firm cooking apples, like Braeburn, Gala, Fuji or Granny Smith
- 1/2 teaspoonground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoonunsalted butter (optional)
- 2 tablespoonsbrown sugar
- 1 pinchsalt
Directions
- Heat the oven to 375° F.
- Pour the cider into a small skillet and bring it to a boil. Continue to boil over medium heat until the liquid reduces by slightly less than half. It should be vaguely syrupy, but it will not be too thick. It will take less time in a skillet than in a saucepan because there is more surface evaporation. Either way, don’t just walk off to another room and leave it—you might set off your smoke alarm if you forget it. I speak from experience.
- While the cider is reducing, peel the skin from the top third of each apple. Use a melon baller to dig out the apple core, leaving about 1/3-inch of the apple intact at the bottom. Place the apples in a pie pan or baking dish.
- Stir the cinnamon, butter and brown sugar into the cider syrup. Pour it into the apple cavities, allowing it to overflow into the baking dish. Bake the apples for 40 to 50 minutes, until they are pleasantly soft but not collapsing. Baste the apples occasionally in the cider syrup if you happen to think of it, and add more cider if the liquid starts to dry out completely. The exact cooking time depends on the variety and size of the apples—some take longer than others.
- Serve the apples warm in dessert bowls with the extra syrup spooned over them. If you want to dress them up, drizzle them with some heavy cream, or add a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Custard sauce would be even better if you’re feeling ambitious. If any apples are leftover, warm them up for breakfast and eat with yogurt.
Tags:
- American
- Apple
- 5 Ingredients or Fewer
- Fall
- Winter
- Christmas
- Rosh Hashanah
- Thanksgiving
- Gluten-Free
- Vegetarian
- Dessert
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Shalala
Recipe by: Sally
I am a home cook,author of a couple of cookbooks and mother. I write for the Boston Globe from time to time. My "kid" just left for college and comes home for cooking lessons. Too bad he was completely uninterested in the process (except when he was little and gingerbread was involved) until now. Without Mom to cook, he's very, very hungry. But it's fun to keep bonding over the stove. I blog about food and life at www.sallypasleyvargas.com
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24 Reviews
FrugalCat March 18, 2020
I made these with Angry Orchard hard cider.
Betsy October 3, 2016
Delicious recipe! I made it once with Jonathans which I've always thought of as especially tasty for baking and they were fabulous, then once more with Granny Smiths and those were possibly even better although they did not hold their shape quite as well. It didn't matter to anyone at the table. Yummy.
Tobi J. January 23, 2016
I followed the recipe as exactly as I could and the apples got kind of leathery rather than getting soft and pie-like. My guess is that the fan in my convection oven dried them out. Next time I will try them on the standard oven setting.
sally S. January 23, 2015
I love this recipe and serve it as dessert to guests who avoid baked goods. Great with a large dollop of unsweetened whipped cream or better yet homemade yogurt. One suggestion is that with the sweeter apples I use only 1 teaspoon of brown. sugar.
Annie October 24, 2014
I made this first thing after going Apple Picking. Amazing!
Chantal M. July 25, 2014
so much yes
Shalala October 7, 2012
This is such a worthy wildcard win--so simple and yet so satisfying. I took Sally's suggestion here and used one of the leftover apples in my steel cut oats the next morning (http://www.food52.com/recipes/19328_steel_cut_oats_with_baked_apple) it was absolutely delicious!
kate-monster December 9, 2011
Made these last night - absolutely fantastic. This recipe will become a staple this holiday season!
TheWimpyVegetarian November 27, 2011
This was just fantastic. I made this with our dinner of roasted pork tonight and it was a big favorite at the table. I'll be making this recipe a lot! Thanks!!!!
Woodside November 20, 2011
It's really hard to go wrong with butter, sugar, cinnamon, and apples! Still, you have to get the combination right, and this does. Fruit, wrapped in deliciousness. A very autumnal dish. Here's a vote for vanilla ice cream as the apt accompaniment; the cold/warm contrast is perfect.
Bevi November 10, 2011
I made these tonight and they are so delicious and EASY! I can easily see a dozen of these in a 13"x9" baking dish, presented in all their glory topped by lapadia's chantilly cream! I plan on making some cognac ice cream, and then gilding the lily with chantilly cream, and calling it a Thanksgiving dessert.
Smallpeace September 30, 2011
I'm always looking for easy ways to make the most of the bounty of apples we harvest from our local orchards this time of year. Coupled with custard or a little creme fraiche will take this simple recipe to the next level. Thanks.
wanderash September 22, 2011
These look terrific! I just bought everything needed (plus a tub of ice cream) and my toddler and I are going to make them this afternoon. Thanks for the inspiration!
Hilarybee September 22, 2011
Yum!!
WinnieAb September 21, 2011
So perfect! I was just thinking about making something like this for my daughter who got braces 2 days ago...I'm going to make them with honey :)
TheWimpyVegetarian September 21, 2011
Honey sounds perfect here!!
TheWimpyVegetarian September 21, 2011
Congratulations Sally! This looks wonderful! As soon as the weather shifts here, I'm on this!
Sally September 21, 2011
Wow, thank you all. What a surprise! I hope these warm apples will comfort you on blustery fall days...
EmilyC September 21, 2011
Congrats on your wildcard win!
ChefJune September 21, 2011
Sounds tasty. Reminds me I want to pull out my recipe for Apples baked with Maple Syrup and Walnuts.
Bevi September 21, 2011
Wonderful!
