Baked Apples - Easy Classic Dessert

With the expectation of snow coming this week even though spring is nearly here (technically) I still am seeking those winter comfort foods.  I still cannot make the switch with the weather this cold!  During the blizzard (Nemo) Nick and I cozied up for an easy dinner at home.  For some reason, I wanted baked apples, something my mom made many times growing up, but not something I have had in ages!

Baked Apple

Whats not to love?

Nick never really had this dessert - only a variation while on our honeymoon in the Maldives.  Any reminder of our honeymoon is a dessert I will readily break out!  Since the dessert is so simple and so delicious, it is definitely a dessert that is something I will be making again and again.

The Ingredients

The Necessities...

• Apples (1 per person)
• 1 tablespoon of butter per apple
• Rasins
• Cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon of brown sugar per apple
• Optional - dried cranberries, pecans, walnuts, oats, creme fresh etc (the possibilities are endless!)

To assemble, I cored the apples and placed them in a greased baking dish.  From there I placed half of the butter in the bottom of the cored apple and then tucked in the brown sugar, cinnamon, and raisins.  We happened to have dried cranberries on hand that night, so some of those went into the filling as well.



I "plugged" the core of the apple with the rest of the butter and then sprinkled more cinnamon and brown sugar overtop.  Finally I sprinkled a bit of all of the ingredients around the apples in the dish.

Ready for the oven

I placed the baking dish in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes.  Honestly it depends on how squishy you want the apples to be when you eat them.  After twenty, these were VERY tender to the touch and the peel was tearing, but the apples themselves were still standing upright.

Out of the oven

I served these simply on a plate and then I piled some of the sugary sauce on top of the apples.  While this was enough, whipped cream, ice cream or something equally delicious would be a yummy addition to this dessert.

Rich and delicious!

Oozing with goodness

This is definitely a delicious dessert!  While not healthy - all that butter and sugar - there are plenty of worse options.  The recipe is simple, and as long as you have some apples on hand, can be made with ingredients that are in most kitchens on any given day.  Nick and I just picked up some apples at the store this weekend, so if the snow comes (and even it it doesn't!) this dish could be in our near future!

Are you ready for another snow storm?