Amazing Baked Apples with Dates. Tender and so delicious made with 7 easy ingredients!
Apple season is officially here, and if you’ve been hankering for baked apples like I have, now’s the time!
These apples taste just like apple pie, without the crust of course! When they’re warm, the center filling is liquid and buttery, flavored with maple, spices and melting dates. Serve with a scoop of ice cream, and spoon that delicious sauce over it all. It’s totally swoon worthy!
HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
This recipe is super easy – 1 paring knife, 1 small bowl and 7 easy ingredients.
Core the apples with a sharp knife or coring tool, leaving about a 1/2 inch intact at the bottom. Use the knife or a peeler to remove a little of the apple around the core to make the hole bigger. Mix up the sugar* and spices. Take a deep breath and it smells just like Fall! Spoon the mixture into the apple cores evenly. Do the same thing with the dates. Then push down on them to make room at the top for a cube of butter.
*To keep this recipe naturally sweetened, you can use coconut sugar rather than regular brown sugar.
WHAT ARE THE BEST APPLES FOR MAKING BAKED APPLES?
With all the varieties of apples to choose from, it can be hard to know which ones will both hold up under oven temperatures, and maintain the perfect sweet-tart flavor we crave in our favorite baked apples. The apple also cannot be too tart, because baked apples have to stand on their own for flavor. Fuji is my go-to variety because they hold their shape under the oven heat, and maintain their sweet flavor. Here are a few others that are also up to the job-
- Braeburn
- Golden Delicious
- Jonathan
- Jonagold
- Crispin
- Pink Lady
For more apple recipes, be sure to check out our Apple Crisp Recipe and Apple Cranberry Pocket Pies. For making lots of apple desserts, how about mixing a batch of our popular and handy Homemade Apple Pie Spice.
Baked Apples Recipe
Tender and delicious fruit dessert made with 7 easy ingredients!
Ingredients
- 4 large baking apples
- 1/3 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 cup dates chopped
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter divided into 4 cubes
- pinch salt
- 1 cup boiling water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Using a sharp knife, core the apples to within 1/2 inch of the bottom while cutting a hole in the top of the apples for the filling. Place in baking pan.
- In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar and spices.
- Using a spoon, divide the spice mix equally between the cored out apples. Top spice mixture with the dates, dividing among the apples equally. Push firmly down to press the dates into the spice mixture. Top each with a cube of butter.
- Pour boiling water around the apples in the bottom of the baking pan. Bake for 40 – 45 minutes until apples feel soft when gently squeezed but not mushy. Remove from oven.
- Serve with a scoop of ice cream, spooning core liquid over ice cream while hot.
Nutrition Facts
© Copyright Christine Mello for Must Love Home. We would love for you to share a link to this recipe but please do not copy/paste the recipe instructions to websites or social media. We are happy for you to share a photo with a link back to this website instead.
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