Description
Delightfully warm and comforting baked apples stuffed with a crunchy pecan and oat filling, spiced with cinnamon and cardamom, then baked until tender and served with a thickened, flavorful sauce. Perfect for a cozy dessert or a healthy snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Apples
- 4 apples, halved and cored
Filling
- 1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Sauce
- 3/4 cup water
- 2 teaspoons corn starch
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the apples evenly.
- Prepare the apples: Place the halved and cored apples in a 9×13 inch baking dish, arranging them so they are ready to be filled.
- Make the filling: In a bowl, combine the rough chopped pecans, rolled oats, brown sugar, melted butter, cinnamon, cardamom, and kosher salt. Stir thoroughly until the mixture is well combined.
- Stuff the apples: Evenly distribute the pecan and oat filling into the cavities of the halved apples.
- Prepare the sauce: In a separate bowl, mix the water, corn starch, and lemon juice together until the corn starch is completely dissolved, ensuring a smooth sauce.
- Add the sauce: Pour the prepared sauce mixture over the filled apples in the baking dish to keep them moist and help thicken as they bake.
- Bake the apples: Place the dish in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the apples are tender and the sauce has thickened to a nice consistency.
- Serve or store: Serve the baked apples immediately for best texture and flavor, or let cool and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Choose firm apples like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith to hold their shape during baking.
- For a vegan version, substitute butter with coconut oil or a plant-based margarine.
- Adjust spices according to your taste; nutmeg pairs well with this filling.
- The sauce helps keep the apples moist and forms a nice glaze—do not skip it.
- If omitting nuts due to allergy, replace pecans with extra oats or dried fruit.
