I remember when I was young, probably elementary age, my mom making baked apples for dessert sometimes. She would core whole apples and stuff them with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon, and bake them while we were eating dinner. The smell was always wonderful and I remember them being so delicious.
This vivid memory spurred me to create a variation of what I remember and it turned out great!
Peel 6 apples and slice a small portion off of the bottoms so that they sit well without tumbling over. Place in a greased iron skillet or other heavy-bottomed skillet.
Peel remaining two apples, core and dice into a medium dice. Combine softened butter, chopped apple, ½ cup brown sugar, oats, Heath bits ‘o brickle, pecans, cinnamon and salt. Mix well to combine.
Stuff each apple with stuffing, filling the cavity and mounding it generously on top, pressing with the palm of a cupped hand to secure filling.
Pour ½ cup bourbon or apple juice, and 4 tablespoons butter around apples.
Place stuffed apples in preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until apples are fork-tender. Remove from oven and carefully remove apples with a spatula to a serving platter.
Make sauce by boiling the remaining juices and adding brown sugar (see recipe below).
Stuffed Baked Apples
Ingredients
- 8 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored, but left whole
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened
- ½ cup quick cooking or old fashioned oats
- ½ cup Heath Bits O’ Brickle
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- SAUCE
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup bourbon or apple juice
- 4 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Peel 6 apples and slice a small portion off of the bottoms so that they sit well without tumbling over. Place in a greased iron skillet or other heavy-bottomed skillet.
- Peel remaining two apples, core and dice into a medium dice. Combine softened butter, chopped apple, ½ cup brown sugar, oats, Heath bits ‘o brickle, pecans, cinnamon and salt. Mix well to combine.
- Stuff each apple with stuffing, filling the cavity and mounding it generously on top, pressing with the palm of a cupped hand to secure filling.
- Pour ½ cup bourbon or apple juice, and 4 tablespoons butter around apples.
- Place stuffed apples in preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until apples are fork-tender. Remove from oven and carefully remove apples with a spatula to a serving platter.
- For Sauce:
- Heat remaining juices (adding more bourbon or apple juice if needed), and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add brown sugar and stir with a wooden spoon and reduce liquid until it reaches a syrup-consistency sauce (thick enough to coat the back of a spoon).
- Serve warm with sauce and ice cream, if desired.
I’m linking up with :: Tidy Mom ▪ Designs by Gollum ▪ Tater Tots and Jello ▪ Fingerprints on the Fridge ▪ Mom Trends ▪ Simply Sweet Home ▪ Thirty Handmade Days ▪ At the Picket Fence ▪ “Savannah’s Savory Bites ▪ Crumbs & Chaos ▪ A Well-Seasoned Life
