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Easy Baked Cinnamon Apples Recipe

Easy Baked Cinnamon Apples

Tender apple slices bake in a buttery brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and lemon sauce for an easy dessert or comforting side dish. The apples are covered first to soften gently, then uncovered so the sauce can thicken slightly.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 4 medium medium apples, Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, Braeburn, Granny Smith, or a combination
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted or cut into pieces
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup water
Optional Flavoring
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly butter an 8-inch square or similarly sized baking dish.
  2. Core the apples and peel them if you prefer a softer, more sauce-like texture. Leave the peel on if you want the slices to retain more shape, then cut the apples into approximately 1/2-inch slices or wedges.
  3. Place the apples in the prepared baking dish. Add the melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, optional nutmeg, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and water, then toss until the slices are evenly coated.
  4. Loosely cover the baking dish with foil and bake for about 20 minutes. The covered dish helps the apples soften while keeping the butter and brown sugar sauce from drying out.
  5. Remove the foil, stir the apples gently, and continue baking for 15 to 25 minutes. Stop when the apples are fork-tender but not falling apart.
  6. Spoon the warm butter-cinnamon sauce over the apples before serving. Enjoy them on their own or with ice cream, oatmeal, pancakes, waffles, yogurt, or pound cake.

Notes

Use firm apples of similar size and slice thickness so they cook evenly. Granny Smith creates a tart result, while Gala, Fuji, and Honeycrisp make the dish sweeter. Do not overbake, since the apples should remain tender and intact.