This website may contain affiliate links and advertising so that we can provide recipes to you. Read my disclosure policy.
Brown Sugar Cinnamon Baked Apples are crisp apples mixed with rich brown sugar and cinnamon seasoning, then baked to perfection. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a decadent fall dessert!
Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
- Healthy Dessert Option: I am all for eating desserts! But when I don’t feel like eating something heavy but want something sweet, this is what I make!
- 5 Ingredient Recipe: This recipe uses only five simple pantry staple ingredients. It’s easy to make and easy to clean up. Winning!
- Festive Fall Flavors: Tangy and tart apples in melty cinnamon and sugar! This recipe will make your house smell amazing while baking. The best part is that it tastes even better when it’s done!
Ingredients to Make Brown Sugar Baked Cinnamon Apples
With only five simple ingredients, you make a healthy dessert option perfect for fall! Warm baked apples smothered in cinnamon and brown sugar are the perfect fall flavor combination.
- Apples: Your apples need to be peeled and sliced. For the best flavor, choose tart, tangy apples.
- Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness and balances the tartness of the apples.
- Ground Cinnamon: Is the perfect flavor complement to the sweet brown sugar and tart apples.
- Lemmon Juice: Prevents the apples from browning and adds a bit of fresh acidity.
- Salted Butter: Gives the apples a warm depth of flavor.
Peeling and Slicing Your Apples
- Peel: Start by peeling your apples. An apple peeler makes this quick, but a sharp knife works well too.
- Slice: Then, slice your apples evenly—about 1/4 inch thick is perfect for baking. If you have an apple slicer, it’s great for removing the core and seeds all at once. Just cut the slices in half if they’re too thick.
- Prevent Browning: Working with apples is easy, but you’ll need to move quickly to prevent them from browning. A splash of lemon juice can help, but the sooner you use them, the better!
Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Apples Recipe
There are just a few simple steps to make this tried-and-true dessert come to life. Mixing it all together in one bowl and baking it in another is easy to clean up, fresh, and delicious!
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9×9-inch baking pan or 2-quart baking dish with pan spray and set aside.
- Combine and Evenly Coat: Combine the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice in a large bowl until all the apples are evenly coated.
- Bake: Transfer into the prepared baking dish and dot with the butter. Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Serve warm with ice cream on the side.
Tips, Variations, and Brown Sugar Baked Apples Serving Ideas
- Ways to Use Baked Apples: You can eat baked apples just as they are or eat them warm with ice cream. You can also use them to top pancakes, waffles, French toast, or oatmeal.
- Less Sugar Ideas: For a less sweet dessert, substitute the brown sugar for granulated sugar or honey, or reduce the amount of sugar to ¼ cup.
- Sauteé Instead of Bake: You can sautee the apples in a couple of tablespoons of butter over medium to medium-high heat on the stovetop. This can also be faster than baking.
- Slow Cooker Instructions: After combining all the ingredients, add them to a small slow cooker, dot with butter, and cook on low for about 2 hours or until the apples are tender. Stir occasionally.
- Types of Apples to Use: Mixing your flavors and types of apples is always a fun way to change up this dessert. Honeycrisp, Fuji, and Gala are good sweet apples for baking. Some good tart apples for baking are Braeburn, Granny Smith, Pink Lady, and Mcintosh.
- Add a Touch of Vanilla: Add a splash of vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste to the apples for a sweet and subtle vanilla flavor. You may also try adding a pinch of nutmeg or cloves to add more fall spice!
Make Ahead, Storage, and Reheating Tips
- Refrigerator: Any leftover baked apples can be stored in a ziplock bag or an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll stay fresh for up to five days so that you can enjoy them throughout the week!
- Freezing: While freezing baked apples might change their color and texture a bit, they’re still worth saving. Just pop them in a freezer bag, and they’ll be good for up to 1 month. Thaw them in the fridge overnight when you’re ready to enjoy them again.
- Making Ahead: Want to get ahead of the game? You can fully prepare and bake these apples up to 3–4 days before serving. Store them in an airtight container or cover them with plastic wrap, and reheat when you’re ready to dig in. If you’d prefer to bake them fresh, you can prep everything the night before and keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to pop them in the oven.
- Reheating: To reheat, bake at 350°F for about 15 minutes or until they’re nice and warm. You can also heat them on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally. If you’re using the microwave, warm them in 30–60 second intervals, stirring in between to avoid turning them mushy. Take your time and enjoy every bite!
More Appetizing Apple Desserts
There’s nothing I love more than cozying up in a big, fluffy sweater by the fire, a book in one hand and a warm apple treat in the other, while the crisp autumn breeze swirls outside. Here are some delicious apple recipes for you to try this season!
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It
Brown Sugar Cinnamon Baked Apples
Brown Sugar Cinnamon Baked Apples are crisp apples mixed with rich brown sugar and cinnamon seasoning, then baked to perfection. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a decadent fall dessert!
Ingredients
- 6 cups apple slices peeled and cored
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup salted butter cubed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9×9-inch baking pan or 2-quart baking dish with pan spray and set aside.
- Combine the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice in a large bowl until all the apples are evenly coated.
- Transfer into the prepared baking dish and dot with the butter. Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Serve warm with ice cream on the side.
Notes
Originally Posted September 30, 2019,
Updated January 03, 2021
Updated September 1, 2024
Nutrition
Calories: 195kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 1gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 50mgPotassium: 240mgFiber: 3gSugar: 34gVitamin A: 269IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!
I made this tonight and topped it with ice cream. The brown sugar mixture was perfect. Felt like I was eating apple pie a-la-mode without the crust and with fewer calories. What a yummy, easy to make dessert.
Whatt do you do with the butter
Add it in during step 1!
I have made a similar dish many years ago and it was excellent! So Good my family and Friends LOVE IT! Also as you have stated it is so versatile and have so many serving possibilities…Thank you for printing this great recipe!
If you have it on hand, try adding a splash of Port wine! It’s an amazing combination very common here in Portugal =)