Is there any dessert more simple, more comforting, or more evocative of a cozy autumn evening than a warm, tender, and perfectly spiced Baked Apple, fresh from the oven? This incredible, classic recipe, with a rich and boozy rum-and-cinnamon glaze, is the ultimate in rustic, old-fashioned comfort food.
This isn’t just a recipe; it’s your complete guide to mastering a timeless dessert that celebrates the simple beauty of an apple. We’ll show you how to choose the perfect apple variety that will hold its shape beautifully, and how to create a simple yet sophisticated glaze that infuses every bite with the warm flavors of brown sugar, dark rum, and festive spices. Get ready to fill your home with the most incredible, soul-warming aroma.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate Cozy Fall Dessert
What makes these Baked Apples so spectacular is their elegant simplicity and their deep, comforting flavor. The recipe uses whole apples, which are cored and then baked in a delicious, spiced rum and cider sauce until they are perfectly tender and melt-in-your-mouth. The process of basting the apples as they bake creates a beautiful, glossy, and deeply flavorful glaze. It’s a naturally gluten-free, wholesome, and incredibly easy dessert that is perfect for a chilly fall or winter evening.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 45 minutes |
| Active Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 6 |
The Essential Ingredients for Perfect Baked Apples
This recipe uses a handful of classic, high-impact ingredients to create its signature warm and cozy flavor.
- The Apples: The type of apple you use is the single most important decision for this recipe! You must use a sturdy, firm baking apple that will hold its shape during baking and not break down into a mushy applesauce.
- Best Varieties: The recipe recommends Rome apples, which are a classic, top-tier choice for baked apples. Other fantastic, firm varieties that work beautifully include Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, and Jonagold.
- The “Grown-Up” Glaze: This is the rich, warm, and boozy sauce that makes these apples so special.
- Dark Rum: A good quality dark rum adds a wonderful, warm, and complex flavor with notes of molasses and caramel that is a perfect pairing with the brown sugar and apples.
- Dark Brown Sugar: Using packed dark brown sugar instead of white sugar provides a deep, rich, caramel-like sweetness.
- Warm Spices: A classic, cozy blend of ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, and whole cloves infuses the glaze with a signature “fall” flavor.
- Apple Cider: A cup of unsweetened apple cider in the bottom of the baking dish creates a wonderfully steamy environment to help the apples cook, and it forms the base of the delicious pan sauce.
Pro Tutorial: How to Core an Apple Perfectly
For this recipe, you want to remove the core while leaving the apple whole.
- The Easy Way (Apple Corer): The simplest tool is a cylindrical apple corer. Simply position it over the stem of the apple and press down firmly with a twisting motion until the corer goes all the way through. Pull it back out to remove the core in one perfect piece.
- By Hand (Paring Knife): If you don’t have a corer, you can use a small, sharp paring knife. Carefully insert the knife into the top of the apple, around the stem, and cut in a circle all the way around the core. Then, use a small spoon (a grapefruit spoon works great!) to scoop out the core and the seeds.
Step-by-Step to the Best Baked Apples
Follow these simple, detailed steps for a perfect, tender, and delicious result every time.
Step 1: Make the Warm Rum & Spice Glaze
In a medium saucepan, combine the 1/2 cup of dark brown sugar, the 1/2 cup of dark rum, the 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, the 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg, the 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and the 6 whole cloves.
Stir all the ingredients together to blend them. Place the pan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
Cook the glaze for 3 to 4 minutes, allowing the sugar to dissolve completely and the flavors to meld together.
Step 2: Prepare the Apples and the Baking Dish
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
Choose a baking dish that is large enough to hold all 6 of your apples in a single, snug layer.
Arrange your cored apples in the baking dish.
Carefully place one whole cinnamon stick inside the cavity of each of the cored apples.
Pour your prepared, warm rum glaze evenly over the tops of all the apples.
Top each apple with a few small pieces of the 2 tablespoons of butter.
Finally, pour the 1 cup of unsweetened apple cider into the bottom of the baking dish, around the apples.
Step 3: Bake to Tender Perfection
Place the dish in the center of the oven.
Cook the apples for 25 to 30 minutes, or until they are tender but not mushy.
Pro Tip: Be sure to baste the apples a few times during the cooking process. To do this, simply open the oven, carefully tilt the baking dish, and use a large spoon to scoop up some of the delicious pan juices and pour it back over the tops of the apples. This is the secret to a beautiful, glossy finish.
You’ll know the apples are perfectly cooked when a sharp paring knife can be inserted into the flesh with very little resistance, but the apples are still holding their shape.
The Best Easy & Old-Fashioned Baked Apples
A classic and comforting dessert recipe for baked apples. Whole, cored apples are stuffed with a cinnamon stick and arranged in a baking dish. They are then covered with a rich glaze made from dark brown sugar, dark rum, and warm spices, and baked with apple cider in the dish until tender but not mushy. The apples are basted with the pan juices as they cook, creating a delicious syrupy sauce. They are best served warm, optionally with a scoop of ice cream.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- For the Glaze:
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup dark rum
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 6 whole cloves
- For the Apples:
- 6 small to medium apples (e.g., Rome or Granny Smith), washed and cored
- 6 cinnamon sticks
- 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 cup unsweetened apple cider
- Rum raisin ice cream, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Make the Glaze: In a medium saucepan, combine the dark brown sugar, rum, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves. Stir to blend and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes to allow the sugar to dissolve and the flavors to meld.
- Prepare and Bake the Apples: Arrange the cored apples in a single layer in a baking dish large enough to hold them.
- Place a cinnamon stick inside the cavity of each apple.
- Pour the prepared glaze over the apples and top each with a few small pieces of butter.
- Add the apple cider to the bottom of the dish.
- Place the dish in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, basting the apples with the pan juices from time to time, until they are tender but not mushy.
- Serve the apples warm with some of the pan sauce spooned over the top. They can be served with a scoop of ice cream or sour cream if desired.
Notes
- Using a sturdy baking apple, such as Rome or Granny Smith, is recommended so that the apples hold their shape and don’t turn to mush during baking.
- Basting the apples with the pan juices as they cook is a key step that helps them to become glazed and flavorful.
- This dessert is delicious served warm on its own, or with a creamy topping like ice cream or sour cream to balance the sweetness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 apple
- Calories: 280-350
- Sugar: 40-50 g
- Sodium: 200-250 mg
- Fat: 6-9 g
- Saturated Fat: 4-6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50-60 g
- Fiber: 5-7 g
- Protein: 1-2 g
- Cholesterol: 10-15 mg
Serving Your Warm Baked Apples
The beauty of this dessert is its rustic simplicity. The best way to serve these baked apples is warm, fresh from the oven. Place one whole apple in a cozy bowl for each person. Be sure to spoon a generous amount of the incredible, concentrated pan sauce from the bottom of the baking dish over the top of each apple.
For the ultimate, classic comfort food experience, serve each warm baked apple with a large scoop of high-quality rum raisin or vanilla bean ice cream, or a generous dollop of crème fraîche, sour cream, or fresh whipped cream. The cool, creamy topping melting into the warm, spiced apple is pure perfection.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
These baked apples are a fantastic and easy dessert to prepare ahead of time.
- Make-Ahead: You can fully assemble the entire, unbaked dish up to a day in advance. Simply prepare the apples in their baking dish with the glaze and the cider, cover it tightly with foil, and store it in the refrigerator. When you are ready to serve, just pop it in the oven to bake (you may need to add 5-10 minutes to the baking time).
- Storage: Store any leftover baked apples and their sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: You can enjoy leftovers cold, straight from the fridge, or you can reheat them. The best way to reheat the apples is in a 350°F oven for about 10-15 minutes, or in the microwave, until they are warmed through.
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Creative Recipe Variations
This simple and delicious recipe is a wonderful base for your own creative and cozy twists.
- Add a Classic “Stuffed” Filling: For a wonderful textural contrast that is reminiscent of an apple crumble, you can create a simple filling. In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 cup of old-fashioned rolled oats, 1/4 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons of softened butter. After you have cored your apples, stuff this mixture into the cavity before you add the glaze and bake as directed.
- Make it a Non-Alcoholic Version: If you prefer to make this without the rum, you can simply substitute the 1/2 cup of dark rum in the glaze with an equal amount of additional apple cider or apple juice.
- Use a Different Fall Fruit: This same simple and elegant baking method is also absolutely wonderful with firm, ripe pears. Bosc pears are a fantastic choice as they hold their shape beautifully when baked.
Enjoy The Ultimate Cozy Dessert!
You’ve just created a truly perfect dessert that is the very definition of autumn comfort. This classic, Old-Fashioned Baked Apple recipe is a perfect harmony of warm spices, sweet fruit, and a rich, sophisticated glaze. It’s a rewarding, deeply satisfying, and surprisingly easy recipe that is sure to become a staple in your fall and winter dessert rotation.
We hope you enjoy every last, warm, and delicious bite!
If you enjoyed making this recipe, please leave a comment below or share it with a friend who loves an easy and classic dessert!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What are the absolute best apples to use for whole baked apples?
The most important thing is to use a very firm baking apple that will hold its shape during baking and not collapse into a pile of applesauce. Classic, sturdy, round apples like Rome Beauty are the number one choice for this reason. Other fantastic, firm apple varieties that work beautifully include Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, and Jonagold.
Q2: How do I core an apple without cutting all the way through the bottom?
An apple corer is the easiest tool for this. Simply press the corer down through the top of the apple, but be sure to stop about a half-inch from the bottom. Then, pull the corer back out. You can use a small spoon to scoop out any remaining seeds. If you are using a paring knife, just be careful to cut around the core in a cone shape, without piercing the bottom skin.
Q3: Can I make these baked apples ahead of time?
Yes, this is a perfect make-ahead dessert! The best method is to assemble the entire unbaked dish and store it, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Then, you can simply bake it fresh right before you plan to serve it, so it is hot, bubbly, and the house smells amazing.
Q4: My apples turned into a mushy mess. What did I do wrong?
Mushy baked apples are almost always the result of using the wrong type of apple. You must use a firm, sturdy baking apple, as recommended above. Softer “eating” apples, like a McIntosh or a Red Delicious, have a flesh that is designed to break down very quickly when it is cooked, which makes them perfect for applesauce but not for whole baked apples. Over-baking can also cause the apples to become too soft.
Q5: Can I use a different kind of alcohol besides dark rum?
Of course! A classic bourbon would be a fantastic substitute for the dark rum and is a wonderful pairing with the apples and brown sugar. A splash of an apple brandy like Calvados would also be a sophisticated and delicious choice.