Walnut-Stuffed Baked Apples
It’s a fact – toward the end of the summer, I start to long for fall and winter food. And toward the end of the winter, I start to long for spring and summer food. I’ve been longing for soups, stews, braises and anything involving apples and pumpkins for weeks now. I love you, summer, but I’m done.
Seeing as how it was in the 40′s one morning last week when I woke up, my fall menu planning is in full swing. Although, in true Michigan fashion, as I’m writing this (Friday), it’s 81 degrees. Sigh. This state. Always with the unpredictable temperature swings. I’ll consider today a slight blip on the path to full-on sweater and warm apple cider weather.
Nothing says “autumn” to me more than going to an apple orchard, eating warm donuts for lunch, and buying way, way more apples than I realistically need. Then spending the next month putting apples in everything I eat to prove to myself that buying all those apples was a great idea. Here’s one of my favorite simple desserts – these baked apples are easy to adapt for a crowd, or a simple weeknight sweet treat for two.
Yield: 4 servings
Walnut-Stuffed Baked Apples
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 4 large Gala apples
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In small bowl, combine brown sugar, walnuts, raisins, butter, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves.
- Slice ½ inch off top of each apple. With small end of melon baller or small spoon, scoop out inner core and seeds from inside of each apple up to bottom (do not go all the way through apple). Arrange apples, cavity side up, in 9 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Fill each cavity with 2 tablespoons brown sugar-walnut mixture. Sprinkle remaining brown sugar-walnut mixture on top of apples. Pour juice around apples.
- Bake apples 30 to 40 minutes or until desired tenderness, rotating baking dish halfway through baking. Spoon juices remaining in dish over apples and serve warm.
These just scream fall. They look amazing! And, the best thing is everyone at our house can eat this treat because there is no dairy (we use a butter substitute,) egg or soy involved!
Yay, Marjory! So glad this is a dessert that works for your family.
These would be perfect for a Fall dinner party, Lori! I can imagine preparing a big tray of these and popping them in the oven as dinner starts. Then everyone would have a warm spicy apple dessert to finish the meal. Just perfect!
Oh yeah, I think they’d be perfect for a dinner party! And I think you could prepare them a little in advance, because even if the apples turn a little brown while waiting to be baked, it won’t matter – they’ll brown in the oven anyway!
I really need to try a recipe such as this one Lori; the baked apples of my youth were always so bland and over sugary. This looks stunning!
Thanks so much, Paula! I’m definitely against over-sugary desserts 🙂
Oh my goodness gracious! I want one of these right now – for breakfast!
I kind of wish I had one right now for breakfast, too 😉
Oh my goodness, these are just amazing. Love the walnuts paired with the apples. I bet these were incredible!
Well, I don’t mean to toot my own horn, but…
I just love baked apples, so delicious. You can’t imagine how excited I am that Fall is here, apples, pumpkins, oh yes!!
I totally agree, Suzanne! I’ve been looking forward to fall for ages. Apple cider, winter squashes, cinnamon donuts…
BTW, congrats on the finalist nom at F52, voted for your delicious meatballs!!
Thank you so much, Suzanne! You get half the credit, since you showed me the ropes at F52 🙂
Gorgeous and gourmet, Lori! Your baked apples recipe is a keeper. Your dessert is perfect for a fall dinner party =)
Thanks so much, Kim.
I adore baked apples and this recipe takes them to the next level!
Thanks Isabel!
I love stuffed apples! Yours looks delish!! I am in such an apple mood today!
I’m in such an apple mood ALL FALL LONG 🙂
Baked apples are one of my favorites. These look wonderful! Perfect for Fall.
Thanks Alida!
Hello Fall! These look awesome and Gala apples are one of my favorites!
Mmmmm…me too. And Honeycrisp (although not so much for baking, just eating).
I think these should be in the dictionary under “fall.” I can’t think of anything better. And you really can’t beat Michigan’s apples either. My hubby and I are making a special trip next weekend just to get some!
How fun! What orchard/cider mill are you headed to?
I’m not sure yet. I think we’re going to Yates, but if you have any recommendations, we’d love to hear them. We’re headed towards the southeast corner/Detroit/Farmington Hills area.
Well, since our last name is (coincidentally) Yates, we ALWAYS go to Yates. And try to make them give us a discount for our (imaginary) family ties. It does not work.
Haha! No way! I totally forgot your last name was Yates (duh!). Well sounds like we have a winner then.
Yeah, tell them I sent you. Except, they have no idea who I am, so they’ll just stare at you like you’re crazy. Ok, don’t do that. But eat a few donuts for me.
I love this comment, Lori. We have done the same thing with Stone Brewing in Encinitas, CA (North of San Diego). But at Stone they did tell us that we could have samples (like everybody else) at the end of the brewery tour… 🙂
Haha, so glad somebody else has tried that scam 😉 And coincidentally, I have a set of pint glasses from Stone Brewing. I haven’t been there, but my husband’s friend bought some back for us when he went there.
Lori, if you ever have a chance to go to Stone, take it. They have a wonderful bistro and a one-acre garden at the brewery. They give good tours of the brewery and the food is delicious. They have recently opened a couple of new ‘stores’ in the San Diego area, which we haven’t been to. But who needs to when you can go to the original. I hope you can get there. If you do, their beer cheese soup is to die for good.
I’ll keep that in mind, Susan! I’m sure I’ll get there someday!
These baked apples look terrific! I just stopped at the apple orchard today so I’m ready for all apple desserts 🙂
How many apples did you buy, Liz? A TON? haha.
I love the oat version of this – if I could eat nuts this would be amazing too
Oats sound amazing to me as well! And something I always have on hand.
I bet those smelled amazing while they were cooking!
Yes, if only my house could ALWAYS smell like that!
Lori – you have no idea how much I love the combination of apples, walnuts, raisins, and fall apple pie spices! Your dish looks amazing. Bravo!
Thanks so much, Martin! I’ve been a big golden raisin fan lately.
I love, love, LOVE baked apples! My family always had them Christmas morning, and to this day they remind me of cool weather and happy memories. This seems like the perfect way to welcome in fall!
Oh, what a great Christmas morning treat! I love that idea! My husband and I usually make some sort of egg casserole for Christmas morning, but now I’m thinking a baked apple to share would be a great addition.
Thanks for stopping by, Elizabeth!
Lori, I love easy yet ridiculously delicious desserts like this! Yay, I don’t need to peel and dice the apples (as you can tell, I’m super lazy). My husband would be ALL over these.
Haha yeah…I HATE peeling apples! I think that was my main motivation for coming up with this recipe 🙂
Hello Lori!
Thanks for inventing and sharing this recipe…. the baked apple is a treat…. and so easy to make- definitely what i call a smart recipe! Do share more such recipes 🙂 Thanks once again!
CK
You’re very welcome, CK. Thanks for stopping by!
Making these tonight with galas from the farm 🙂
Oh, awesome! I hope you love them, Lauren! <3
just made these for a dinner party the guests loved them and ate every bit this is a keeper 🙂
I am so glad to hear that, Catherine! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Do you think I could prepare in advance and freeze? If I wrapped them individually?
Hi Leone! Great question, but I wouldn’t recommend freezing them. I think the texture will suffer and they might not turn out as well as you would like them to. If you’d like to save time, I would recommend preparing the mixture in Step 1 and keeping it in the fridge. Then, on the day you want to serve these, proceeding with the rest of the steps.