These healthy and easy roasted apples with warm spices are the perfect way to celebrate the fall and all year long! All you need are apples, butter, and cinnamon.
Roasted Cinnamon Apples
There's no arguing that biting into a fresh, crisp apple, especially during the fall season, is one of those simple things in life that can truly make you happy.
But have you tried roasting one?!?
Magic happens in the oven as the roasting process caramelizes the apples bringing out their natural flavor and sweetness, just like with these Korean sweet potatoes that come out tasting like honey.
Just imagine warm, tender apples blended with cinnamon. It is next level, pure bliss! Your nose will thank you too ;).
It's also a wonderful way to enjoy this nutritious fruit with your baby. Baking until nice and soft will make them safe for your baby to eat, as raw apples are one of the top choking hazards.
While most baked recipes require brown sugar, there's really no need for any added sugar, just like with my apple baked oatmeal and ALL of my baby and toddler-friendly muffins!
The best part is it requires just 3 ingredients and very minimal effort. Oh and you can enjoy them in so many ways!
Now let’s put your oven to work!
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The Best Apples for Baking/Roasting
While I always use ones that my family enjoy snacking on the most, which are honey crisp and fuji apple, feel free to experiment with different varieties if you are up for it!
And just like when making homemade applesauce, you can use a combination of sweet and tart apples for a variety of different flavors and textures. Here are some suggestions:
- Braeburn - tart
- Honeycrisp - sweet
- Fuji - sweet
- Cameo - sweet, slightly tart
- Jonagold - sweet, slightly tart
- Gala - Mildly sweet
- Golden delicious - sweet
- Granny Smith - very tart
- Pink lady -tart, slightly sweet
Ingredients
- Apples - Be sure to give it a good wash. There's no need to peel but you can if that's your preference
- Butter - you can also use olive oil, coconut oil, or avocado oil
- Lemon juice - Helps bring out the natural flavors of the apples and balance their sweetness. Don't worry! You won't taste it.
- Cinnamon - will add a lovely warmth to the apples
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Cut the apples in half and remove the core using a spoon, sharp paring knife , or melon baller. Place cut-side up on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, combine melted butter and cinnamon. Rub over the apples. Bake until caramelized and the flesh is fork-tender, about 30 minutes.
Healthy Baked Apples for baby
Roasting apple halves will provide you with more choices when it comes to serving apples to your baby or young toddler.
Once baked you can serve the entire apple half or slice into large wedges for your baby to suck and mash with their gums.
You can peel the apples or leave the skin on. Your baby will most likely spit it out, which is an important skill to learn from early on. It's also a great exposure to texture.
Serving Suggestions
While I have a feeling you'll have no problem snacking on the baked apples as they are, here are some ways to invite more fun and variety into your breakfast, snack, or dessert!
- Add to oatmeal or quinoa
- Mix in to overnight oats or chia pudding right before eating
- Add to plain yogurt
- Stuff into croffles
- Add to pancakes (sub out strawberries)
- Spread onto toast along with cream cheese, ricotta, or peanut butter (or nut/seed butter)
- Drizzle maple syrup or honey
- Top warm apples with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of caramel sauce (such a simple dessert!)
They also make for a great side dish for family meals and are perfect for school lunch boxes.
Ultimate Guide to Apples for Baby
Storage
You can safely leave out the roasted apples at room temperature for about two hours.
Refrigerate: After that, you will need to transfer leftover apples to an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You can enjoy cold or warm it up slightly, if desired.
Freeze: transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container in a single layer and freeze for up to 6 months. The apples will get quite mushy upon thawing so it will be best to add to smoothies, yogurt, or try adding to milk, like this banana milk.
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no need, unless it's what you prefer. The peel is where the majority of the nutrients are found, such as fiber, antioxidants, vitamin C, Vitamin K, and prebiotics (compounds that promote the growth of good bacteria).
The baking time will vary depending on which type of apples you use. Apples are done when they're fork-tender. If baking for babies, you will need to cook a bit longer to ensure the apples are easily smooshable between your thumb and forefinger. Baking the apples cut side down will help soften the flesh even more.
More Apple Recipes to Try
Did you make this recipe? Leave a rating below and let me know how you liked the recipe! Your feedback means so much to me!
Easy Roasted Apples
Ingredients
- 3 medium apples
- 1 tablespoon melted butter or oil
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Grease or line a baking dish.
- Cut the apples in half and remove the core using a spoon, small knife or melon baller. Place in baking dish with cut-side up (See note).
- In a small bowl, combine butter and cinnamon. Rub over the apples. Bake until caramelized and the flesh is fork-tender, about 30 minutes.
Jenny says
Wonderful! My apples were pretty big, so I doubled the cinnamon and butter mixture. They would have been perfect for us adults after 30 min in the oven, but I wanted to make extra sure they were soft enough for our 13 mo old so I flipped them over and baked for another 10 min. The result was soft and delicious. I served the apple to my son mashed over waffle bites (recipe from this site!) with a bit of cream over the top. Yum!
Min says
Oh I'm so happy to hear that you guys enjoyed these apples!!