Easy Cinnamon Baked Apples

GFVGVDFNS
Jump to Recipe
Ceramic baking dish filled with AMAZING Cinnamon Baked Apples and topped with vegan ice cream

Apple season is officially here (!!) and I’ve been dreaming about this baked apple recipe for a while now. Dreams came true in my kitchen when I opened up the oven to see these tender, cinnamon-coated, perfectly caramelized apples! Let me show you how.

Wood cutting board with sweet and tart apples

This recipe is simple, requiring 9 (basic) ingredients and 1 bowl.

A mix of tart and sweet apples are peeled, cored, thinly sliced, and added right to the baking dish before being topped with delicious spices like cinnamon, fresh ginger, and nutmeg. Total swoon.

Ceramic baking dish with freshly sliced apples and spices for making our Cinnamon Baked Apples recipe

To keep this dish naturally sweetened, I went with coconut sugar (you could also sub stevia or maple syrup)!

Coconut sugar provides a slightly caramelized flavor I adore. All that’s left is lemon juice and sea salt to balance out the sweetness and a touch of cornstarch or arrowroot to ensure the sauce thickens up nicely. Forty-five minutes in the oven covered then another 10 uncovered and you’re in cinnamon-apple paradise.

Freshly stirred sliced apples with spices for making naturally-sweetened Cinnamon Baked Apples
Two serving bowls with Cinnamon Baked Apples and vegan ice cream

I hope you all LOVE these baked apples! They’re:

Tender
Cinnamony
Naturally sweetened
Caramelized
Super satisfying
Comforting
& Delicious!

What to Serve with Baked Apples

These apples are perfect on their own, but they are extra dreamy with a scoop of Vanilla Bean Coconut Ice Cream or Coconut Whipped Cream.

More Apple Recipes

For more apple recipes, be sure to check out our 1-Bowl Carrot Apple Snack Cake, Caramel Apple Cheesecake Tart, Pumpkin-Spice Apple Pie, Apple Pie Crumble Bars, Apple Pecan Arugula Salad, The Best Vegan Apple Crisp, Vegan Pumpkin Apple Muffins, Apple Gingerbread Cake, Apple Pie Date Bars, and Vegan Apple Cinnamon Waffles!

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram! We’d love to see what you come up with. Cheers, friends!

Close up shot of a bowl of our Cinnamon Baked Apples recipe topped with vegan ice cream

Easy Cinnamon Baked Apples

Easy Cinnamon Baked Apples requiring simple ingredients and 1 bowl, plus naturally sweetened! The perfect grain- and gluten-free plant-based dessert for the holidays and beyond!
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Spoons in a pan of Cinnamon Baked Apples topped with vegan ice cream
4.80 from 95 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 6 (baked apples)
Course Dessert
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegan
Freezer Friendly 1 month
Does it keep? 3-4 Days

Ingredients

APPLES

  • 6-7 medium to large apples (2 tart like granny smith, 4 sweet like honeycrisp // amount as original recipe is written // organic when possible)
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp coconut oil (optional)
  • 2/3 cup coconut sugar (or sub organic cane sugar // sub up to half with stevia to taste*)
  • 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 tsp fresh grated ginger*
  • 1 pinch nutmeg
  • 3 Tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot starch (for thickening the sauce)
  • 3 Tbsp fresh apple juice or water
  • 1 pinch sea salt

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and set out a 9×13-inch (or similar size) baking dish.
  • Peel and core apples, quarter, and use a paring knife to thinly slice lengthwise (see photo). The thinner the better! Just try to be consistent so they cook evenly.
  • Add to baking dish and top with lemon juice, coconut oil (optional), coconut sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cornstarch (or arrowroot), apple juice (or water), and a healthy pinch of salt. Toss to combine. Then loosely cover with foil.
  • Bake for 45 minutes (covered). Then carefully remove foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the apples are very fork tender (especially in the center of the dish) and slightly caramelized (see photo).
  • Enjoy as is or with Coconut Whipped Cream or Vanilla Bean Coconut Ice Cream! Best when fresh, though leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days or in the freezer up to 1 month. Reheat in the microwave or in a 350-degree F (176 C) oven (covered) until warmed through. Add a bit of water if the “caramel” sauce is too thick.

Video

Notes

*You can sub 1/2 tsp ground ginger per 3/4 tsp fresh ginger.
*Lazy folks (like me) can also opt for store-bought vegan ice cream (my favorite is So Delicious Vanilla Coconut Ice Cream).
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with the lesser amount of apples, without sides or toppings, and without the coconut oil or apple juice.

Nutrition (1 of 6 servings)

Serving: 1 servings Calories: 195 Carbohydrates: 50.6 g Protein: 0.3 g Fat: 0.2 g Saturated Fat: 0 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0 g Monounsaturated Fat: 0 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 15 mg Potassium: 82 mg Fiber: 3 g Sugar: 39.7 g Vitamin A: 100 IU Vitamin C: 12.4 mg Calcium: 20 mg Iron: 0.4 mg

Did You Make This Recipe?

Tag @minimalistbaker on Instagram and hashtag it #minimalistbaker so we can see all the deliciousness!

If you love this recipe...

Get Our Fan Favorites eBook Here!

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment & Rating!

Have a question? Use ctrl+f or ⌘+f on your computer or the "find on page" function on your phone browser to search existing comments! Need help? Check out this tutorial!

My Rating:




  1. Jackie says

    I think mine were sliced too thinly after 30 mins covered (I used less apples, perhaps cooked them too long) they were soggy.
    Left trying to firm them up – seems opposite problem than someone else!

  2. Mj says

    I needed something easy that my 11 year old can help with. We mixed apples and pears together for a different take and it was awesome and delicious. Hit the spot on a cool fall night!! Thank you for various apple recipes that are not the same thing over and over

  3. Natasha says

    This was so good and so easy to make!! I used brown sugar since I couldn’t find the coconut sugar in the cabinet, and I didn’t peel the apples because #newborn. This turned out delicious. We’ve been eating them plain, cold, warm and with vanilla Icelandic yogurt. We also made the instant pot golden lentil soup to enjoy before diving into this delicious apple dessert.

  4. Ann says

    Best ever. I have a 12 tree orchard and today, August 4 th, I picked a dozen apples, followed the recipe and mercy it was good. The pride of picking my own apples plus a simple set of instructions for stewed apples – could not have been better. Ann

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Ann! Thank you so much for the lovely review. Next time would you mind leaving a star rating? It’s super helpful for us and other readers! Thanks again! xo

  5. Kate says

    Delicious! I used honey crisp apples and only 1/4 cup of brown sugar. These were a topping to your pumpkin steel cut oats and baked cranberry sauce. Your site is my go-to site for delicious, satisfying recipes. When I see you have a YouTube video notification, I stop what I’m doing and watch it. Thank you for your dedication and hard work. . . every recipe I’ve made from your site is off-the-charts delicious!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Wow! We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Kate. Thank you so much for your kind words and support! xo

  6. kt says

    any tips for making this ahead of time to bring to a thanksgiving lunch? for example, should i bake completely the night before OR morning before then microwave prior to serving? the house i am going to also has an oven warmer feature, would that be better than a microwave?

    thanks!

    huge MB fan by the way :)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Aw, thanks KT! Yes, we’d recommend baking fully and reheating in a 350-degree F (176 C) oven (covered) until warmed through. Enjoy!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Laurel, We haven’t tested that, but it sounds tasty! The sugar does help them get saucy, which raisins won’t do, but otherwise we think it could work. Let us know if you try it!

  7. Glenda says

    I was wondering we love a coconut Loaf, but we can’t find a good recipe. Do you have any suggestions, we buy it from either starbucks or zaraffers

  8. Melissa says

    This is one of my favorite comfort recipes. So simple and so warm and comforting for a healthy dessert option. I’ve made this for multiple meal trains to gift to families going through a tough time. So good with a little DF vanilla ice cream on top!

  9. Ana says

    Here we go… 1,5 hours later and my apples yet still not soft. Still crispy. I should’ve precooked or sautéed this apples. Not fan of a recipe tips.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Ana, sorry to hear that! Is it possible the slices were thick? That would cause it to take a longer amount of time to cook.

      • Beverly P says

        These were enjoyed by all! I really liked how your recipe created a generous amount of yummy sauce. I’m planning to make the recipe again, but using my slow cooker this time.

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          We’re so glad everyone enjoyed it, Beverly! Thank you for the lovely review! Great idea to try it in the slow cooker. We’d love to hear how it goes!

          • Beverly P says

            Perhaps someone else has tried the crockpot and had success, but I abandoned my attempt. I tripled the recipe, so I had a lot of apples heaped up in there. After about an hour in the crockpot, I worried that the sauce would not caramelize in the crockpot like it does in a baking dish, plus the sauce could not reach the top of the heap. It seemed the apples might just turn to mush while the juice remained juicy at the bottom. At any rate, I just poured all the contents of the crockpot into a 9 x 13 glass baking dish, baked until the apples were tender and the sauce was thickened, and then stirred gently to combine the apples with the sauce. I put the dish back in the oven for some more caramelizing, checking until they were the way they are intended to be enjoyed! Thanks again for the recipe!

          • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

            We’re glad you were able to make it work in the end, Beverly! Thank you for sharing your experience!

  10. Sophia says

    I make this on Sundays and have it with my oats or chia seeds for breakfast or with whipped cream as a dessert. Very warm and delicious for winter season.

  11. Suzanne says

    Great recipe. I made a small version of this recipe. I am planning on making it again and adding some cranberries or blueberries. I am also thinking of adding chia seeds or flax seed for a breakfast version.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Your modifications sound lovely too! Thank you for sharing, Suzanne! xo

  12. Patricia says

    I tried it and I loved it. I did make a few modifications, mostly in the process. 6 medium to large apples filled my 9×13 up. I used raw sugar instead of coconut sugar, mostly because I had it and didn’t want to buy something new. I mixed all the dry ingredients together (except apples) and then combined them in a very large bowl to stir them together. I then took the water (no apple juice), 5 apple slices and the lemon juice and put them in a blender to make the liquid part. Then pour it over the apples. The only change I would make in the future is to cut down the sugar, maybe to ½ cup. I loved this but it was on the sweet side for me.

  13. Tanja Bolenz says

    Made the dish for breakfast this Sunday morning and had it with your delicious Rawnola. Very yummy! Thank you.

  14. Ann says

    Made this last weekend. It is SO good. Used cane sugar, did not use coconut oil. Sprinkled the top with some rolled oats for texture. Will definitely make it again.

  15. CoCo D says

    The flavor was good, but the baking time was way too long for thinly sliced apples. They were very soggy. Might try again with thicker sliced apples, and a smaller pan.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Sorry to hear the texture wasn’t what you were hoping for! Is it possible you were using apples with a high moisture content? Slicing thicker will help them be more firm if that’s what you’d prefer!

    • Anon says

      I read on an apple pie recipe that cubing the apple into triangles makes them less soggy than slices but I haven’t compared side by side to see if it’s true

  16. Jacqueline Cahill says

    This is my go to recipe when I have an abundance of apples in the fall. There are an abundance of apple trees where I live, and I can’t resist picking them :) Or, when there is a great deal on apples in the supermarket, I don’t hesitate to purchase them because it gives a good reason to make these Easy Baked Apples.
    I had rave reviews from very picky eaters.
    The coconut sugar adds a depth and earthiness to the apples and it seems to bring out the natural sweetness better than cane sugar.
    I cut the sugar to 1/2 cup coconut sugar in the batch today and it is a bit too sweet. I prefer 1/3 cup coconut sugar and find this gives a good balance of sweet and tart for an adult palate.

  17. Kelly Byrd says

    Delicious! Perfect side dish. I served this with slow cooker pork butt, kale, cole slaw, and corn bread. My husband loved it! I substituted butter for the coconut oil; gave it a rich, yummy taste.

  18. Amy C says

    I made this for our Easter dinner dessert, and it was amazing! I reduced the coconut sugar to about 1/2 cup and it was plenty sweet. I might try 1/3 cup next time as I’m always trying to reduce the amount of sugar I feed my family. I served it with a scoop of frozen coconut whipped topping on everyone’s bowls, and it was delicious!

  19. Sherry Newman says

    Hi! This was great! Easy to make. Cutting the apples took the longest. 😂. I doubled the batch . Had a crazy amount of apples to use up! Family and kids LOVED IT. I loved the sugar options and option to use Diabetic friendly sweetener. Thanks!

  20. Sheryl says

    I had Red Delicious apples so I made it with those. I used 8 apples, and only 1/2 cup organic sugar and 2 T. corn starch. No lemon juice on hand so used Nellie and Joe’s key lime juice. Was fine just with water instead of apple juice, and ground ginger.
    Super Yummy! Made three servings on its own.

  21. BDionne says

    I added a thin layer of honey/almond granola to the botton of the dish, and them sprinkled the top with chopped walnuts and the remaining granola. Also added 2-3 tbs water to compensate for granola. So good!!😋

    • Mel says

      So good! I used this idea, only I put all the granola on top. It added a delicious chewy sweet layer. Yum! I used brown sugar and halved the amount, apple cider instead of juice, omitted the coconut oil, and didn’t peel the apples. I served it with a scoop of vanilla coconut-milk ice-cream. Warm and gooey sweet, perfect for using up all the local apples I’ve been buying. It made an incredible breakfast the next morning, warmed up in a sauce pan with a little apple cider and paired with a hot cup of coffee.

      I will definitely be making this again!

      • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

        Woohoo! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Mel! So glad you enjoyed!

  22. Sharan says

    Hello, I want to make these but I am not sure if I can use all sweet apples, as I have no tart ones at the moment. Please advise me, thank you very much!

  23. Heidi Wyman says

    This was so delicious and the smell was heavenly! It was a perfect way to use up the assortment of apples I had sitting around a couple weeks ago.

    Now I’ve got apples to use up again and was thinking of this recipe but also want something that the kids can have for breakfast through the week (like a fritter or hand pie.) I thought I might make a double batch, for dessert and use the leftover as an ingredient for a baked fritter. Have you used this recipe for anything like that? I’m a good cook but not a great baker so I’d LOVE your insight on this idea.

  24. jenna graham says

    Oh my god! I just finished devouring this (not even 45 seconds after pulling it from the oven! It is so much tastier than I thought ( thinking I was being ‘good’ without a crust or crumb topping) I topped it with some so delicious coconut whip topping and I’m in heaven. Thank you for great recipes!

  25. Mary says

    Love the recipe until i saw 39 grams sugar. My problem sugar and flour, also grands who have allergies. Trying to manage baked goods to take gifts for kids.

  26. Marin says

    Wow what a perfect recipe! I made no substitutions & followed the recipe exactly. It’s just delicious in every way & so easy to make. It’s important to use the correct apples that hold its shape & not the ones that go mushy when cooked. Also if you have a fan forced oven, reduce the temp by 20 degrees. Follow the recipe & it will turn out! I ate it with coconut ice cream & sprinkled it with roasted almonds. Thanks for a wonderful recipe!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Marin. Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your tips! xo

  27. Foodlab15 says

    This was so simple and delicious! Perfect with almond milk whip cream or cashew creme fraiche -I added the juice of half an orange and grated a little of the rind for extra flavor- topped with shelled pistachios it was Devine.

  28. Jessica Cummings says

    Very easy to make! Decided last minute that I had wayyyy too many apples in my house that needed to be consumed within the next few days and happened upon this recipe. I was only missing one ingredient (apple juice) but could find the rest or their close substitutes already in my pantries. Overall, wonderful and helped out me in the holiday cooking spirit :)

  29. Bonita says

    So easy, quick and simple prep. DELICIOUS!

    I made four changes. I doubled the cinnamon, used soy-free margarine as the oil, sprinkled on dried lemon peel instead of lemon juice and used maple syrup as the sweetner. I didn’t measure the maple syrup, just drizzled it on the top. I didn’t measure the lemon peel either.

    It’s addicting! So good! Amazing!

  30. Kristianna Schaefering says

    Tried it, I used everything (coconut oil too) only thing different is I used cane sugar not coconut sugar, and I loved it!! DELICIOUS!!

    • Mayen says

      Hi Dana! I have some substitution questions: can I omit the lemon juice (I’m allergic?) instead of coconut oil, can I add canola? Can I use tapioca starch in place of the ones you mentioned (as I’m also allergic to those)? I have tons of allergies and I’m excited to make this for my thanksgiving dessert!

      • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

        Hi Mayen, we’d suggest omitting the oil as canola could add an unpleasant taste. The lemon balances the sweetness, but you can substitute it with an equal amount of lime or orange juice! We haven’t tried tapioca starch in this one, but fear it might get a little gummy. Let us know how it goes!