Baked Apple Slices With Cinnamon

These baked apple slices give you the warm, buttery cinnamon flavor of apple pie without making a crust or adding a topping. Six apples bake with brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and melted butter until tender, creating an easy fall dessert or sweet side dish with just a few basic ingredients.

I keep this recipe intentionally simple because the cinnamon apples are the part I always want most anyway. You can spoon them over vanilla ice cream, serve them alongside pork or enjoy them warm straight from the baking dish. It is also one of my favorite ways to use a bowl of extra apples before they go bad.

Baked apples will always remind me of my mom. One of her signature meals when I was growing up was pan-fried pork chops with warm apple slices and a crisp green salad. I still love that sweet and savory combination, but these apples are just as welcome at our house as dessert!

Why This Recipe Works

• You get the best part of apple pie with much less work. These baked cinnamon apple slices are warm, buttery and sweet without requiring pie crust, streusel or a lengthy list of ingredients.
• It uses six apples at once. If you are wondering what to do with leftover apples or came home from apple picking with more than expected, this recipe uses six in one baking dish.
• The apples can be served as a side dish or dessert. Pair them with pork chops or pork loin, or spoon them into bowls and add vanilla ice cream.
• Brown sugar and warm spices create classic fall flavor. Cinnamon and nutmeg give the apples that familiar apple-pie taste, while melted butter helps create a rich sauce as they bake.
• It is simpler than apple crisp. When you want warm cinnamon apples but do not need an oatmeal topping, this is an easier alternative to my apple crisp.

Recipe Ingredients

Apples: Use six medium baking apples, peeled, cored, sliced 1/4 inch thick and cut into bite-sized pieces. My favorite combination is Granny Smith and Honeycrisp because it gives you a balance of tart and sweet flavor.

Lemon: Lemon juice helps prevent the sliced apples from browning while you finish preparing the recipe. It also adds a little brightness to balance the brown sugar and butter.

Brown sugar: Light or dark brown sugar will work. Dark brown sugar has a slightly deeper molasses flavor, while light brown sugar keeps the flavor milder.

Butter: I prefer salted butter because the salt balances the sweetness of the apples and brown sugar. Unsalted butter also works. Add a small pinch of salt to the cinnamon mixture.

Cinnamon and nutmeg: These warm spices give the baked apple slices their classic apple-pie flavor. For a slightly different flavor, add a small pinch of ground cloves, ginger or allspice. A little goes a long way.

How to Make Baked Apple Slices

Recipe Notes

• Choose slices or bite-sized pieces. You can leave the apples in 1/4-inch slices or cut the slices into smaller pieces, as shown in the process photos. Smaller pieces are easier to spoon into bowls and use as a topping, but both shapes will work. Whichever you choose, keep the pieces approximately the same thickness so they cook evenly.
• An apple corer makes preparation faster. You can also use a paring knife to peel and core the apples before slicing them.
• Adjust the baking time based on the apples. Softer varieties may be ready a little sooner, while firmer apples may need a few additional minutes. They are done when easily pierced with a fork but not falling apart.
• Add vanilla for deeper flavor. Stir 1 teaspoon vanilla extract into the melted butter mixture. You can use store-bought vanilla or my homemade vanilla extract.
• Make them in a slow cooker. Add the prepared apples, lemon juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and melted butter to a slow cooker. Stir to combine, then cover and cook on Low for approximately 4 hours, stirring occasionally. The slow-cooker version will be softer and saucier than the oven-baked apple slices.

Best Apples for Baked Apple Slices

My favorite combination is Granny Smith and Honeycrisp. Granny Smith apples bring tart flavor and hold their shape well, while Honeycrisp apples add sweetness. Using both keeps the finished dish from tasting overly sweet and gives the apples a more balanced flavor.

Other good baking apples include:

• Pink Lady: Firm with a balanced sweet-tart flavor.
• Braeburn: Crisp and slightly tart with warm, spiced flavor.
• Jonagold: Juicy and sweet with enough tartness for balance.
• Golden Delicious: Sweeter and softer, making it a good partner for Granny Smith.
• Fuji: Naturally sweet and firm, especially helpful if you want to reduce the brown sugar slightly.

Gala and Cortland apples can also be used, but they generally soften more during baking. I would avoid making the entire dish with Red Delicious or McIntosh apples because they can lose their shape quickly.

What to Serve With Baked Apple Slices

These cinnamon apples can move easily between the dinner table and dessert. Here are some of my favorite ways to serve them:

• Spoon them alongside pan-fried pork chops, pork loin, ham or roasted chicken.
• Serve them warm over vanilla ice cream.
• Add them to pancakes, waffles, French toast or oatmeal.
• Spoon them over plain or vanilla Greek yogurt and add granola.
• Drizzle them with homemade salted caramel sauce.
• Use them as a simple filling for mini pies, turnovers or apple empanadas.

How to Store Baked Apple Slices

Allow the baked apples to cool, then transfer them and their sauce to an airtight container. Store them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Reheat individual portions in the microwave in 30-second intervals until warm. To reheat a larger amount, place the apples in a covered baking dish and warm them in a 350°F oven for approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

Can You Freeze Cooked Apples?

Yes. Place the cooled apple slices and sauce in a freezer-safe container, leaving a little room for expansion. Freeze for up to 3 months for the best flavor and texture.

Thaw the apples overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. They may be slightly softer after freezing, but they will still work well as a dessert topping or pastry filling.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use older apples for baked apple slices?

Yes. This is a great recipe for older apples that have lost some of their crispness but are still safe to eat. Slightly soft or cosmetically bruised apples can be peeled and trimmed before baking. Discard apples with mold, leaking flesh, an unpleasant smell or extensive decay.

What should I do with apples before they go bad?

Move whole apples to the refrigerator to slow further ripening, or use several at once to make baked apple slices, applesauce, apple crisp, apple pie filling or cider. Apples that are no longer especially crisp are often better suited to cooked recipes than raw snacking.

Do you have to peel apples before baking?

I recommend peeling them for this recipe. The apple slices become softer and more uniform without the peels, which can separate from the fruit as it bakes.

Can I make baked apple slices ahead of time?

Yes. Prepare and bake the apples as directed, then refrigerate them in an airtight container. Reheat them shortly before serving. They are especially convenient to make ahead when serving them as a holiday side dish or dessert topping.

What to Do With Extra or Leftover Apples

When apple season leaves you with more apples than you can eat out of hand, turn them into another cozy recipe:

• Make crockpot applesauce for an easy snack or breakfast side.
• Cook a batch of apple pie jam to spread over toast, English muffins, pancakes or waffles.
• Bake my dependable apple crisp and serve it warm with vanilla ice cream.
• Use several apples at once to make homemade slow cooker apple cider.
• Add chopped apples to this apple coffee cake for breakfast or dessert.
• Make a salted caramel apple cheesecake for an extra-special fall dessert.
• Keep the apples whole and make this comforting whole baked apples recipe.

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