Easy Baked Apples Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How long do apples need to bake in the oven? ›

Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 30 to 45 minutes, until the apples are cooked through and tender, but not overcooked and mushy. When done, remove the apples from the oven and baste them with the juices from the pan.

For the best pies, crisps, and other baked treats, apples need to be firm enough to hold their own during the cooking process. We call these apples “baking apples” and to namedrop, they include Braeburn, Cortland, Honey Gold, Jonathan, Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Haralson, and Newtown Pippin.

Choose the Right Apples

Some varieties turn to mush so fast they explode out of their skins, while some stay weirdly firm. Either way they're edible, but not ideal—a baked apple should stay intact but be soft enough to eat with a spoon.

Most apple cultivars should be stored at 30 to 32°F for optimum storage. However, McIntosh apples should be kept around 36°F. If possible, the storage temperature should remain constant.

Cooking apples are generally larger, and can be tarter than dessert varieties. Some varieties have a firm flesh that does not break down much when cooked. Culinary varieties with a high acid content produce froth when cooked, which is desirable for some recipes.

There are a few apples that don't make the cut. While great for snacking, Gala, Fuji and Red Delicious are the most common apples that won't hold up in the oven and will give you a watery-mushy pie, tart or cake.

To use this method to prevent apples from turning brown, create a water bath for your apple slices with a ratio of 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to 1 cup of water. Soak the apple slices for 3 to 5 minutes, then drain and rinse them. This simple step should keep your apples from browning for several hours.

Unpeeled apples will add a bit of color and texture to your pie, but they may prevent the apples from melding together when baked. Peeled apples will give you a delicately soft pie with no tough surprises, but some people argue that you lose the apple's nutritional value once the peel is removed.

Baking: This is the go-to cooking method for apples, and that's because the end result is usually a sweet treat like apple pie or apple crisp. The dry heat used in baking keeps moisture locked in which is ideal when it comes to maintain the apple's juiciness.

Why did my baked apples turn black? ›

This is caused by an enzyme (polyphenol oxidase and catechol oxidase are two common examples) that reacts with oxygen in the air and an iron or copper cofactor in the fruit. A cofactor is a component that is necessary for a certain enzymatic reactions to happen.

Baked apples, being a cooked product, don't have a very long shelf life. They typically last between 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator. However, if you wish to extend their shelf life, you can freeze them for up to 6 months. Once they are thawed, consume them within 3 days to ensure they do not spoil.

Whisk water and cornstarch together in a separate cup to make a slurry, then add to apples while gently stirring over medium-high heat. Cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture begins to bubble to make sure the cornstarch is fully cooked. Remove the mixture from the heat.

Arrange the apple slices on lined baking sheets, making sure they don't overlap. Optional: Sprinkle with ground cinnamon and a touch of sugar. Bake the apple slices in the oven for 3+ hours, or until they are crisp and dry. Occasionally open the oven door to let the moisture escape.

Add butter and melt. Add apples to melted butter, increase heat to medium, and cook- stirring occasionally for 3-5 minutes until softened (they should still have a little bite to them). If you have larger apple pieces, you can pop a lid on your pan for a few minutes to help steam them to soften a little quicker.

Some apples turn into mush when they're cooked, while others hold their shape for days. If you're not sure which way a given variety will go, here's a test: Cut a wedge into cubes, combine it with a pinch of sugar and a tablespoon of water, then cook it, covered, over low heat for about 5 minutes, or until just tender.

How to store apples. Thanks to their protective peel and hardy constitution, apples are highly suited to long-term storage: that's up to 3 weeks at a time in a cool, dry and dark place, compared with lasting just under a week at room temperature on your kitchen worktop.