Roasted apples with cinnamon and a buttery maple-filled center, make an easy breakfast or dessert.
Roasted Apples with Cinnamon
These easy cinnamon roasted apples are made with halved apples, maple syrup, butter and cinnamon, then roasted until tender and caramelized. Unlike traditional baked apples, there's no stuffing and no long baking time. Halving the apples means they cook much faster than whole baked apples, making these roasted apples an easy option for either breakfast or dessert.
I like serving them with yogurt for breakfast, but they're also good with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert.
Why You'll Love These Roasted Apples
- Quick and easy. The apples are ready in about 20 minutes with just a few minutes of preparation.
- Simple ingredients. All you need are apples, maple syrup, butter and cinnamon.
- No stuffing required. Unlike traditional baked apples, there's no need for oats, nuts or dried fruit.
- Versatile. Serve them with yogurt for breakfast or vanilla ice cream for dessert.
- Make-ahead friendly. They can be prepared the night before and served cold for an easy breakfast.
What Apples Are Best for Roasting?
Choose apples that are crisp and firm enough to hold their shape as they roast. Honeycrisp, Crispin and Fuji are all good choices for this recipe. You can also use Gala if you prefer a slightly more tender apple.
The apples should become tender while still retaining their shape, rather than softening and falling apart like a traditional baked apple. Avoid apples that become very soft when cooked.
The size of the apple halves will affect the cooking time, so try to use apples that are similar in size if you're roasting several at once.
Ingredients
Apples
Choose crisp, firm apples such as Honeycrisp, Crispin or Fuji. Their texture holds up well to roasting.
Maple syrup
Adds sweetness and mixes with the melted butter and apple juices to create a syrup.
Butter
Butter melts into the maple syrup and apple juices in the center as they roast.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon adds spice and complements the sweetness of the apples and maple syrup.
Lemon Juice
To rub on the apple halves, balances the acidity and prevents browning.
Salt
A small pinch of salt balances the sweetness and brings out the flavors .
How to Make Roasted Apples with Cinnamon
Start by heating the oven to 425°F and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Halve the apples lengthwise and remove the cores, leaving a small cavity in the center of each apple half.
Arrange the apple halves cut-side up on the prepared baking sheet. Add butter, maple syrup, cinnamon and salt to the center of each apple half.
Roast until the apples are tender and lightly caramelized around the edges, about 20 minutes. The exact cooking time will depend on the size and variety of your apples.
About halfway through roasting, carefully spoon the melted butter, maple syrup and apple juices from the centers over the cut surfaces of the apples.
Serve warm, or let the apples cool and refrigerate them for serving later.
Tips for Success
Keep the apples cut-side up. This allows the butter and maple syrup to sit in the center as they roast.
Baste halfway through roasting. The butter, maple syrup, cinnamon and apple juices collect in the cavities as the apples cook. Spoon this mixture over the cut surfaces halfway through roasting for more flavor.
Keep an eye on the apples. The goal is for them to be tender but still firm enough to hold their shape. Smaller apple halves may be ready before 20 minutes, while larger ones may need a little longer.
How to Serve Roasted Apples with Cinnamon
These roasted apples are equally good for breakfast or served as a simple dessert.
For breakfast, serve them with plain or Greek yogurt. You can also add them to oatmeal or top them with granola.
For dessert, serve the apples warm with vanilla ice cream.
Can I Make These Ahead?
Yes. The apples can be roasted the night before and refrigerated until you're ready to serve them. They're delicious cold with yogurt for an easy make-ahead breakfast.
You can also gently reheat them if you prefer to serve them warm.
More Apple Recipes
If you love simple apple recipes, also try my cinnamon apples for a quick stovetop version, or my cider caramel baked apples. Enjoy!
Roasted Apples with Cinnamon
Ingredients
- 4 crisp, firm apples, such as Honeycrisp, Crispin or Fuji
- 2 teaspoons/10ml fresh lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons/30ml pure maple syrup
- 2 Tablespoons/30g unsalted butter or vegan butter, cut into 8 small pieces
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of fine sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Halve the apples lengthwise. Use a spoon or small scooper to remove the cores, leaving a small cavity in the center of each apple half.
- Arrange the apple halves cut-side up on the prepared baking sheet and rub cut sides with the lemon juice.
- Divide the maple syrup between the cavities of the apple halves. Top each with a piece of butter, then sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon and salt.
- Roast for about 20 minutes, or until the apples are tender and lightly caramelized around the edges while still holding their shape.
- About halfway through roasting, carefully spoon some of the melted butter, maple syrup and apple juices from the cavities over the cut surfaces of the apples to caramelize.
- Serve warm, or cool and refrigerate for serving later.
Notes
Serve - Warm with vanilla ice cream for dessert, or serve warm or chilled with yogurt for breakfast
Dietary Info
Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegetarian, Vegan Option (use vegan butter), Dairy-Free Option (use dairy-free butter), Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Refined Sugar-Free
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 176Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 4mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 5gSugar: 25gProtein: 1g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
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