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  • Prep-time: / Ready In:
  • Makes 4 blooming apples + 2 cups nice cream

These show-stopping baked apples feature all the best flavors of fall: Sweet apples, tart cranberries, earthy walnuts, and warming cinnamon. While they might look complex to make, a few simple knife strokes produce the beautiful blooming look that even the most inexperienced chef can master. The crumbly granola topping offers a delightfully crunchy contrast to the soft fruit and frosty nice cream that’s served on the side. You can think of this dessert as a deconstructed apple pie that preserves all the delicious flavors without any flour or added fat! To make this recipe gluten-free, make sure to use certified gluten-free oats.

Tip: Use baking or multipurpose apples, such as Granny Smith, Gala, or Jonathan, which are more tender after baking.

For more apple desserts, check out these tasty ideas:

Ingredients

  • 4 medium apples
  • ¾ cup rolled oats
  • ¼ cup dried cranberries
  • 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 3 medium ripe bananas, cut into 1-inch chunks and frozen at least 2 hours
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Using a melon baller, core apples but do not cut through the bottom of the apples. Cut each apple into 8 segments, leaving them attached at the bottom. Place apples in a 2-quart baking dish. Add ½ cup water to bottom of the dish. Cover tightly with foil. Bake 45 minutes or until apples are tender.
  2. In a small bowl stir together the next five ingredients (through maple syrup) and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon. Spoon into centers of baked apples. Bake, uncovered, 15 to 20 minutes more or until apples are very tender.
  3. Meanwhile, for nice cream, in a food processor combine frozen bananas,the remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and the vanilla. Process until smooth and creamy, stopping processor a few times to scrape down sides. Serve immediately for soft-serve. For firmer nice cream, transfer mixture to an airtight freezer-safe container; freeze 1 to 2 hours.
  4. Serve each apple with a scoop of Cinnamon Nice Cream.

Comments (7)

(4.5 from 2 votes)
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Marilyn6 months ago
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Is there a goof substitute for the apple cider if I can’t find it?

Lisa6 months ago
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45 min bake time in first part is SO off. My apples were totally fallen and over-softened. No way to bake further with filling. It would be a 5-star recipe if the cook time was correct.

Célia Nunes6 months ago
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How long do you think the cooking time should be? Half an hour? Less?

Angel6 months ago
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Thanks for confirming what I was thinking….cooking time seemed WAY too long!

Susan8 months ago
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Get the app Copy Me That. You can save any recipe there. It is a wonderful tool.

Julie Stephens8 months ago
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Neither FOK – Recipes nor FOK Meal Planner has this recipe. How do I save it?

Deanna8 months ago
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Right above the Ingredients there is a “Share”. You can save it to Pinterest, etc from there.

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about the author

Nancy Macklin, RDN

Nancy Macklin has a bachelor of science in dietetics from Iowa State University and a Master of Science in health services administration from the University of Saint Francis. Macklin worked as a hospital-based clinical dietitian, providing counseling for diabetes, heart disease, and weight loss and as a food service director in health care dining sites. She now serves as a test kitchen dietitian, developing 500+ recipes per year. She is a member of the Academy for Nutrition and Dietetics and International Association of Culinary Professionals. Find her on LinkedIn.

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