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Baked Apples

Aya Brackett

BY Mark Bittman

PUBLISHED November 3, 2026

Go savory and use salt; go sweet and use sugar. Savory baked apples are excellent alongside pork, or with sour cream or yogurt; their sweet counter parts make a simple dessert with cookies, ice cream, or whipped cream. Either way, serve them piping hot or at room temperature.

Other fruits you can use: any ripe firm pear, like Bosc.

 

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Baked Apples

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Makes 4 servings 1x

Time about 1 hour

Units Scale

Ingredients

  • 4 large round apples (preferably Cortland or Ida Red)
  • About 1 cup water, sweet or dry white wine, or apple juice
  • Salt (optional)
  • Sugar (optional)

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Core the apples (see illustrations on page 364), leaving the stem end intact, and peel the top half of each. Put in a baking dish and pour in the liquid to a depth of about 1/2 inch. If you’re using salt, sprinkle some lightly all over. If you’re using sugar, put about 1 teaspoon in the cavity of each apple and sprinkle another teaspoon or so on top.
  3. Bake, uncovered, until the apples are very tender, about an hour. Baste occasionally with a spoon or brush, if you like. Serve warm or at room temperature. Or refrigerate for up to a day or 2; bring the apples back to room temperature before serving.

– How to Cook Everything: Completely Revised Twentieth Anniversary Edition

Recipe variations

7 Simple Ideas for Baked Apples

  1. Cream sugar or spices with 2 tablespoons unsalted butter before adding it.
  2. Substitute maple syrup, honey, or brown sugar for the granulated sugar.
  3. Add about 1/2 cup chopped nuts, shredded coconut, raisins, and/or chopped figs or dates to the sugar for filling.
  4. Fill the apple cavities with jam after about 45 minutes of baking.
  5. Fill the apple cavities with grated cheddar or crumbled blue cheese before baking, and use apple cider for the liquid.
  6. Fill the apple cavities with crumbled sausage (removed from the casings) before baking.
  7. Sprinkle the apples with streusel topping (like the one from our Coffee Cake) after 30 minutes of baking.

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