SERVES 6 · VEGETARIAN, GF, VEGAN ADAPTABLE, DF ADAPTABLE
When I want something a little sweet and comforting, but without all the sugar, a baked apple is my go-to. Although a simple baked apple is perfectly delicious, the zesty filling in this recipe takes baked apples to a more interesting place. I have served these at both dinner parties and to my kids for a special after-school snack. But I always make sure there’s at least one the next morning for me to eat for breakfast!
6 large apples, such as Pink Lady, Golden Delicious, or Gala
⅔ cup raw walnuts or sunflower seeds
⅓ cup unsulfured golden raisins, chopped dates, dried cherries, or cranberries
2 tablespoons pure Grade A or B maple syrup, or honey
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon orange zest
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced into 6 pieces (1-teaspoon pieces) (not vegan/DF) or unrefined, virgin coconut oil
1 cup unfiltered, unsweetened apple juice or cider
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Core the apples, preferably with an apple corer. If any seeds still remain inside, try to cut them out. Cut a 1-inch piece off the core and “plug” the bottom of apple. This will ensure that the filling doesn’t fall out. Take a vegetable peeler and peel away a bit of the apple skin around the stem (to keep the apples from bursting). Stand the apples upright in a 9 × 13-inch baking dish.
3. In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, finely chop the walnuts and dried fruit. Add the maple syrup, lemon and orange zest, and spices. Pulse until just combined. Fill the cavity of each apple with a heaping spoonful of the mixture. Dot each apple with a teaspoon of butter.
4. Pour the apple juice into the baking dish, around the apples. Cover the entire baking dish loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and spoon some of the pan juices over the apples. Continue to bake until the apples are tender, about 30 minutes more. Bake even longer if you like your apples more falling apart. Serve with the pan juices.
5. Baked apples can be refrigerated for several days and are also delicious cold with yogurt.