Easy Baked Apples Recipe (2024)

FAQs

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

In an oven preheated to 350 degrees F, the apples should be perfectly baked after 40-45 minutes (20 minutes covered with foil, 20-25 minutes uncovered).

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.

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.

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.

Some experts will tell you to par-cook apples before filling a pie by pouring boiling water over cut apples and soaking them for 10 minutes. Others say to roast them to reduce water content. Still, others say to let cut apples sit for 30-40 minutes to drain natural juices.

Some apples like Granny Smith are on the cusp of being one or the other (although I prefer mine cooked). Baking apples tend to be either very firm and not as sweet (like a Granny Smith)…or a bit mushy, or don't keep well. (Like a Macintosh.) Baking apples tend to be firmer and less sweet than eating apples.

About 3/4 of an average sliced or cubed apple equates to a single cup. However, it really depends on the size of your apple and how you'll be cutting it. In a perfect world, you'll start with a medium apple. It's about the same size as a tennis ball (or about 2 ½ – 2 ¾ inches in diameter).

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.

Nutrition scientist, Dr Joanna McMillan, says we should be eating and cooking with apples that have the skin on to take advantage of the nutrients in the peel. So crunching on a juicy apple, skin and all, could actually be the healthiest way to eat this super fruit.

Should you cook apples with the skin? ›

Prepare it

Eating apples can be eaten with the skin on - just wash thoroughly first. Cooking apples should have the skin removed with a paring knife or a peeler (which will take away less flesh); core by cutting them into quarters then cutting the core away or, if you want to keep them whole, by using a corer.

When apple pie bakes, the apples exude juice. At some point, that juice starts to boil, which releases excess moisture in the form of steam. In addition, the starch in the thickener absorbs some of the water in the juice, making the remaining juice highly flavorful and dense enough to hold the apples in place.

If the apples start to look discoloured- usually a dull brown or a darkening of the colour, sour smell, mould growth, or have a toughened texture, they're likely past their prime and should not be consumed. Always make sure to store your baked apples in the refrigerator in a covered container.

The only way to stop oxidation is to create a protective barrier between the cut fruit and the air. Acid — usually in the form of citrus juice — has commonly been used to slow down this reaction, but there are a few other popular methods that use natural ingredients to interfere with the process.

Cooked apples can be whole, chopped, or sliced. You'll need an oven set to 375°F. Sliced apples take about 25-30 minutes to get soft and tender in the oven.

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.

Generally, apples grown with low (40 to 60°F) night-time temperatures have better red color, firmer flesh, better storage characteristics, and better flavor than fruit grown in warmer regions.

Pink Ladies and Granny Smiths are our go-to baking apples, but you can choose any kind you like as long as it has a firm texture and a good bit of acidity.