Baked Cinnamon Apples
Warm, tender baked apples with a cozy cinnamon-sugar filling—naturally soft and perfect for a comforting, easy-to-eat dessert.
6 · Soft & Bite-Sized
Tender, moist bite-sized pieces that break apart under a fork without needing a knife. Some chewing is required, but nothing should be tough, fibrous, or dry.
Suitable for anyone who finds food hard to chew or swallow. Graded IDDSI Level 6 (Soft & Bite-Sized) — soft & bite-sized, easy to chew — the texture standard used in dysphagia care and soft diets.
See all texture levelsIngredients
- 4 large Firm-sweet apples Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Gala work best
- 4 tbsp Light brown sugar
- 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Ground nutmeg
- 2 tbsp Unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup Apple cider or juice
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Core the apples, leaving about 1/2 inch of flesh at the bottom to hold the filling. Use a melon baller or spoon to carefully remove the core and create a well.
Mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and softened butter in a small bowl until crumbly.
Stuff each apple with the cinnamon-sugar mixture, pressing it down gently.
Place the apples in the prepared baking dish. Pour the apple cider around the apples in the dish.
Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes.
Remove the foil and continue baking for another 10-15 minutes until the apples are completely soft and tender when pierced with a fork. The flesh should be translucent and yielding.
Let the apples cool for 10 minutes before serving. They should be soft enough to eat with just a spoon, requiring minimal to no chewing.
Serve with the pan juices drizzled over the top and a scoop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream if desired.
Serving Tips
Important Guidance
- The apples are done when a fork slides in without any resistance and the skin easily separates from the flesh.
- For pureed diets, scoop out the cooked flesh and mash or blend until smooth.
- Choose apples that hold their shape during baking—avoid soft varieties that turn to mush.
- Test with a spoon before serving: the apple should scoop out in soft, manageable pieces.
- The chopped nuts this dessert is often topped with have been left out on purpose. Hard, crunchy pieces in an otherwise soft dish are a mixed-texture hazard — the two need different amounts of chewing, and that combination is one of the harder things to manage safely.
Nutrition Facts
Estimated from the listed ingredients across 4 servings (1 stuffed apple each). This is an estimate, not a lab-tested nutrition label.
Dietary Notes
Gluten-free and dairy-free option available (use dairy-free butter). Nut-free as written — see the serving tips for why the usual nut topping is left out.