Recipe: Loaded Baked Apples

Today I want to share with you a recipe that evolved into something really great. It all started by me wanting to make Cinnamon Oat Baked Apples. This recipe has been a family favorite that I shared here on the blog back in 2013, but as I was making it this week I changed it up a bit. As I followed the recipe I added more apples, less sugar and more cinnamon to the filling, and than wanted lots of toppings. 

I shared a recipe for Apple Nachos on IG that I found on Earthy Andy and the peanut butter Carmel sauce would be amazing on top of our baked apples! It's essentially a vegan Carmel and tastes delicious. In the end, these turned out better then I could have imagined! 

INGREDIENTS:

-10 apples (I used mix variety from a local farm) 

-1 cup oats

-2/3 cups pecans

-3 Tbsp brown sugar

-2 Tbsp yogurt (or plant-based yogurt)

-1 Tbsp butter (or vegan butter), melted

-1 tsp cinnamon

-Apple cider or apple juice 

Peanut butter Carmel sauce 

-1 cup peanut butter 

-1/2 cup maple syrup

-1/2 cup almond milk

-1 tsp vanilla extract

Toppings

-whip cream/yogurt/ice cream 

-Cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine oats with pecans and sprinkle with cinnamon. Spread out on a baking sheet in a thin layer for 4-6 minutes until golden and toasted. Remove and set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 325°. 

Wash and core the apples but make sure you don’t cut through the bottom of the apple. I used a spoon and a paring knife. In a bowl, combine oat and pecan mixture with Brown sugar, yogurt, and melted butter. spoon mixture into the center of each apple. Place apples in a glass baking dish of choice. Add apple cider to the bottom of the dish. 

Bake at 325° for 30 - 40 minutes until tender (not mushy). Top with yogurt or whip cream or ice cream and one more dash of cinnamon. Enjoy! 

*Check out my Instagram Reel for this recipe. 

Are you a fan of baked apples? Will you try this recipe? If so, stop back and let me know what you thought! xoxo