Crock Pot Baked Apples with Raisins and Nuts

Enjoy the warm, comforting flavors of fall with perfectly baked apples, no oven required. The crock pot does all the work to transform simple ingredients into a comforting dessert. Brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg slowly cook with the apples in this scrumptious Fall classic.

 

Baked Apples in a Crock Pot

Baked apples are an old-fashioned dessert, and this recipe makes this classic treat even easier by using a Crock Pot instead of the oven. This baked apple recipe has all of the warm, familiar flavors of apple pie – cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar. Butter and walnuts add richness, and the apples soften perfectly as they “bake” in the slow cooker. 

More basic than apple dumplings or an apple cobbler, the apple is the star of the show here with just a little sugar and spices. Of course, I always add some raisins and nuts, but they’re optional. If you’re watching your sugar, you can easily cut back on the brown sugar and adjust to your preference in this easy recipe.

I prefer the slow cooker method for baking apples over the oven. My experience in the oven is that the apples are either too hard or too soft. When I cook them slowly at low heat in a slow cooker I get much better results.

It’s hard to mess up baked apples, even if you cook them too long and the apples get too soft they are still delicious. It’s not a dessert that anyone expects to be pretty or elegant, it’s a rustic looking dessert.

Baked apples apple were one of those desserts we always had when we visited my grandparents. The house would smell wonderful as they baked and we would eat them as a dessert with a scoop of ice cream or even cold for breakfast.

Baking apples, concentrates their sweetness resulting in fabulous desserts like a classic apple crumb pie, apple cobbler, and apple cake. But the cooking process of slowly cooking in a crock pot concentrates the flavor without turning on the oven.

I’m a sucker for a warm apple dessert, and I can’t get enough of these, especially when served warm with a scoop of cold, creamy vanilla ice cream and a swirl of rich, sweet caramel sauce. Or, keep it simple, yet still unbelievably good ,with just a light drizzle of cream. These individually served baked apples are a fabulous dessert that you can serve for any occasion. 

Baked apples only need six ingredients, and their beauty is in their simplicity. A mixture of five pantry staples (that I bet you already have!) gets stuffed into cored apples. Bake them in a slow cooker for a few hours, and you’ve got a crowd-pleasing dessert that hardly takes any effort. For extra flair, you can drizzle warm caramel over the top. 

What are the best apples for making baked apples? 

For the perfect baked apples, you should use an apple that is firm enough to keep its shape as it bakes. Tart Granny Smith apples are the classic apple but other good baking apples would be Honeycrisp, Cortland, Gala, and Fuji apples. Soft varieties like Red Delicious, Macintosh, or Golden Delicious can work as well, but keep a close eye on them since they are prone to falling apart if you cook them for too long and then you’ll just have some delicious apple sauce!

It doesn’t even have to be apple season to enjoy slow cooker apples, while fresh apples are better, it’s a great way to enjoy even out of season apples.

Should I peel the apples before I bake them? 

No, you can not make baked apples without the peelings. The peelings are what keeps them from falling apart when baked. However, it helps to peel a strip around the core which keep the peels from splitting when they bake.

Why You’ll Love Baked Apples Made in a Crock Pot

• Very little effort
• Cooking slowly concentrates the flavors
• No oven needed

Slow Cooker Apple Recipe Ingredients

• Apples: Choose a firm apple like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Cortland, Gala, and Fuji apples. Try to purchase apples that are all approximately the same size, so they cook evenly. Large apples will give you more room to stuff with the raisin brown sugar mixture but small apples will work also.

• Brown sugar: Brown sugar adds a rich, complex flavor and sweetens the filling. You can use dark or light brown sugar for this recipe, you can adjust the amount based on your preference.

• Cinnamon: A classic, warm flavor that pairs perfectly with apples. 

• Nutmeg: Freshly grated nutmeg adds so much more flavor than ground nutmeg.

• Raisins: Raisins pair well with cinnamon and apples. They soak up the butter and apple juice and get plump and chewy.

• Butter: Butter adds richness to the apples. 

• Walnuts: Topping the apples with nuts is optional, but I love the crunch and richness they contribute to the dish. You can use any nut you like– I think pecans or almonds would also be excellent. 

How To Make Crock Pot Baked Apples 

Step 1: Prepare the apples. 

First check your slow cooker to determine the number of apples it will hold without stacking them. Use a paring knife or apple corer to core the apples, then remove a 1-inch strip of the peel from the top of the apple. 

Step 2: Make the filling. 

Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and raisins. 

Step 3: Stuff the apples. 

Pack some of the filling mixture into each of the cored apples. Place a slice of butter on top each apple.

Step 4: Bake the apples. 

Place the prepared apples into a crock pot with a bit of water in the bottom. Cook on high for 1-2 hours or on low for 4-5 hours. The cook time will vary depending on their size, shape, and variety, so check them periodically. The apples should be soft but not falling apart.

Top the apples with a sprinkle of chopped walnuts.

How do you core apples for baking?

The simplest way to core an apple for baking is to use an apple corer – it gets the job done both safely and efficiently. What to do if you don’t have an apple corer in your kitchen arsenal? Here’s my method: 

1. Place the apple stem-side down on a damp kitchen towel – this keeps the apple from slipping. 
2. Use a very sharp knife with a short blade (such as a paring or kitchen utility knife). Insert the knife into the apple on the outside of the core. 
3. Use the knife to make a square of cuts around the core. You should be able to push the core out. 

You can use a melon baller to scoop out any core that is left and to remove enough apple to get your brown sugar mixture into the apple.

How to Serve Crock Pot Cinnamon Apples

Baked apples are best served warm, all by themselves or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or heavy cream. Adding an apple caramel sauce is even better. This is a great dessert to serve after a heavier meal where you don’t want something too rich or sweet. Consider serving these after Thanksgiving dinner.

You can also serve baked apples as a side dish, just decrease the amount of sugar.

Tips for Making Slow Cooker Baked Apples 

• Check the apples often – at least once every hour– to avoid overcooking them. They should be tender, but not fall apart when poked with a fork.

• Don’t peel the apples before you cook them – just remove a small strip of skin from the very top. This prevents the peeling from tearing as they cook.

FAQs about Baked Apples

Can I make this recipe in the oven? 

This recipe also can be made using the oven. Place the apples into a 9 x 13 baking dish and add water to the bottom. Cover the dish with foil and bake at 350° for 30 to 60 minutes.

Can I use other spices instead of cinnamon and nutmeg? 

Cinnamon and nutmeg are classic choices for pairing with apples. You can use a premade apple pie spice, pumpkin pie spice mix or try Asian Five Spice for something a little different.

More Crowd-Pleasing Apple Recipes to Love

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