Apples are at their peak right now and I am officially addicted. My latest ritual is to head to the farmers’ market right after yoga on Saturday mornings so I can buy my apples for the week. I pack my bag full of my two favorite varieties- honeycrisp and suncrisp- and head home to slice one up for eating with homemade pecan butter. Yum!
To spice things up a bit, I decided to stuff my apples with oatmeal raisin cookie dough and bake them for a warm, filling, and healthy dessert. Let me tell you- these babies are gooood!
The baked apples are warm, but not mushy, and the cookie stuffing gets crisp on top but stays doughy on the inside. This dish isn’t overly sweet, with just a touch of coconut sugar (or brown sugar) and sweetened naturally with California raisins.
I love using dried fruit as a way to naturally sweeten baked goods. Case in point: my mom adds chopped golden raisins to her banana bread and it is to die for. No joke.
Didyaknow that raisins provide 9% of your daily fiber and potassium, as well as 6% of your daily iron (per 1/4 cup serving). Sure, it’s not much, but if I can fit that into my nightly dessert, then I’m all for it!
I made these baked apples twice so I could perfect the recipe, and I promise that you are going to love this sweet and healthy option. Share with your friends and family…or don’t. I certainly didn’t!
What’s your favorite way to incorporate raisins into desserts or other dishes as a natural sweetener?
- 4 fuji apples, bottom sliced of and middle scooped out
- 3/4 cups rolled oats, gluten free
- 3/4 cups rolled oats flour, gluten free
- 1/4 cup California raisins
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- After carefully coring the apples, place them on a greased baking sheet.
- Add all remaining ingredients to a bowl and mix thoroughly to combine (use your hands if needed to incorporate the butter).
- Fill the apples with cookie dough, pushing dough down so it packs into the apple.
- If you have any leftover cookie dough, form it into a cookie and bake along with apples.
- Bake apples for 15 minutes, until tops are golden brown.
- Let cool before serving. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.
By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by the California Raisin Marketing Board and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.
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I just love this idea (I might sneak some PB in that cookie dough as well.) I haven’t heard of suncrisp apples – will have to look out for them.
Peanut butter sounds genius! And the suncrisp are really good. A little firmer than honeycrisp and not as juicy.
This looks so yummy!
Yes yes! I eat apples almost every single day, but have never stuffed them before. Time to spice things up this morning 😉
You know what they say- an apple a day… 😉
These are stunning and I so want to make them!
These are beautiful and look so delicious! I can’t wait to try – thanks for sharing!
is there any alternative to butter one could use to make these dairy free?
You could definitely use coconut oil instead!
Oh my, these are delicious! Was looking for something new for Sunday breakfast, found it! Yum-mie! Next time I might chop up the apple and add it to a baking tray of the crumbled cookie dough so the dough would come out all crispy.
That’s a great idea, Nele!
Just curious if anyone has ever tried this with coconut flour instead of oat flour
Hi Christy- I have not tried it with coconut flour yet, but because coconut flour soaks up liquid like crazy, I think you would need to experiment a bit maybe using some almond milk to keep it from getting too dry. Let me know if you try it and how it turns out!