These deliciously fragrant baked apple slices are ready in just 30 minutes and contain no added sugar.
They're delicious warm or cold, so I often double the recipe to ensure tasty leftovers!
Sliced raw apples are delicious. But when you take those apple slices, sprinkle them with cinnamon, and bake them, the crunchy, tart fruit transforms into a fragrant, sweet, delicious dessert.
But these apple slices are more than a fruity dessert! They make an excellent snack, especially when topped with creamy Greek yogurt. The sweet-tangy combination is superb.
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Ingredients
There's nothing sweeter than a short ingredient list, don't you agree? Well, for this easy recipe, you'll only need three ingredients:
- A Fuji apple: I enjoy baking with this apple variety. Its crisp texture is excellent for baking, and unlike Granny Smith, it's not so tart that you have to add a sweetener.
- Butter: I use Kerrygold butter. While I usually enjoy salty-sweet flavor combinations, it's best to use unsalted butter in this recipe.
- Ground cinnamon: It's always a good idea to ensure any spice you use in your cooking and baking is fresh. It's especially important here, where the cinnamon greatly enhances the flavor of the apples.
Variations
The best way to vary this recipe is to experiment with different apple varieties. In addition to Fuji and Honeycrisp, you can use other varieties of crisp and sweet apples, such as Evercrisp and Cosmic Crisp.
Another variation is to use Granny Smith apples and drizzle the apple pieces with a teaspoon of honey or maple syrup before placing them in the oven.
Instructions
The detailed instructions for making this recipe are listed below in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of the steps:
You start by cutting the apple into slices. I cut it in half, cut each half into three parts around the core, and finally cut each part in two. In total, I get twelve apple slices. The short video clip below shows you how I do it.
Arrange the apple pieces in a rimmed, parchment-lined, square baking dish. Pour melted butter on top and use your hands to coat the apples with the butter.
Sprinkle the apples with half the cinnamon. I don't add any sugar! It's unnecessary.
The final step is to bake the apples until tender, about 10 minutes on each side, in a 400°F oven. When you turn the slices midway through baking, sprinkle them with the remaining cinnamon.
Expert Tip
You can skip the butter if you wish. The butter enhances the apple's flavor, but I experimented with simply sprinkling the apple slices with cinnamon and baking them, which was delicious, too.
You can see the results of this experiment in the photo below - they turn out a bit drier, but they are still very good.
Recipe FAQs
I like to use Fuji apples. They are sweet, so they don't require an added sweetener. And they withstand baking well. Honeycrisp is another good variety.
While I enjoy them raw, I find that Granny Smith apples are a bit too tart for a cooked apple recipe with no added sugar. So, I prefer not to use them in this recipe.
Whole apples take longer to be cooked (30-40 minutes), but sliced apples are ready fast - they only need 20 minutes in a 400°F oven.
As long as you don't use tart varieties such as Granny Smith, there's no need for added sugar. Fuji apples provide enough sweetness. Fruits are naturally sweet, so fruit-based desserts (like stewed prunes, grilled peaches, baked pears, or fried bananas) rarely need added sugar.
There's no need to peel the apple. The skin softens nicely in the oven. However, if you wish, you can certainly peel it.Â
Serving Suggestions
Baked apple slices make a wonderful homemade dessert or snack. You can top them with homemade whipped cream if serving them for dessert.
My kids love having them with plain Greek yogurt for their afternoon snack! They either dip the apples into the yogurt or mix them in.
These apples also make an excellent topping for pancakes, such as almond flour pancakes or coconut flour pancakes. Sometimes, I use them as a filling for crepes or pannenkoeken (Dutch pancakes).
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container for 3-4 days. I serve them cold or reheat them in the microwave, covered, at 50% power.
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Recipe Card
Baked Apple Slices (No Added Sugar)
Ingredients
- 1 Fuji apple - large, unpeeled
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter - melted
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon - divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a square 8-inch rimmed baking dish with high-heat-resistant parchment paper.
- Cut the apple into twelve ¼-inch slices, discarding the core.
- Place the apple slices in the prepared pan. Drizzle them with the melted butter and use your hands to coat them. Arrange them in the pan in a single layer.
- Sprinkle the tops of the slices with half the cinnamon. Bake the apples for 10 minutes.
- Flip the apple pieces and sprinkle them with the remaining cinnamon.
- Keep baking them until golden-brown and tender, about 10 more minutes. Drizzle with the pan juices and serve.
Video
Notes
- There's no need to peel the apple. The skin softens nicely in the oven. However, if you wish, you can peel it.Â
- You can skip the butter if you wish. The butter does enhance the apple's flavor, but the apple slices are delicious even without it. If you do use butter, make sure it's unsalted.
- You can keep the leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container for 3-4 days. I serve them cold or reheat them in the microwave, covered, at 50% power.
Nutrition per Serving
Disclaimers
Cup measurements refer to the standard American cup, which is 240 milliliters. Most of my recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read these Terms of Use carefully before using any of my recipes.
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 
Linda Maran
Can I serve these cold with whipped cream? My dad always used to eat baked apples cold drizzled with heavy cream.
Vered DeLeeuw
Yes, absolutely, Linda! Sounds delicious.
Maret
These baked apples have just the right touch of sweetness for dessert. Easy to make. I topped them with a little caramel vanilla ice cream...yum! Next time, I'll substitute some nutmeg and cardamon for the cinnamon. Actually, whatever spices one enjoys in apple sauce would work well.
Vered DeLeeuw
Nutmeg and cardamom sound marvelous!