Fill your kitchen with the iconic smell of baking apples and cinnamon with these cozy oatmeal baked apples. Cored apples are filled with an oat-brown sugar-cinnamon mixture and then baked until the apples are soft and the oatmeal mixture has a cake-like consistency. The moistness of the baked apples surrounds the oatmeal mixture to make a heart-warming dessert or breakfast that is full of nutrients and delicious comfort.
I love all types of baked apple-cinnamon recipes, and this one is a bit different to me because the apple is stuffed with a filling inside of it instead of sliced and used as a filling. Because it’s a bit different, it makes a festive dessert or breakfast, especially served with some vanilla ice cream or drizzled with some maple syrup, or even caramel sauce. We had them for breakfast this morning straight up without any added toppings, and they were so good!
I added two new cookbooks to my collection over the holidays, and I adapted this recipe from one of them–Savor by Ilona Oppenheim. I love the photos in this cookbook, and the recipes are natural, beautiful, and seasonal. I made a few changes from the recipe in the book to fit the tastes of my family–but I am so grateful for the idea and the basic framework. This is a dessert/breakfast that is easy to make and comes together quite quickly, plus you can feel good about the wholesome ingredients.
The holiday season is over now, and it is time to get back to work, time for the kids to go back to school and indoor soccer, and hopefully time for me to put some positive new intentions and habits into practice in my little corner of the world. We spent a few days up in northern Michigan over the New Year, and it was so refreshing and invigorating to be up in that cold, clean air!
Getting away from the routine allowed us to have some good family time when we weren’t rushed or pulled in a bunch of different directions. We played some long games of Pokémon Monopoly (thanks to my son 🙂 ), went sledding, and walked along the snowy beach. I loved all the lights in town on the dark evenings–lights in the trees, lights on the shops and restaurants, lights reflected in the water along the beach, and especially the fireworks over the lake on New Year’s Eve.
This is such a good time of year for introspectionand for making home a warm and cozy place. Walking in the cold air clears the head. It is also definitely the time of year to make warm, nourishing things in the kitchen. These oatmeal baked apples hit the spot this morning. Happy New Year! I hope you all have a great weekend, and stay warm! I will be sharing this recipe over at Angie’s virtual potluck, Fiesta Friday, co-hosted this week by Quinn @ Dad What’s 4 Dinner and Monika @ Everyday Healthy Recipes. 
Cozy Oatmeal Baked Apples
Ingredients:
- 6 medium to large apples (I like Honeycrisp or Jonagold for this)
- 1 cup of old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/4 cup of brown sugar
- 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon of fine sea salt
- 1 and 1/3 cups of milk
- 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter, melted
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, walnuts, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Mix well with a fork. Make sure your butter is melted.
In another bowl, combine the milk, vanilla extract, egg, and melted butter. Stir well. Add the milk mixture to the bowl with the oat mixture, and stir well with a wooden spoon.
With a paring knife, cut off the tops of the apples. Set the tops aside. With the same knife, carefully cut around the core and cut out the core (you can also use an apple corer). Scoop out the seeds and rest of the core with a spoon, if necessary. Leave 1/2 inch at the bottom of the apples intact, with the holes in the core about an inch wide.
Place the cored apples on the prepared baking dish. Spoon the oatmeal mixture into the cavities of the apples, filling them as full as you can. Place the tops back on the apples for baking. If you have oat mixture left over, you can bake it in a small baking pan and bake it alongside the apples. (I put mine in a min-loaf pan and it made a cute little cake-like loaf).
Bake the stuffed apples in your 350 degree oven for about 40-50 minutes, or until the apples are soft and the oat mixture is set. These taste best warm, but can also be served at room temperature. Enjoy!
Oh my goodness! I must make this. It is a wonderful winter treat for sure.
Thanks, Ginger! It is a great treat, and good for you too! I hope you have a Happy New Year!
Thank you! I do get lots of cooking inspiration from you!
This recipe is so me! It’s perfect for the season and it sounds like you’ve been enjoying the best that winter has to offer, time off and family time. I love oatmeal and never thought to stuff it in an apple. Brilliant!! Baked oatmeal really is a dessert breakfast, my fave. Im glad you’re enjoying your new cookbooks too! Xo happy new year!!!
Thank you, Amanda! Yes, I think you would really like this recipe. I’m sure there’s a good way to make it vegan too, if you wanted to. I am really enjoying my new cookbooks. 🙂 The one I mentioned in this post is fun because the author eats so close to nature, and she uses different types of flours, which I want to try to do more. I have seen you use lots of different flours, and I think it’s a good idea to have a variety. Hope you are having a good weekend. Xo 🙂
What a wonderful breakfast idea! These apples do look cozy! Thanks for sharing with FF:)
Thank you, Monika! Thank you for co-hosting Fiesta Friday this week!
I just love baked apple dishes and this looks like an amazing breakfast idea!
Thank you, Julie! It is a tasty treat. 🙂
Lovely recipe. Sounds perfect for this extra cold winter day!
Thanks, Debbie! It definitely warms up the kitchen!
What a great breakfast idea. Thanks for sharing with us at Fiesta Friday. Happy FF! Pinned!
Thanks, Quinn! And thank you for co-hosting Fiesta Friday!
wonderful! I love it!
Thank you!
Looks and sounds delicious! Lovely!
Thank you, Lili! Good to hear from you! 🙂
Likewise Jenny! 🙂