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Sugar-Free Stuffed Baked Apples

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Sugar-Free Stuffed Baked Apples are filled with oats, nuts and dried fruit. A delicious and easy  no added sugar dessert! If you like healthy desserts, you might like these: Grilled Pineapple with Coconut Whipped Cream, Brownie Batter Hummus, Watermelon Granita, Chocolate Raspeberry Pudding Parfait.

Healthy baked apples dessert! Stuffed with oats, nuts, and dried cranberries, and it's sugar-free! www.veganosity.com

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Hi there! Thanks for visiting us, we’re so happy you’re here. If you’re looking for Southern inspired vegan comfort food recipes, you’ve come to the right place.

We love vegan comfort food and we’re really good at making it. Take a tour through our site and you’ll find all of the recipes that scream, stretchy pants required!

The good news, they’re all plant-based recipes, so you don’t need to feel guilty eating them. Now sit back, relax, and eat happy. 🙂

Also, in case you didn’t know, we’re published cookbook authors. We’ve written two vegan cookbooks that will help you make amazing vegan BBQ (you don’t even need a grill) and everyday meals, from breakfast to dessert.

Click on the titles to check them out. GREAT VEGAN BBQ WITHOUT A GRILL and THE ULTIMATE VEGAN COOKBOOK.

HEALTHY BAKED APPLES

Dessert without guilt? It’s a real thing! These simple baked apples are stuffed with oats, walnuts, dried cranberries, cinnamon, and little bit of vegan butter.

You don’t need to add sugar because the apples are sweet all on their own, and baking them releases their juice and makes them tender and delicious. It’s like eating an apple crumble without all of the work or calories.

The inspiration for this healthy apple dessert can be credited to laziness, and a bunch of apples sitting on my kitchen counter that needed to be eaten stat.

I contemplated making an apple pie, but I was too lazy to make the pie crust.

In fact, I also though about making an apple crumble, but I was too lazy to peel and cut the apples, so easy baked apples it was.

Healthy baked apples dessert! Stuffed with oats, nuts, and dried cranberries, and it's sugar-free! www.veganosity.com

ARE BAKED APPLES WITH OATS HEALTHY?

Y’all, these are so darn good, and so easy to make. This should be a weekly dessert, or meal if you’re so inclined. I mean it, you could eat one, or two (no judgment here), for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, because every major ingredient is a whole food that provides you with nutrients. An apple a day….

Here’s what this simple and fabulous stuffed apple dessert offers you in regards to vitamins and such.

Apples

Don’t worry about the sugar in the apples causing your blood sugar to spike, because this perfect fruit has polyphenols and enzymes that prevent spikes in blood sugar. They’re also a good source of fiber and vitamin C, and they have anti-cancer, anti-asthma, and cardiovascular benefits.

Walnuts

An excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids, copper, manganese, biotin, and more. They have cardiovascular, type-2 diabetes, cancer, and metabolic syndrome benefits.

Whole Oats

Most of you already know that whole oats lower cholesterol, but did you know that they can also reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease,  enhance your immune system, lower your risk for type 2 diabetes, and more?

Dried Cranberries

While fresh cranberries are optimal for nutrition, they’re not always available after the holidays, so dried are the next best thing, as long as they are low or no sugar. I always choose unsweetened dried cranberries because I love the tart flavor they add to my recipes. Cranberries are important for urinary tract health and they can also stabilize blood sugar. They’re also an anti-inflammatory food.

Now that you know the health benefits of this baked apple recipe, it’s time to talk about how delicious they are.

Healthy baked apples dessert! Stuffed with oats, nuts, and dried cranberries, and it's sugar-free! www.veganosity.com

These ruby red beauties are so warm and cozy, they’re the ultimate comfort food. The apples are stuffed with a mix of whole oats, walnuts, dried cranberries, cinnamon, vanilla, and a bit of vegan butter—I use Earth Balance no soy buttery sticks—then they’re baked until the apples are tender and the oat and walnut mixture is slightly crunchy on the top and chewy in the center.

The sweetness of the apple, the tartness of the cranberries, and the savory cinnamon, are so inviting and comforting. And the textures are delightful. The baked apple is almost creamy, the walnuts are crunchy, and the cranberries and oats are chewy.

This is a healthy and satisfying dessert that the entire family will love, especially if you top it with a scoop of So Delicious vanilla bean coconut ice cream. Swoon.

HOW TO MAKE BAKED APPLES WITH NO ADDED SUGAR

Healthy baked apples dessert! Stuffed with oats, nuts, and dried cranberries, and it's sugar-free! www.veganosity.com

  • Combine the whole oats, chopped walnuts, dried cranberries, cinnamon, vanilla, sea salt, vegan butter, and water until it begins to stick together.
  • Wash and core the apples. Use a paring knife to carefully cut out the core. Use a spoon to scrape out the bottom of the core.
  • Put the cored apples in a deep pie pan or a baking dish. Spoon the filling into the apples until it’s about to overflow.
  • Pour a cup of water in the bottom of the pan, cover with foil, and bake for approximately one hour.
  • Serve warm with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream if desired.

WHAT APPLES ARE GOOD FOR MAKING VEGAN BAKED APPLES? 

For the best results you’ll want to use firm sweet apples. Tart apples will work, too, but we prefer sweet ones for this dessert.

Here are the best kinds of apples to use for baked apples:

  • Honeycrisp apples – This large sweet and slightly tart apple holds it’s shape and is the best for baking whole apples. 
  • Empire apples- They hold their shape and are nice and sweet. 
  • Braeburn apples- They’re sweet, large enough to stuff, and the skin is thick enough for baking. 

CAN YOU FREEZE STUFFED APPLES? 

You can freeze stuffed apples in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Heat them in a 350F oven, covered, for approximately 25 to 30 minutes, or until they’re heated through to the center.

DO BAKED APPLES NEED TO BE REFRIGERATED? 

Yes. Wrap the apples in foil and keep refrigerated for up to three days. Reheat in a 350F oven until they’re warmed through to the center, or eat cold.

 

Healthy baked apples dessert! Stuffed with oats, nuts, and dried cranberries, and it's sugar-free! www.veganosity.com

 

This is such an easy, healthy, and delicious dessert to serve your family and friends. Make this apple dessert tonight and come back to the blog and let us know what you thought. If you take a picture make sure you share it with us on Instagram. Tag us @veganosity.

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4.23 from 9 votes
Healthy baked apples dessert on a gray plate with a fork on the edge of the plate and a slice of the apple on the plate. Whole red apples are in the background.
Print
SUGAR-FREE STUFFED BAKED APPLES
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
 
A delicious, easy, healthy baked apple dessert. Filled with whole oats, walnuts, dried unsweetened cranberries, and cinnamon.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 Servings
Calories: 283 kcal
Author: Linda Meyer
Ingredients
  • 8 medium to large apples
  • 1 cup 81 g rolled oats
  • 1 cup 117 g chopped walnuts
  • ½ cup 76 g dried unsweetened cranberries or raisins
  • 2 tsp 5 g ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/8 tsp finely ground sea salt
  • 2 tbsp 29 g chilled vegan butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1 cup 240 ml + 3 tbsp (45 ml) water, divided
TOPPING
  • Vegan vanilla ice-cream
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) degrees
  2. Wash and carefully core the apples with a paring knife. Scrape the bottom of the core out with a spoon, making sure that you don’t put a hole in the bottom of the apple.
FOR THE FILLING
  1. In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, walnuts, cranberries or raisings, cinnamon, vanilla, salt, vegan butter, and 3 tbsp (45 ml) of water. Use your hands to mix it together, pressing the butter into the oats until it becomes sticky.
  2. Put the apples in a deep baking dish and pour one cup of water in the pan. Liberally spoon the filling into the apples to the top and cover the pan with foil.
  3. Bake for approximately one hour, or until fork tender. Serve warm and top with vanilla ice-cream if desired.
Recipe Notes

The nutrition facts for this recipe are just an estimate. 

Nutrition Facts
SUGAR-FREE STUFFED BAKED APPLES
Amount Per Serving
Calories 283 Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g 20%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Sodium 28mg 1%
Potassium 370mg 11%
Total Carbohydrates 41g 14%
Dietary Fiber 7g 28%
Sugars 19g
Protein 4g 8%
Vitamin A 2%
Vitamin C 11%
Calcium 4%
Iron 7.6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
A PInterest pin for baked apples with four photos of the apples in various stages of making them.
A PInterest pin for baked apples with a picture of the apples in a pan and one cut in half on a plate.

 

Healthy baked apples dessert! Stuffed with oats, nuts, and dried cranberries, and it's sugar-free! www.veganosity.com
Refined sugar-free stuffed apples! A delicious and easy healthy dessert! #vegan #apple #dessert

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Comments

  5. veggiesdontbite says

    January 9, 2017 at 9:38 pm

    These look amazing! My mom makes a dessert really similar to these and they are SO good! I have always loved it, especially with some vanilla ice cream or cocowhip. Now I'm craving it! One more day until I can eat solid food again!
    Reply

  7. Dianne's Vegan Kitchen says

    January 10, 2017 at 12:49 am

    These look like the perfect dessert (or breakfast!) for winter. I love how much "stuffing" they have!
    Reply

  8. Trish says

    January 10, 2017 at 2:08 am

    Thought I'd pop on over to let you know that these red gems were absolutely delicious. And the best part was that they weren't sweet, just a subtle sweetness that made you feel good about eating them. I topped them with some coco whip because, well, fresh coconut whipped cream just makes everything right ;) This dessert will be visiting my dinner table on a weekly basis for sure. Thanks so much, Linda!
    Reply

    • Linda Meyer says

      January 10, 2017 at 1:36 pm

      Yay! That's so good to hear, thank you so much! It makes me happy that you agree about the sweetness of the apple, there's no need to add sugar when the apple lends just the right amount. :)
      Reply

  14. Mel | avirtualvegan.com says

    January 11, 2017 at 6:53 am

    I haven't made baked apples in years. My Mum used to make them for us when we were kids, but she literally used to just remove the core with one of those metal apple corers, then stuff the little tiny tube that was left with filling. I like your way better...so much more of that yummy filling!
    Reply

  15. Howie Fox @ HurryTheFoodUp says

    January 11, 2017 at 11:02 am

    I really enjoy baked apples at this time of the year! Boskoop really works well due to its texture and taste . What an easy, tasty and healthy dessert!
    Reply

  17. alisamarie says

    January 13, 2017 at 4:36 am

    I love that these are sugar free! They look like a perfect nourishing breakfast. I'm always craving carbs in the a.m.
    Reply

  20. The Vegan 8 says

    January 16, 2017 at 1:44 am

    These look so delicious! I LOVE baked apples and baked apple desserts. Apple crisps are one of my favorite things to eat and apples are my favorite fruit. I love the oats on top, kind of like a crisp, but so much less work, no chopping! Mmmm, my mouth is watering.
    Reply

  24. Rebecca says

    January 8, 2018 at 4:56 pm

    What variety of apples to you recommend? I tried Fiji but even at an hour and 15 minutes they were still a little firm to cut through.
    Reply

    • Linda Meyer says

      January 8, 2018 at 6:03 pm

      Hi Rebecca, I always use Honeycrisp, only because they're my favorite apples. I'm surprised that after that much time in the oven the Fiji apples didn't soften enough to cut through. Did you take enough of the center out? That, or maybe covering to create some steam and baking at a higher heat, are the only things I can think of that may have made a difference. If you try covering them, make sure to uncover and crisp up the filling once they're soft enough. Try again with Honeycrisp and let us know how they turned out.
      Reply

  25. Sophia Smith says

    February 25, 2018 at 7:48 pm

    These look amazing! I'm just about to make some. I'm making some for a few family members and was wondering if cutting down the recipe from 8 servings to 4 servings will screw up the recipe. Also, can I reheat them in a microwave?
    Reply

  26. Nicki says

    April 11, 2018 at 7:43 pm

    Hello. Is it possible to store these for later. Like if I make a few and want one the next day....would they store in the fridge and then just heat in microwave? Thank you!
    Reply

    • Linda Meyer says

      April 11, 2018 at 9:16 pm

      Hi Nicki, I haven't tried storing them, but I'm pretty sure that they would be fine for a day, as long as they're stored in the refrigerator. I would re-heat them in the oven so the filling doesn't get soggy.
      Reply

  27. mar says

    December 11, 2018 at 5:42 pm

    what effect does the vegan butter make on these guys? we do not even know what it is . and we do not use processed food if we can avoid doing so, thus, just wondering what would happen if we left it out...or if necessary, what substitute] thank you
    Reply

    • Linda Meyer says

      December 11, 2018 at 11:31 pm

      Hi Mar, the butter adds flavor and prevents the mixture from being too dry. Earth Balance or Miyoko's butter both work. You could try using applesauce, but I can't guarantee that it will work and the flavor will not be the same.
      Reply

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