Peanut butter, cinnamon, and apples are such a classic combination and there’s such an abundance of apples this time of year, this is the perfect way to use them up. I’ve been making these exact baked apples every fall for the past 10 years. They’re SO GOOD!
These aren’t your run of the mill crustless-apple-pie baked apples.
These beauties are sure to make you feel like a million bucks after eating them. That’s because this recipe is designed to reverse inflammation by using nuts for richness, miso to provide probiotics, and natural sweetness from apple and apple juice means no blood sugar spiking.
You know I love a sweet and tart caramel apple pie as much as the next person. However, if I’m looking to make a nutritional decision about the kind of sweet that I could eat every single day, it’s these not-too-sweet, slightly tart baked apples stuffed with sweet, salty, savory heaven (i.e. maple, cinnamon, peanut butter and raisins).
Don’t even get me started on the vegan cashew cream because it deserves it’s own memoir.
What Kind of Apples Are Good For Baked Apples?
McIntosh or Gala red apples work really well for baking whole apples. You just want a firm apple with no bruising that has a sweet and tart taste.
How to Make Maple and Peanut Butter Apples with Cashew Cream – Step by Step
Prepare the Cashews in Advance: Soak the cashews in filtered water for 1 hour (or up to 24 hours) so that you get a luxuriously silky, light texture.
I like to start by blending the cashew cream so it can be chilling in the fridge while making the apples (photo 1). You can easily cream the peanut butter filling by mixing with a spoon in a small bowl (photo 2).
Remove the core (leaving the bottom intact) with a melon baller to create a cavity for the stuffing (photo 3). Fill the apples to the very top with yummy peanut butter filling and set in a baking dish with the apple juice (photo 4).
Serving Suggestions
I usually cut the apples in half for a light dessert and serve with some of the cinnamon infused apple juice and a generous dollop of dreamy cashew cream (it gets thicker as it chills). These apples are especially good the next day. Simply rewarm in the microwave for a luxurious breakfast, midday snack, or whatever your heart desires.
Top Tips for Baking Whole Apples
- It’s easy to over-bake apples, so always listen for the timer and pull them as soon as they can be pierced easily toward the bottom with a pairing knife.
- Remove the seeds and core with a melon baller or pairing knife.
- Be sure to leave the bottom of the apple intact.
- Add apple juice to the pan the apples bake in to provide moisture and flavor – add a cinnamon stick, star anise, or cardamom pods to spice things up.
- Cover the apples tightly with foil to ensure that the apples steam-bake evenly.
More Fresh Fall Recipes You Might Like
- Immunity-Boosting Turmeric Vegetable Soup – great for getting over those annoying head colds
- Buffalo Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
- Perfect Vegan Pumpkin Pie with Gluten Free Crust
*Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment below. I’d love to know how the recipe turned out for you!
Maple and Peanut Butter Baked Apples with Silky Cashew Cream
Ingredients
Silky Cashew Cream Sauce
- 1/2 cup raw cashews
- 1 tsp maple sugar crystals
- 2 tsp maple syrup or agave nectar
- 1/8 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp filtered water
Peanut Butter and Maple Stuffed Apples
- 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter not the salted or sweet kind – just nuts
- 1 tsp miso paste "white", "chickpea", "barley", or "red"*
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp maple sugar
- 1/4 cup raisins or currents
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 5 red apples Gala or Macintosh
- 1/2 cup apple juice
- 1 stick cinnamon optional
Instructions
Silky Cashew Cream Sauce
- Soak the cashews in 1 cup filtered water for 1 hour or overnight. Drain and place in a blender with the maple crystals, maple syrup, vanilla, and 3 tablespoons filtered water. Blend until very smooth and creamy. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up.
Stuff and Bake the Apples
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In one bowl, combine the peanut butter, miso paste, cinnamon, maple sugar, and raisins. Stir to combine, then add the maple syrup and stir again.
- Remove the 3/4 of the core of the apple (a melon baller works best) – leaving the bottom of the apple intact. Stuff the apple with the peanut butter filling and place inside of a cake pan or baking dish. Pour the apple juice into the baking dish and add a cinnamon stick if you wish. Cover with foil and bake for 22 minutes until the apples are tender but not mushy.
- Serve warm with apple juice from pan and a generous dollop of chilled cashew cream.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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