What are the best types of apples to use for baked apples?

I personally like to use red apples that are sweet. So, Fuji, Gala, and Honeycrisp are great choices when making baked apples. I tend to stay away from green apples for this recipe, just because they are usually on the tart side and need more sugar to be a dessert recipe. But, really, you can use any type of apple variety for this easy recipe.

Can I make this recipe in a 3-quart Instant Pot?

Yes, you can! But, you may have to cut the recipe in half (except be sure to still use one cup of water).

Can I sweeten this recipe with maple syrup?

Yes, but I like using a sweetener like brown sugar better, because it's less likely to run out of the apples into the water. But, you can use whatever sweetener you like the most.

Instant Pot Baked Apples (30-Minutes)

Ingredients

Units Scale

4 sweet red apples
2 teaspoons coconut sugar or brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons raisins
2 tablespoons chopped almonds, pecans, or walnuts
1 cup water

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Instructions

Wash and core the apples, using a spoon or melon baller to make sure you remove all of the apple seeds. You’ll need to remove about 1/3 of the inner apple to allow enough room for the filling. Be careful not to poke a hole in the bottom of the apples.
In a small bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon, raisins, and chopped nuts. Stir to combine.
Then, use a spoon to divide the mixture between the apples, carefully filling the hole of each apple.
Place the trivet into the bottom of a 6-quart Instant Pot. Add the water into the bottom of the pot.
Place the apples onto the trivet and lock on the lid.
Set the time to 5 minutes at high pressure.
When the cooking time is complete, let the pressure come down naturally for 5 minutes, and then use the quick-release to unlock the lid.
Use tongs to remove the apples to a serving platter or bowl. You can use a serving spoon to pour some of the liquid from the bottom of the pot onto the apples.
Serve the apples warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Feel free to serve your apples as is, or with a scoop of ice cream or a side of whipped cream. Use dairy-free versions of either, if necessary.
The best types of apples for this recipe are sweet red apples such as Fuji, Honeycrisp, Gala, or Pink Lady.
Use chopped pumpkin seeds if you need to make this recipe nut-free.
If you are on a low-sugar diet, you can cut the amount of sugar in half.
If you don’t like raisins, you can use dried cranberries instead. Or, just leave them out.
The total cooking time includes 10 minutes for the Instant Pot to come up to pressure.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Author: Carrie Forrest, MPH in Nutrition
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Instant Pot
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegan

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 apple
Calories: 143
Sugar: 24.1 g
Sodium: 6.4 mg
Fat: 2.7 g
Saturated Fat: 0.3 g
Carbohydrates: 32 g
Fiber: 5 g
Protein: 1.2 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg