Baked Apples with Oats
Updated Sep 14, 2026
Baked apples with oats filled with a buttery oat, pecan, and cinnamon crumble. An easy fall dessert that bakes in about 40 minutes and needs no crust.
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Whenever I have a few apples hanging around that nobody is eating, I make these baked apples with oats. I cut them in half, scoop out the middle, and pile on oats, pecans, brown sugar, and butter before they go in the oven. It’s basically all the flavors I want in an apple crisp, just made right inside a baked apple.
I usually eat baked apples warm with a little caramel or vanilla ice cream, especially if I’m making them for dessert. But the oat pecan topping is really good on its own with the apple. I’ve definitely eaten one straight from the pan without adding anything at all.
Recipe testing notes
For the past 10 years, I’ve tested every recipe multiple times before sharing it! These notes give you a peek into my process of developing and testing.
For these baked apples, I always go with something firm like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith. Softer apples can get really mushy before the oat filling has had enough time in the oven, and then you basically lose the whole baked-apple situation. You want the apple to soften, but still hold itself together.
When you scoop out the core, don’t go all the way through the bottom. I’ve done that before, and all the butter and brown sugar just run straight into the baking dish. Leave a little apple at the bottom so everything stays where it’s supposed to.
And don’t skip the water in the pan. It seems like such a small thing, but without it the apples can start drying out around the edges before the centers are ready. Just a little water in the bottom of the dish makes a big difference.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
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Baked Apples with Oats Ingredients
- Apples: Most apples work well in this recipe. I recommend Gala and Fuji. You can also use Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, or Jonagold. Use apples that are similar in size so they soften at about the same time, and leave the skins on to help the halves hold together.
- Oats: I recommend old-fashioned rolled oats for this recipe. You can use quick oats if that’s all you have, but the filling won’t have the same texture. Steel-cut oats will be too tough.
- Butter: I use Danish Creamery European Style Unsalted Butter in this recipe. It’s made from a high-quality cream in small batches, and it has 85% butterfat. This adds an extra richness compared to traditional butter and helps the filling stick together while baking.
- For the filling: In addition to oats and butter, you’ll also need maple syrup, pecans, and cinnamon. Honey or agave also works. Chop the pecans into small pieces so they fit into the hollowed-out apples with the oats. You can also use walnuts, almonds, or whatever nuts you have. For more fall flavor, I like to add a pinch of nutmeg, ginger, or cardamom along with the cinnamon.
How to Make Baked Apples with Oats
These step-by-step photos walk you through how to make Oven Baked Apples with Oats. For the full ingredient list and detailed instructions, head to the recipe card below, or skip straight to the → Baked Apples with Oats recipe below
1. Make the filling
Melt the Danish Creamery butter in a bowl, then add the maple syrup, oats, chopped pecans, and cinnamon.
2. Stir to combine
Scrape along the bottom of the bowl as you stir so the butter and maple syrup coat all the oats and pecans.
3. Halve and core the apples
Remove the stems and scoop out the cores with a melon baller or a knife and spoon. Leave the bottom of each half intact to hold the filling.
4. Fill the apple halves
Arrange the apples cut side up in the baking dish. Divide the oat mixture among the hollowed-out centers.
5. Add water to the dish
Carefully pour the water around the apples, keeping it off the filling. This creates steam as the apples bake.
6. Bake until softened
The pecans should look toasted, and the apple flesh should feel tender when pierced with a knife. Let the apples cool slightly before adding your toppings.
Full Baked Apples with Oats Recipe
Baked Apples with Oats Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 medium apples
- 2 tablespoons Danish Creamery Unsalted European butter melted
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Caramel sauce for serving
- Vanilla ice cream for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Fill an 8×11" baking dish with about 1–2 inches of water.
- Slice the apples in half. Remove the stems and cores with a melon baller or knife and spoon, making sure to leave the bottoms intact.
- Place the melted butter, maple syrup, oats, chopped pecans, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Stir to combine.
- Fill each apple half with about ¼ cup of the filling. Arrange the apples in the prepared baking dish. Bake until the pecans are toasted and the apples are softened, 35–40 minutes. Let cool for about 5 minutes before serving.
- Drizzle with caramel sauce and serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Variations
- Raisins: Stir 2 tablespoons into the filling before spooning it into the apples.
- Chocolate chips: Add 2 tablespoons of mini chocolate chips to the oat filling before dividing it among the apples. Let the melted butter cool slightly first so the chips don’t melt as you stir.
- Flaky sea salt: After drizzling the baked apples with caramel sauce, sprinkle on a pinch of flaky sea salt before serving.
Recipe Tips
- Microwave the butter in 30-second intervals. Butter tends to heat unevenly. To avoid a mess in the microwave, heat the butter 30 seconds at a time, stirring every time.
- Don’t skip the water in the baking dish. It helps keep the apple skins from charring and sticking to the dish. It also creates steam in the oven to soften the apples.
- Cover loosely if the filling browns too quickly. A piece of foil over the dish will help protect the pecans while the apples finish softening.
- Check the apple flesh, not just the topping. Toasted pecans don’t always mean the apples are ready. Pierce the thickest part of an apple half with a small knife to check for tenderness.
Troubleshooting
Apple size and variety can affect the baking time. If your oven-baked apples are still firm when you check them, keep baking and test them again with a small knife. Loosely cover the dish with foil if the filling is already browned.
They may have baked too long or started out too soft. Choose firm apples and check them toward the end of baking. You want the flesh tender enough to scoop with a spoon while the skins still hold their shape.
Comments
This looks so yummy and perfect for breakfast!
1 to 2 inches of water in the baking dish vs. add a bit of water to create steam are two very different sets of instruction
I can see how that’s confusing! One to two inches of water is the official instruction, I just updated the copy to be more clear as well. Thanks for pointing this out, Bethany!
Have been trying to subscribe to you in the box on the right. Am not successful.
Trying this way. Thank you