If you love apples, then you're going to want to put these baked hasselback apples on your must-make dessert list! They are so easy to make and are absolutely delicious - you'll want to eat them all year long.
The secret to what makes this recipe special are the thinly sliced apples. When the apples bake they open up like a fan allowing all the tasty cinnamon and sugar toppings to sink into each slice. Yum! It's important to choose large, firm apples for this dessert so that when baked they are able to hold their shape. The best apples for this dish would be Honey Crisp or Pink Lady - softer apples like McIntosh and Cortland tend to fall flat when baked.
Ingredients
- 2 large, firm apples, like Honey Crisp or Pink Lady
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar, divided
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, divided
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 tablespoon rolled oats
- Salt
- Cooking spray
- Ice cream, for serving (optional)
Instructions
Heat the oven to 400°F.
Melt the butter: In a small saucepan melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Once cooled add 1 tablespoon brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Set aside.
Peel the apples to remove all the skin.
Slice the apples in half from top to bottom.
Core the apples: Use a melon baller or spoon to remove the apple cores.
Cut slices in the apples, leaving the bottom intact: Place the apples cut-side down on a cutting board. Cut slices into the apple, 1/4-inch apart, stopping just before you cut through the bottom.
Brush the apples with melted butter and sugar: Stir together the butter mixture. Use a pastry brush to spread the butter mixture over top of the apples and into the slices.
Bake the apples: Spray a thin layer of cooking spray over the inside of a baking dish. Place the apples in the baking dish, flat-side down. Cover the baking dish with tinfoil, and bake for 20 minutes.
Prepare the streusel: Cut the remaining tablespoon of butter into cubes. Add it to a bowl, along with 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, flour, oats, and a pinch of salt. Use your fingers or a fork to blend the ingredients together.
Top the apples with streusel: After the apples have finished baking, remove the baking dish from the oven. Use a fork to carefully spread the streusel over top of the apples. Work the streusel between the slices as well.
Increase the oven temperature and continue baking: Increase the oven temperature to 425°F. Place the baking dish back in the oven and bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes more.
Cool the apples: Remove the baking dish from the oven. Cool the apples for about 5 minutes before serving.
