Description
This Cinnamon Oatmeal Stuffed Apples recipe offers a delightful blend of tender baked apples filled with a spiced oatmeal mixture, topped with a rich and creamy homemade vanilla custard sauce. Perfect as a comforting dessert or a special breakfast treat, these stuffed apples balance wholesome oats, warm cinnamon, and optional nuts and dried fruits for texture and flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Stuffed Apples
- 4 large apples (such as Honeycrisp or Granny Smith)
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)
- 1/4 cup raisins or dried cranberries (optional)
- 1 cup water (for baking)
Vanilla Custard Sauce
- 2 cups milk
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Dish: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a baking dish to prevent sticking.
- Prepare the Apples: Wash and core the apples carefully, making sure to leave the bottoms intact so they can hold the oatmeal filling without leaking.
- Mix Oatmeal Filling: In a bowl, combine rolled oats, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, salt, and melted butter. Stir in the chopped nuts and raisins or dried cranberries if using, mixing well to distribute all ingredients evenly.
- Stuff the Apples: Generously fill each cored apple with the oatmeal mixture, pressing it down lightly to pack the filling. Arrange the stuffed apples upright in the prepared baking dish.
- Add Water and Bake: Pour 1 cup of water into the bottom of the baking dish to keep the apples moist while baking. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the apples are tender when pierced with a fork.
- Prepare the Vanilla Custard Sauce: While the apples bake, combine milk, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture just begins to simmer and slightly thickens.
- Temper Egg Yolks: In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks and vanilla extract. Gradually whisk a small amount of the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks to temper them, then slowly pour this mixture back into the saucepan with the rest of the milk mixture.
- Cook the Custard: Return the saucepan to medium heat and cook the mixture while stirring constantly until it thickens into a smooth custard. Remove from heat once thickened.
- Cool the Custard: Allow the custard to cool slightly off the heat; it will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Serve: Serve the baked oatmeal stuffed apples warm, drizzled generously with the warm vanilla custard sauce for a comforting and indulgent dessert.
Notes
- Choose firm apples that hold their shape well when baked, such as Honeycrisp or Granny Smith.
- For a nut-free version, omit the nuts or substitute with seeds like pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
- To adjust sweetness, vary the amount of brown sugar or omit dried fruit for a less sweet filling.
- For a richer custard, use whole milk or substitute with half-and-half.
- Ensure eggs are tempered carefully to avoid curdling the custard sauce.
- Leftover custard can be refrigerated for up to 2 days and gently reheated before serving.
