Baked apples with honey and walnuts are made by hollowing out apples, filling them with walnuts, honey and cinnamon, and baking until the flesh is tender. For four medium apples, start at 180°C in a conventional oven and allow approximately 30–45 minutes, checking with a fork.
To keep the filling inside, leave the bottom of each apple intact and avoid overfilling. A little water in the baking dish helps prevent the juices from drying out too soon; the final baking time depends on the variety, size of the fruit and your oven.
Contents
Choosing the apples and honey
Choose firm, sound apples of roughly the same size. This makes it easier to finish all four portions at approximately the same time.
Granny Smith is a good option if you enjoy a tart contrast to the sweet filling. Golden Delicious has a milder flavour, while Pink Lady is another possible choice for baking; whichever variety you use, check the apples for tenderness.
Very soft apples can lose their shape quickly. If those are all you have, use a smaller dish that supports them and start checking earlier.
Acacia or wildflower honey?
Choose acacia honey for a mild flavour or wildflower honey for a more pronounced aroma. Honey is an ingredient in this dessert; baking does not preserve all the properties of raw honey, and there is no reason to present the recipe as medicinal.
If the honey has crystallised, you do not need to warm the whole jar. Mix the measured amount into the walnuts as evenly as you can; learn more about this natural change in Why Does Honey Crystallize?.
Ingredients for four baked apples
The basic version needs only a few ingredients. Weigh the honey when possible, because the amount held by a spoon depends on how fully you fill it.
- 4 medium, firm apples, approximately 700–800 g in total
- 60 g shelled walnuts, roughly chopped
- 40 g honey
- 20 g softened butter, divided into four portions
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 100 ml water for the bottom of the baking dish
Preparation takes about 15 minutes, followed by approximately 30–45 minutes of baking. Allow around 55 minutes in total as a practical guide, but judge the apples by their tenderness rather than the clock alone.
Use a dish large enough for the apples to stand upright with a little space between them. You will also need a small knife or teaspoon for hollowing them out, a bowl for the filling and a fork to check tenderness.
Why the walnuts are roughly chopped
Roughly chopped walnuts provide some texture against the soft fruit. Avoid pieces so large that they make filling difficult, but do not grind the walnuts to a powder if you want to notice the pieces.
The basic recipe contains no added table sugar or dried fruit. This keeps the ingredient list simple and makes it easier to adjust the sweetness to the apples you have chosen.
How to make baked apples with honey
1. Heat the oven. Set a conventional oven to 180°C, or start at 160°C if using a fan oven. Prepare the baking dish before filling the apples so that you can place them straight into it.
2. Wash and hollow out the apples. Remove a thin section around the stalk and carefully scoop out the seeds and the tough centre.
Widen the cavity enough to hold the filling while leaving sufficiently thick walls of apple flesh. Keep the bottom intact so that the apple holds its shape.
3. Make the filling. Combine the chopped walnuts, honey and cinnamon in a bowl. If the honey is thick, stir patiently until it coats the walnuts; the mixture does not need to become completely runny.
4. Fill the apples. Divide the mixture between the four cavities without packing it tightly or piling it high above the rim. Put 5 g of butter on each apple and pour 100 ml of water into the bottom of the dish.
5. Bake and check. Put the dish on the middle shelf and begin checking after approximately 30 minutes. A fork should slide easily into the flesh while the apple still holds its shape well enough to transfer to a plate.
6. Rest briefly and serve. Leave the apples for a few minutes before serving, as the filling can be very hot. Spoon over a little of the juice from the dish, if you like, and serve warm.
If narrower cavities leave you with extra filling, do not hollow the apples right down to a thin skin simply to use it all. Refrigerate the extra filling separately and use it soon with breakfast, provided it has not touched dirty utensils or surfaces.
Baking time and common problems
Smaller apples may be ready sooner, while larger, firmer ones can take longer. If the four apples differ in size, remove those that are ready and continue baking the others.
| What you notice | What to do |
|---|---|
| The apple is still firm | Continue baking in short intervals and check again with a fork. |
| The walnuts are darkening but the apple is not tender | Loosely cover the dish with foil and continue baking, checking regularly. |
| The bottom of the dish is dry | Carefully add a little hot water, following the instructions for the material of your dish. |
| The filling has leaked out | Next time, leave the base intact and fill only to the rim, without overfilling. |
| The apple has collapsed | Next time, choose firmer fruit or shorten the baking time; begin checking tenderness earlier. |
Do not pour cold water into a hot glass or ceramic dish. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to avoid a sudden temperature change and cracking.
Does the honey have to go into the oven?
In this recipe, honey is part of the filling and bakes with the apples. If you prefer the aroma of honey added at the end, fill the apples with walnuts and cinnamon, bake with the butter and water, then divide the measured honey between them after they have cooled slightly.
This is a variation of the dessert, with a filling that is less cohesive before baking. Do not add the full quantity of honey both before and after baking if you want to keep to the amounts in the basic recipe.
Serving suggestions and simple variations
Serve an apple on its own or with a spoonful of plain yoghurt. Ice cream is another option, but it changes the composition and sweetness of the portion and is not included in the basic recipe.
If you avoid dairy products, you can leave out the butter. The filling will have a different texture, but still check that a little liquid remains in the dish and that the walnuts are not becoming too dark.
For someone with a walnut allergy, do not simply replace the filling with an unverified mixture of other nuts. Choose ingredients that the person can safely eat and take care with utensils and contact with allergens.
Honey and walnuts also work well without an oven: see our guide to Honey with Walnuts. For another oven-baked dessert, try Honey Roasted Pumpkin.
Storing leftovers
Do not leave baked apples on the table all day. Put leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within two hours of preparation, or within one hour if the room is warmer than approximately 32°C.
Keep the refrigerator at 4°C or below and store the apples covered. This follows the FDA guidance on storing prepared food.
For the best texture, plan to eat them the next day or within two days. General USDA guidance for properly refrigerated leftovers gives three to four days; that is not a shelf-life specifically tested for this recipe and depends on correct handling.
Reheat only the amount you intend to serve, until it is thoroughly hot in the centre. USDA recommends 74°C when reheating leftovers; the texture of the apples may change further, so avoid repeated cooling and reheating.
Frequently asked questions
Should the apples be peeled?
In this version, leave the skin on to help the apples hold their shape. First wash them under running water and remove damaged areas; if an apple is spoiled, choose another one.
Can they be prepared ahead?
You can chop the walnuts and measure the ingredients in advance, then hollow out the apples just before filling. If you prepare the whole dessert ahead, cool it correctly after baking and store it in the refrigerator.
Can this dessert be made without honey?
Yes: fill the apples with walnuts and cinnamon, using the butter and water as in the basic method. The flavour will depend on the natural sweetness of the fruit; leaving out the honey changes both the filling and the composition of the portion.
Is this a sugar-free dessert?
No. Apples and honey both contain sugars, even though the basic recipe has no added white sugar; see Honey Instead of Sugar for quantities and differences.
Can it be served to a young child?
Do not offer this recipe containing honey to children under 12 months, in line with the CDC advice not to add honey to their food. For older children, adapt the texture and size of the pieces to their age; large pieces of walnut are not suitable for every child.
Baked apples are a simple way to turn fruit into a warm dessert without much preparation. Keep the base intact, measure the filling and check tenderness: these three details make the biggest difference during preparation.
If you are choosing a mild honey for this combination, read our guide to acacia honey, its flavour and uses.
