Baked Apples Stuffed with Oatmeal & Spiced Brown Sugar

If I'm not feeling like making something elaborate and just want an easy, warm dessert to top off the evening, this is where I turn: baked apples. Scoop out the core and stuff the insides with a mix of oatmeal, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The baked apples soften into a spoonable treat while the brown sugar melts down into a caramel syrup. The only thing that could make this simple autumn  easy desserts even better. A scoop of ice cream on the side, naturally.

I appreciate this dessert even more now that I'm grown. It still satisfies a weeknight craving for something warm and sweet, but I've also made a double batch for an easy dinner party dessert. Dressed up with a scoop of ice cream, a dollop of crème fraîche or add some ice cream recipes, or a drizzle of chocolate sauce, baked apples are a crowd-pleaser and it's a good one to have in your back pocket for gluten-free and vegan guests, too. And you can do some alternative easy dessert recipes.

Preparation Instructions:

Optional extras: orange zest, lemon zest, grated ginger, candied ginger, raisins or other dried fruit, chopped nuts, cream cheese, mascarpone, peanut butter, nutella

To serve: ice cream, crème fraîche, whipped cream, coconut whipped cream

Pre-heat oven to 375°F with a rack in the lower-middle position.

Remove the core of the apples, cutting to within a half inch of the bottom of the apple and creating a well roughly 3/4-inch wide. This is easy to do with an apple corer, but can also be done with a melon baller, grapefruit spoon, or a paring knife.

Mix the brown sugar, oatmeal, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and any extras in a bowl. Divide this mixture between the apples, packing the wells firmly.

Arrange the apples in a baking dish (like an 8x8 Pyrex dish), and top each one with a pat of butter. Pour the water into the bottom of the dish and cover loosely with aluminum foil.

Bake for 20 minutes and remove foil. Continue baking uncovered until the apples are soft and the brown sugar has melted into a syrup, an additional 20 to 30 minutes. You can test the apples by poking a paring knife through the oatmeal mixture and into the interior of the apple; it should slide into the apple easily with no resistance. The skin on the apples will also become wrinkled and soft by the end of cooking.

Serve with a scoop of ice cream, crème fraîche, or whipped cream. Leftovers will keep for up to a week and can be reheated in the microwave or eaten cold.