Hasselback Apples
Fresh apples baked to perfection and topped with sweet toppings are the stars of the show with our Hasselback apples.
Servings: 4
Calories: 279kcal
Ingredients
- 2 large firm apples (your choice, see note) peeled, halved and cored
- 5 tablespoons light brown sugar, divided in half
- 4 tablespoons salted sweet cream butter, melted and divided in half
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided in half
- 4 tablespoons chopped pecans
- 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
- vanilla ice cream, optional topping
- caramel sundae topping, optional topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Generously spray an 8x8-inch baking dish. Set it aside.
- Using a cutting board and a sharp knife, place the halved apple cored side down. Starting on the outside of the apple, carefully cut slits almost, but not completely, through the apple. Space the slices ⅛ inches down the apple. Repeat for the remaining apple halves.
- Place the slitted apple halves, cored side down, into the prepared baking dish.
- Using a small mixing bowl, combine 2½ tablespoons of brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of melted butter, and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon.
- Using a pastry brush, brush the sugar mixture evenly over the 4 apple halves.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven, and allow the covered baking dish to rest for 5 minutes.
- Using a small mixing bowl, combine the remaining brown sugar, melted butter, and ground cinnamon. Add the pecans and flour. Mix until smooth.
- Remove the foil from the baking dish. Using 2 forks, carefully fan out the slices in the apple.
- Spoon the pecan mixture over the halved apples.
- Return the uncovered baking dish to the oven, and bake for a further 15 minutes.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven, and allow the apples to rest for 5 minutes. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sundae topping.
Notes
- Make sure you choose firm apples such as Honeycrisp or Pink Lady. Granny Smith also works if you are looking for a slightly tart flavor. Don’t pick soft apples such as Cortland or Empire as they will turn to mush and not fan properly during baking.
- To easily remove the seeds and core from the halves of the apple, a melon baller is a great tool to scoop out the core.
- When making the slits in the apples, to help keep the knife from going through, you can lay chopsticks at the top and the bottom of the apple.
Nutrition
Calories: 279kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 105mg | Potassium: 165mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 406IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg