Even without the sugar, these Healthy Oven Baked Apple Slices still pack the same sweet, cinnamon-y punch you'd expect from a baked apple! Simple and quick dessert idea to enjoy all year long. Vegan, Gluten-Free and Paleo.
Also try my Whole Baked Apples With Walnuts And Raisins.
Although, apples desserts are mostly considered a fall treat, there's nothing wrong with enjoying delicious apple recipes at any time of the year.
Apple Tarte Tatin or Apple Hand Pies are on of my faves, however they require a bit of work.
One of the easiest recipes that you can make with apples is No Sugar Healthy Baked Apple Slices With Cinnamon. They can be whipped up in just 5 minutes and oven will do the rest of the work.
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Contrary to popular belief, cinnamon baked apples do not need to be slathered in sugary sauces and caramel syrups.
This incredibly easy and simple recipe of healthy baked apple slices demonstrates how to cook a baked apple.
To boost the flavor of this simple dessert, I added a touch of almond extract. I think it pairs exceptionally well with apples and whenever I make apple desserts, I always include almond extract.
Here's Why These HealthyCinnamon Baked Apples Work
- Healthy. Apple are loaded with nutrition. Thanks to a special plant chemical called flavonoids and fiber in the apple peel, apples can be a powerful defense against protect against blood vessel and heart damage. In addition, apples might lower cholesterol and decrease the chances of developing type 2 diabetes;
- Simple ingredients. No sugar healthy oven baked apple slices are made with just 6 ingredients. You might even have them in your pantry;
- No Sugar. The best thing is that there's no refined sugar, meaning everyone can enjoy this recipe without any guilt; Cinnamon and date sugar will add the sweetness yet keeping this recipe low calorie. Also, there's no butter or any other fat which makes these easy healthy baked apple slices a low calorie and oil free dessert or snack;
- Kids approved.
As I already mentioned, there's no sugar in these healthy baked apple slices with cinnamon.
Therefore, I had to come up with another solution how to make that crispy caramel-y top that you can usually see in most baked apple slices recipes.
This is when Date sugar comes in handy. If you've never tried it before, let me reassure you, that it is not really a sugar. It's made with dehydrated dates that are ground and resemble a granulated brown sugar.
One difference between regular sugar and Date sugar is that the latter doesn't dissolve in water.
Date sugar won't melt but it adds a nice rich sweetness to a recipe and creates a luscious crispy bite. It's healthy and you can add as much as you want.
Instructions
- Slice the apples
Using a paring knife, quarter the apple and remove the apple core. Then, cut each quarter into ¼-inch thick slices. Places apples slices in a big bowl.
- Prepare the "sauce" for the healthy baked apple slices
In a small bowl whisk together maple syrup, almond extract, lemon juice and cinnamon. Drizzle the "sauce" over the apples and carefully mix it altogether. Transfer the apples into a 2 ½ Qt ceramic casserole baking dish.
- Bake the apples
Bake apples at 350 F for 30 minutes or until the apple are tender when poked with a knife. Remove baked sliced apples from the oven, sprinkle with Date sugar and broil for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and slightly cool before serving.
Serving Suggestions
These Healthy Baked Apple Slices without sugar are sweet enough and flavorful (hello cinnamon!) that they can be enjoyed on their own.
However, if you want to take them to another level, here're my serving suggestions:
- portion low sugar baked apples in small ramekins and top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or dairy-free ice cream;
- no ice-cream, no problem. Top cinnamon baked apples with a dollop of plain greek yogurt instead followed by a drizzling of honey;
- caramel sauce. Drizzle a tablespoon or two of homemade caramel sauce. (Feel free to check out the caramel that I did for this Sticky Pudding recipe).
Top Tip
If you choose softer types of apples like Golden Delicious or Red Delicious, you might need to bake them less. I'm thinking 20 to 25 minutes should be enough for this baked apple recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Apples that have a dense and crunchy flesh are best for baking. Granny Smith apples are tart and sweet and work in most apple desserts, however Fuji, Honeycrisp, Macintosh and Gala apples will work here as well.
It depends on which type of apple you picked and how thick you sliced it. On average, 25-30 minutes should be enough for the apple to soften in the oven.
Absolutely! Despite that baking decreases the nutritional value of an apple, baked apples are still a good source of essential nutrients including Fiber and Vitamin C.
Nope! The apple skin will soften once it's baked.
Storage
Refrigerator. If you have leftovers of roasted apple slices, they can keep for about 2 hours on the counter. Otherwise, store them in the airtight container in the fridge for about 3-4 days.
Freezer. You can also freeze these healthy baked apple slices. Arrange no sugar baked apples on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and pre-freeze them for 2 hours. Add the pre-frozen baked apple chunks to a freezer-safe bag. (I like these reusable ones.) You can keep the apple slices frozen for up to 3 months.
Similar Recipes
If you make this recipe, please leave me a comment below and rate it. I always appreciate the feedback. Also, you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.
Recipe
Healthy Oven Baked Apple Apples (No Sugar)
Ingredients
- 3 apples Granny Smith, Fuji or Honeycrisp
- ⅓ c maple syrup
- ¾ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 ½ tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 tablespoon date sugar
Instructions
Slice the apples
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Using the paring knife, quarter the apples and remove the apple core. Cut the quarters into ¼-inch thick slices and place them in a bowl.
Prepare the "sauce" for the healthy baked apple slices
- In a small bowl mix together maple syrup, almond extract, lemon juice and cinnamon.
- Drizzle the maple syrup mixture over the apples and carefully mix it altogether. Transfer the apples into a 2 ½ Qt ceramic casserole dish.
Bake the apples
- Bake apples for 30 minutes or until the apple are tender when poked with a knife. Remove baked sliced apples from the oven, liberally sprinkle with date sugar and broil for 5 minutes.
- Let the apples cool for 10 minutes and then serve in individual bowls or ramekins with a dollop of ice-cream if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Iryna Bychkiv is the founder and writer of the culinary website Lavender & Macarons, where she shares clean, European-inspired recipes that are delicious, easy to prepare, and made with wholesome ingredients. Iryna loves creating meals that are simple yet healthy and unique, including vegan and vegetarian recipes.
Iryna is also a freelance writer for MSN and Associated Press Wire.
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