Cracker Barrel Baked Sweet Apples Recipe

Cracker Barrel Baked Sweet Apples Recipe is a classic American side dish featuring tart Granny Smith and sweet Honeycrisp apples. These fruit wedges are tossed with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg before baking until the sauce becomes thick and glossy.

If you do nothing else, make sure your apple slices are roughly the same thickness. I learned this the hard way when half my dish turned to mush while the thicker pieces were still crunching like raw fruit. Aim for half-centimetre wedges to get that tender, consistent bite every time.

The cornstarch is doing more work than you’d think in this recipe. Without it, the apples just sit in a puddle of thin juice instead of that signature syrupy coating. I use a mix of tart and sweet varieties to keep the flavour from becoming one-dimensional and sugary.

Jump to Recipe

Cracker Barrel Baked Sweet Apples Recipe Ingredients

For the Apples

• 6-7 apples (2 Granny Smith, 5 Honeycrisp or Braeburn)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 15g (1/2oz) coconut oil, melted
• 135g (4.7oz) coconut sugar or caster sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp fresh grated ginger
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 45ml (3fl oz) apple juice
• 1 pinch sea salt

Optional Toppings

• Coconut whipped cream
• Vanilla coconut ice cream

How To Make Cracker Barrel Baked Sweet Apples Recipe

1. Prepare the fruit: Heat your oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4). Peel and core the apples, then cut them into wedges about 5mm thick.
2. Coat the apples: Place the sliced fruit into a 23cm x 33cm (9in x 13in) baking dish and add the lemon juice, oil, sugar, spices, cornstarch, apple juice, and salt. Stir the mixture with a large spoon until every slice is covered in the dark spice paste and no white clumps of starch remain.
3. Steam the apples: Cover the dish tightly with a layer of aluminium foil to trap the moisture. Bake for 45 minutes or until the fruit feels tender when pierced with a sharp knife through the foil.
4. Thicken the sauce: Remove the foil and return the dish to the oven for another 10-15 minutes. Watch for the sauce to bubble vigorously and the liquid to turn into a thick, dark syrup that clings to the fruit.
5. Finish and serve: Take the dish out of the oven and let it sit for five minutes to allow the sauce to set further. Spoon the warm apples into bowls and top with cream or ice cream if you are using them.

Recipe Tips

• Choose the right mix. Using only sweet apples makes the dish cloying, so always include at least two tart Granny Smith apples to provide necessary acidity. The contrast between the firm tart slices and softer sweet slices improves the final texture.
• Slice with precision. Use a mandoline or a very sharp chef’s knife to keep the wedges uniform. If some pieces are twice as thick as others, the thin ones will disintegrate before the thick ones soften.
• Seal the foil tightly. Make sure there are no gaps around the edges of your baking dish when you cover it. If steam escapes during the first 45 minutes, the apples will dry out and go rubbery instead of becoming tender.
• Prepare ahead of time. You can slice the apples and toss them in the lemon juice and sugar up to four hours before baking. Keep them covered in the fridge, then just stir in the cornstarch and apple juice right before you put the dish in the oven.
• Check the starch. Always mix the cornstarch thoroughly into the liquid at the bottom of the dish before it goes into the oven. If you leave dry pockets of powder, they will form gummy, white lumps that won’t dissolve during the cooking process.

What To Serve With Baked Sweet Apples

These apples are a classic partner for roast pork loin or thick-cut gammon steaks. The sweetness cuts through the salty fat of the meat perfectly.

For a dessert option, serve them warm over a bowl of thick Greek yoghurt or alongside a slice of plain pound cake. They also work exceptionally well as a topping for morning porridge or thick pancakes.

How To Store Baked Sweet Apples

• Fridge: Transfer any leftover apples to an airtight container once they have cooled completely. They will stay fresh for up to four days, though the sauce may thicken further as it chills.
• Reheat: The best way to reheat these is in a small saucepan over a low heat on the hob. Add a splash of apple juice or water to loosen the syrup and stir gently until the fruit is heated through.
• Freeze: You can freeze these apples in a sealed bag for up to three months. Be aware that the texture of the fruit will become much softer and slightly grainy once thawed and reheated.

Cracker Barrel Baked Sweet Apples Recipe Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 195kcal
• Protein: 1g
• Fat: 3g
• Carbohydrates: 44g
• Sugar: 32g
• Sodium: 45mg

Estimated. May vary based on ingredients and cooking methods.

FAQs

Try More Recipes:

• Cracker Barrel Southern Corn Pudding Recipe
• Cracker Barrel Sweet Corn Fritters Recipe
• Cracker Barrel Grilled Chicken Salad Recipe