Easy Cinnamon Apples fill the kitchen with the warm smell of cinnamon and sweet fruit before dinner even reaches the table. I love how the apple cubes turn tender while their edges pick up a little caramelized color. In just 20 minutes, a few everyday ingredients become something that tastes a lot like cozy apple pie filling.
This easy cinnamon apples recipe turns simple ingredients into soft, warm, cinnamon-spiced apples with lightly caramelized edges in just 20 minutes. With the cozy flavor of apple pie filling without the crust, they’re an easy choice for breakfast, a dinner side dish, snack, or light dessert.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love These Easy Cinnamon Apples
These Easy Cinnamon Apples need only 5 minutes of prep and about 15 minutes on the stove. So, they work well when you want something warm without turning on the oven.
Also, the recipe makes about 3 cups, or 4 servings. Each serving measures about ½ cup, so you can spoon the apples over breakfast or serve them alongside dinner.
In fact, the texture reminds me of apple pie filling. However, you skip the crust and keep the fresh apple flavor front and center.
Ingredients for Easy Cinnamon Apples
You need 3 apples, or about 3 cups chopped into ½ to 1-inch cubes. Also, gather 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon salted butter or coconut oil, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt, and ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract.
These simple ingredients give Easy Cinnamon Apples plenty of flavor. Meanwhile, the salt balances the sweetness, while vanilla rounds out the cinnamon and maple notes.
Best Apples for Cinnamon Apples
Honeycrisp and Pink Lady work especially well because they bring plenty of flavor and hold their shape nicely. However, Gala, Jonagold, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, and Jazz also work.
So, use the apples you already enjoy. A tart Granny Smith creates a sharper contrast with the maple syrup, while Gala gives you a sweeter result.
Ingredient Substitutions and Variations
You can swap butter for coconut oil or ghee. Likewise, honey, granulated sugar, or brown sugar can replace the maple syrup.
Also, apple juice or apple cider can replace the water. As a result, the apples pick up an even deeper apple flavor as they soften.
How to Make Easy Cinnamon Apples
The stovetop method keeps this recipe quick and simple. First, soften the fruit with water. Then, add fat and seasonings in stages so the apples develop tender centers and lightly caramelized edges.
Chop the Apples Evenly
First, cut 3 apples into evenly sized ½ to 1-inch cubes. Similar pieces cook at roughly the same speed, so you avoid a mix of mushy and crunchy bites.
You can peel them first or leave the skin on. Either choice works for Easy Cinnamon Apples.
Soften the Apples in the Skillet
Next, place the chopped apples and 2 tablespoons water in a skillet. Cover the skillet and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, stir occasionally. Cook until the apples start to soften and absorb the water.
Add the Butter and Continue Cooking
Then, add 1 tablespoon salted butter and stir until it coats the apples. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes.
Stir about once each minute. However, if the apples still feel too firm, cover the skillet during the final 2 minutes to help them soften.
Add Maple Syrup, Cinnamon, Salt, and Vanilla
Next, stir in 1 tablespoon maple syrup, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt, and ¼ teaspoon vanilla.
At this point, the kitchen starts smelling wonderfully warm and familiar. Also, the maple syrup begins coating every apple piece with a thin, glossy layer.
Cook Until Tender and Lightly Caramelized
Finally, cook the Easy Cinnamon Apples for about 5 more minutes. Stir frequently as the maple syrup and butter coat the fruit.
Once the apples reach your preferred tenderness and develop lightly caramelized edges, remove the skillet from the heat. Then, serve them warm.
Tips for Perfect Stovetop Cinnamon Apples
Keep the heat at medium and stir often during the final few minutes. Otherwise, the maple syrup can darken too quickly before the apples finish cooking.
Also, remember that apple varieties soften at different rates. So, use texture rather than the clock alone to judge when they’re ready.
Should You Peel the Apples?
You can leave the peel on for more texture and less prep. However, peeling creates softer, smoother Easy Cinnamon Apples.
If you prepare the apples for babies without teeth, peel them first. Then, cook them until they become appropriately soft.
How to Adjust the Texture
For firmer apples, shorten the final cooking time slightly. Meanwhile, for softer fruit, cover the skillet during the last 2 minutes of the butter cooking stage.
Then, taste one piece before removing the pan from the heat. That quick check helps you stop cooking at the texture you enjoy.
What to Serve With Cinnamon Apples
Easy Cinnamon Apples fit into more meals than you might expect. They can taste cozy at breakfast, comforting beside dinner, or sweet enough for dessert.
Breakfast Serving Ideas
Spoon the warm apples over oatmeal, pancakes, waffles, French toast, or baked oatmeal. Also, the cinnamon-maple juices make a simple topping without needing extra syrup.
For another apple-filled morning, try moist apple cinnamon muffins for breakfast or a healthy breakfast apple crumble with warm cinnamon apples.
Side Dish and Dessert Ideas
For dinner, serve the apples warm as a sweet side dish. Their cinnamon flavor can add a pleasant contrast to savory food.
For dessert, spoon them into a bowl alone or add vanilla ice cream. Meanwhile, the warm apples soften the ice cream slightly and create that classic hot-and-cold combination.
Easy Cinnamon Apples Variations
Once you know the basic method, small ingredient changes can give the recipe a different personality. However, keep the cooking steps the same for consistent results.
Make Them Sweeter
For sweeter Easy Cinnamon Apples, add a little extra maple syrup. Alternatively, use honey, granulated sugar, or brown sugar.
Brown sugar gives the apples a deeper sweetness. Meanwhile, honey adds its own floral note.
Make Them Dairy-Free
Use coconut oil instead of butter for dairy-free cinnamon apples. It coats the fruit well and helps the apples cook until tender.
Also, coconut oil adds a mild richness without overpowering the cinnamon or vanilla.
Add Extra Apple Flavor
Replace the 2 tablespoons water with apple juice or apple cider. As a result, you add more concentrated fruit flavor during the first cooking stage.
Still, keep the amount small. You want the liquid to soften the apples and cook away rather than create a sauce.
How to Store and Reheat Cinnamon Apples
Easy Cinnamon Apples taste especially good straight from the skillet. However, leftovers also make a handy topping for breakfast during the week.
Refrigerating Leftovers
First, let the leftovers cool. Then, place them in an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 5 days.
When you want another serving, warm the apples gently in a skillet or microwave until heated through. Also, stir them during reheating so they warm evenly.
Can You Freeze Cinnamon Apples?
I don’t recommend freezing these apples because fresh apples can lose their pleasant texture after freezing and thawing.
Instead, refrigerate leftovers and enjoy them within 5 days. Also, you can double or triple the recipe when you need more servings.
Per ½-cup serving, this recipe contains approximately 95.8 calories, 16.6 g carbohydrates, 0.2 g protein, 3.7 g fat, 3.3 g saturated fat, 0.1 g polyunsaturated fat, 66 mg sodium, 112.7 mg potassium, 2.4 g fiber, 12.8 g sugar, 50 IU vitamin A, 7.5 mg vitamin C, 14 mg calcium, and 0.3 mg iron. Nutrition values are approximate.
For more everyday recipe ideas, you can also follow Kai Recipes on Pinterest and Facebook.
Easy Cinnamon Apples FAQs
How to make cinnamon apples quickly?
First, chop the apples into small, even cubes so they cook quickly. Then, soften them with water for 5 minutes, add butter for another 5 minutes, and finish with maple syrup, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla for about 5 minutes. The whole recipe takes about 20 minutes.
How to make cinnamon apples from scratch?
Start with fresh chopped apples, water, butter, maple syrup, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla. First, soften the apples with water. Next, add butter, and then finish them with the remaining ingredients until tender and lightly caramelized.
What is a 3-ingredient dessert that uses apples?
For a very simple version, cook chopped apples with butter and cinnamon until tender. However, maple syrup adds extra sweetness if you want a fourth ingredient. Serve the warm apples alone or spoon them over vanilla ice cream.
What is the recipe for baked cinnamon apples?
For baked cinnamon apples, place chopped apples in a baking dish and coat them with butter, maple syrup, and cinnamon. Then, bake until tender, stirring as needed. However, this Easy Cinnamon Apples recipe uses a skillet because the stovetop method cooks the fruit in about 15 minutes.
More Such Recipes
- Warm homemade apple crisp with cinnamon-spiced apples
- Soft and gooey apple cinnamon rolls
- Moist apple cinnamon muffins for breakfast
- Healthy breakfast apple crumble with warm cinnamon apples
- Easy apple coffee cake with cinnamon streusel
- Quick crispy apple pie taquitos
Final Thoughts
Easy Cinnamon Apples prove that a short ingredient list can still bring plenty of warmth to the table. In just 20 minutes, you get soft fruit, fragrant cinnamon, gentle maple sweetness, and those lightly caramelized edges that make each spoonful taste a little like apple pie filling.
Also, you can serve them from breakfast through dessert without changing the recipe. So, keep a few apples on hand, grab your skillet, and enjoy them while they’re warm.
Easy Cinnamon Apples Recipe : Amazing Quick Comfort
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings (about 3 cups) 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Soft, warm Easy Cinnamon Apples cook in just 20 minutes with maple syrup, cinnamon, butter, and vanilla. They have lightly caramelized edges and the cozy flavor of apple pie filling without the crust. Serve them for breakfast, as a dinner side dish, snack, or light dessert.
Ingredients
3 apples (about 3 cups chopped into ½ to 1-inch cubes)
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon salted butter or coconut oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
1. Cut the apples into evenly sized ½ to 1-inch pieces.
2. Add the apples and water to a skillet. Cover and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples become slightly tender and absorb the water.
3. Add the butter and stir until it coats the apples.
4. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring roughly once per minute. Cover for the final 2 minutes if the apples need additional softening.
5. Stir in the maple syrup, cinnamon, sea salt, and vanilla.
6. Continue cooking for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the apples reach your desired tenderness and develop lightly caramelized edges.
7. Remove the skillet from the heat and serve the cinnamon apples warm.
Notes
You may peel the apples or leave them unpeeled. Peel them when preparing the recipe for babies without teeth.
Honeycrisp and Pink Lady apples work especially well. Gala, Jonagold, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Jazz, and other varieties also work.
Coconut oil or ghee can replace the butter.
Honey, granulated sugar, or brown sugar can replace the maple syrup.
Apple juice or apple cider can replace the water for additional apple flavor.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freezing is not recommended because fresh apples do not freeze well.
You can double or triple the recipe.
Serve the apples alone or with oatmeal, pancakes, waffles, French toast, baked oatmeal, or vanilla ice cream.
Nutrition values are approximate.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner Recipes
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ½ cup
- Calories: 95.8
- Sugar: 12.8 g
- Sodium: 66 mg
- Fat: 3.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.1 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 16.6 g
- Fiber: 2.4 g
- Protein: 0.2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg