Why didn't I think of this before?

Its Fall. I love Fall. Fall means apples. I'm kind of strange when it comes to apples.

I generally love anything apple. Except pie and cobbler. I know, it doesn't make sense. I love: apple butter, apple cider, apple juice, apple sauce, baked apples, and pork chops with apple sauce. Hmm... now there's an idea for another post.

So this freaking amazing idea I had was for the easiest baked apple I've ever made.

The "why didn't I think of this before?" Baked Apple:

1 Apple of your choice (I used a gala)
2 Tbs granola (I KNOW!)
2 tsp flour (I used a gluten free pancake mix I had on hand)
1 pat of butter (I scooped some of my dairy-free buttery spread into the mix instead)
Spiced Apple cider (I used Trader Joe's brand - it's pretty good stuff)

Step 1: Core your apple. Don't destroy the top when you do this. Cut about halfway into the apple with your knife and then spin the knife around where you think the seeds are. Use a spoon to help pop the top of your Apple off without breaking through the bottom of it. Scrape out any seeds you might have missed with your spoon.


Step 2: Mix the granola, flour and butter. The reason the granola is such a "duh!" idea to me is because it has all the ingredients I would put in a baked apple anyway: oats, dried fruit, and sweetness of some kind.


To provide full disclosure, I should mention that I used a gluten-free unsweetened brand of granola. To augment this, I added 1 Tbs Gluten-free Quick Cooking Oats (from Bob's Red Mill) and a drizzle of honey.

Step 4: Scoop the goodness into your apple and put it's top back on. Pour apple cider over your apple. In a pinch you could use water, but this adds some great flavor. Plus, it's how my mama does it. I would add a pinch of cinnamon to the mix above if you don't do this.


Step 4: Bake for 15-20 minutes in a 350°F oven.



This is lecker. I hope your baked apple is lecker too.