Baked Apple Slices
Published February 5, 2025. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This easy Baked Apple Slices recipe is sweet, buttery, and cinnamon-spiced, making it the perfect dessert for any occasion. Thinly sliced apples are tossed in melted butter, cinnamon sugar, and a touch of sea salt, then baked until soft and caramelized. It’s a family favorite in my house!
In my family, we all have a serious sweet tooth, so the moment I start baking desserts, the excitement is instant and contagious! If you love easy, crowd-pleasing desserts like chocolate mousse or golden brown churros, then you’re in for a treat, these cinnamon-sugar baked apple slices are just as irresistible.
Old Fashioned Baked Apple Slices
Easy-to-prepare desserts don’t get much simpler than this sliced baked apples recipe. A combination of sweet and tart apples is sliced thin, tossed with cinnamon sugar and butter, and baked in the oven until they’re soft and have filled your kitchen with fall aromas.
As they bake, the butter melts, and the apples release their natural juices, leaving behind an incredible sauce at the bottom of the baking dish. The comforting combo of soft and jammy baked apples with the cinnamon-infused apple and butter sauce is the key for elevating a scoop of ice cream or a slice of apple pie. But honestly, that’s only if you can resist sneaking a few straight from the pan first!
I love making these baked apple slices because they’re a total crowd-pleaser and can feed a whole group, perfect for holiday feasts or fall dinners. I usually serve them as an easy dessert, drizzled with my homemade caramel sauce, or if I’m feeling fancy, with my friend’s favorite rum sauce. They store and freeze great, so I always have a batch ready to enjoy.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Apples – I always use a combination of sweet and tart apples when making baked apple slices for a good balance of flavors. My favorite sweet apples are Fuji apples, and my favorite tart apples are Granny Smith apples. Other apples that work well for baking are Gala, Braeburn, Pink Lady, McIntosh, Gala, and Golden Delicious.
- Butter – Preferably unsalted butter. If all you have is salted butter, omit the sea salt from this recipe.
- Sugar – A 1:1 mix of white granulated and brown sugar sweetens this apple dessert, adding warm and comforting molasses-like flavors. Instead of brown sugar, feel free to use coconut sugar. Cane sugar also works as a substitute for white sugar.
- Cinnamon – Ground cinnamon brings warmth to this apple slice dessert.
- Salt – A pinch of coarse sea salt will enhance the warm and sweet flavors.
- Cornstarch – It prevents the apples from sticking together and helps thicken the sauce.
How to Bake Apple Slices
Prep: I grab my chef’s knife and peel, core, and slice the apples into even, thin pieces.
Mix: I add the sliced apples to a large mixing bowl with butter, sugars, cinnamon, salt, and cornstarch. Then, I gently toss everything with a spatula until the apples are evenly coated.
Transfer: I dump the apple mixture into a casserole dish, spreading it out evenly.
Bake: I pop it in the oven and bake until the apples are jammy and the sauce is bubbling.
Serve: I top the warm baked apples with scoops of ice cream or drizzle them with my favorite sauce before serving.
chef tip + notes
I always recommend peeling the apples before slicing and baking, no one wants stringy peels in their dessert! Peeling ensures a smooth, jammy texture and helps the apples fully soak up the buttery cinnamon sauce, making every bite soft and flavorful.
- Keep Apples Fresh: If you’re prepping ahead, submerge the sliced apples in pineapple juice to prevent browning.
- Get Creative: These baked apples aren’t just for dessert, they pair excellent with chicken or fish for a sweet-savory twist.
- Baking Dish Matters: Use a 9″ or 10″ oval casserole dish for even cooking.
- Slice Evenly: A sharp chef’s knife helps create uniform apple slices, so they bake at the same rate.
- Customize the Flavor: Add a splash of bourbon, rum, or warm spices like nutmeg, allspice, or cardamom to elevate the taste.
- Stir While Baking: Give the apples a good stir every 15 minutes to ensure even caramelization.
- Lighten It Up: Cut back on butter and sugar (2 tbsp each) for a less indulgent version.
- Use Extras Wisely: If you end up with extra apple slices, you can use them to make my Pork Chops with Apples or this Fall Sangria Recipe.
Serving Suggestions
In my house, a plain scoop of vanilla ice cream just won’t do, it always needs a little something extra. That’s why my daughter and I love topping it with these warm-baked apple slices, letting the buttery cinnamon sauce melt right into the ice cream for the ultimate treat.
For a cozy fall breakfast, I love piling these baked apple slices over fluffy buttermilk pancakes or stirring them into a bowl of oatmeal for a touch of natural sweetness.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: Slice the apples up to 1 day before baking and submerge them in pineapple juice to prevent them from browning.
How to Store: Once cool, transfer the baked apple slices to an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. They also freeze well for up to 2 months. Thaw the leftovers in the fridge overnight before reheating.
How to Reheat: Place the apples in a baking dish, cover them with foil, and reheat in a 350ºF oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until warmed.
Amazing Apple Recipes
Baked Apple Slices
Ingredients
- 5 each cored, peeled and thinly sliced Fuji apples
- 1 each cored, peeled and thinly sliced Granny Smith apple
- 4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Add the apples to a large mixing bowl along with butter, sugars, cinnamon, salt, and cornstarch and mix thoroughly.
- Transfer the apples to a 9" oval casserole dish and bake at 350° for 45 minutes.
- Stir every 15 minutes until they are done and serve hot.
Made these to go with your pork chop recipe. My family thought I was a rock star! So good with the pork!
Thank you for giving them a try!
I made these several times and they were perfect each and every time. The pineapple juice was a very good suggestion. I’ve also done these with pork chops.
Dear Chef Parisi,
I have been following, and utilizing your recipes for over a year now. Wow! Learning so very much too!
Sadly, my mother-in-law passed waya this morning, although one can say now her suffering on this side of heaven is over and she is now in the arms of the Lord. Needless to say, our house has been totally chaotic. For two years now I have been cooking for our 4-member household plus my inlaws and at times, my sister-in-law and their 4-member household next door as we have been caring for her and my wife’s parents. So about 3 times a week, cooking for 10, now we will be 9.
So, today I cooked your porkchops, with some tweaks to suit what I had on hand, and your baked apple slice recipe here. Thank you for saving our day with incredible food, easy to praper and cook and tastes amazing! Thank you so very much!!
I would post the picture here but this venue won’t let me (understandably). But just know it looks and tastes incredible!
My condolences; Praying for you. I’m glad the recipe was good and brought some comfort.
This recipe is now a family favorite. I use it with the pork chop recipe, and there’s never any leftover. Thank you for making your recipes printable online. You have shown me how to make dishes that taste special with just marginally extra effort.
(I do have a question about why it says 350 degrees in the recipe portion, but 375 degrees in the photo caption above and in your video.) Thank you!