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    Caramelized Apples

    By Julia | Updated: Dec 18, 2021 | Published: Dec 18, 2021 | 2 Comments

    710 shares
    • Facebook108
    Jump to Recipe Print SaveSaved!
    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our affiliate policy.

    Homemade caramelized apples make a great topping for breakfast pancakes and French toasts, desserts (such as crepes), and ice cream. They are also a great addition to brie cheese, goat cheese, and even meats, such as pork chops and chicken. The apples are sauteed in butter, lemon juice, cinnamon, brown sugar and finished with just a touch of honey! This recipe provides detailed tips and step-by-step instructions for sauteed apples. They are delicious, easy-to-make, vegetarian, and gluten-free!

    caramelized apples in a stainless steel pan

     

    Holiday dessert made in 30 minutes!

    Caramelized apples are a festive Fall dessert that will make a great addition to any holiday menu. It's a really easy recipe that takes only 30 minutes and requires one pan - perfect to make for Thanksgiving and Christmas when we are already overwhelmed in the kitchen.  These apples are completely homemade from scratch: they are sauteed in butter, cinnamon, brown sugar, and honey.   When caramelized, the apples acquire a beautiful "roasted" look, have a soft texture, and are buttery and sweet. This delicious and easy-to-make 30-minute recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free!

    Use them as a holiday dessert, breakfast toppings, or even in a side dish as in these acorn squash stuffed with apples.

    Caramelized apples - how to use them

    Caramelized apples are an incredibly versatile recipe in the sense that they can be added to so many dishes! Let's take a look at some of the ways you can use the apples sauteed in butter, lemon juice, cinnamon, brown sugar, and honey:

    • Breakfast. Top your favorite waffles, pancakes, or French toast with caramelized apples to take your breakfast to the next level. The apples can be made for up to 2 days in advance. It is also a great way to dress up your holiday breakfast for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Eve!
    • Yogurt.  Add them as a topping to all varieties of regular yogurt or Greek yogurt.
    • Dessert. Sauteed apples can be used as a filling or topping for crepes. Take a look at these homemade crepes with creamy ricotta cheese filling and caramelized apples.
    • Ice cream. Just picture topping cold ice cream with warm and sizzling sliced apples. You can dress up any simple ice cream this way!
    • Meats. Caramelized apples make a great addition to seared or grilled meats, such as these pork chops with apples.

    sautéed apples in a stainless steel pan

    Ingredients

    • Apples. I used 2 green apples (Granny Smith) and 2 red apples (Gala or Fuji). This is done for presentation purposes as the apples are not peeled, and the green and red colors certainly add vibrancy!  You can use any other variety of apples. The key here is the texture. The apples should have a firm texture and not be soft.
    • Brown sugar. Use only 3 or 4 tablespoons. It's best to use dark brown sugar.
    • Cinnamon. You only need ½ teaspoon of cinnamon to get the flavor. Feel free to add more if you like!
    • Lemon juice. Add 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice to sliced apples.
    • Butter. I like to use salted butter for sauteeing the apples to add just a touch of saltiness.
    • Honey. Add the honey at the very end, off heat, to sizzle the apples and caramelize them even more.
    • Fresh thyme. Snipped fresh thyme adds savory flavor. You can also use fresh oregano.

    How to make caramelized apples (step-by-step photos)

    Prepare the apples. I used 4 apples (2 red and 2 green for presentation purposes). Core the apples and slice each one length-wise.

    sliced apples on a plate
    Place sliced apples into a large bowl, add brown sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, and mix. Let apples sit for about 15 minutes to release juices.

    sliced apples with brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl
    In a large pan, heat 2 tablespoons of butter on high heat. Add sliced apples (without juice at the bottom of the pan) cook on high heat for about 3 or 5 minutes, checking periodically. After 3 or 5 minutes, flip sliced apples to the other side and let them cook on medium-high heat for another 3 or 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

    sauteed apples in a skillet
    Depending on how hot your stove gets, it might take you less or more time to cook apples, the key is to brown them or even get a slightly “burned” effect. But don’t overdo it.

    Right after you remove the pan with roasted sliced apples from the heat, immediately add honey – it will make apples sizzle and will caramelize them beautifully, off the heat.

    sauteed apples glazed with honey in a skillet

    Tips and recipe notes

    • Use both green and red apples.  This makes sauteed apples look much more appealing.   I used Gala apples for red and Granny Smith for green.
    • Texture. Pick apples that have a firm texture and are not soft. Those work the best for sauteeing.
    • Don't peel them. Keep the apples' skin on.  It creates a beautiful presentation and keeps the fiber in your food!  Also, since you are caramelizing the apples, the skin softens and tastes amazing!
    • Use fresh herbs.  Top cooked apples with fresh herbs, such as thyme or oregano to add some savory flavor.  Fresh herbs also look pretty.
    • Saute apples in batches.  To get that beautiful "roasted look", make sure to saute apples in a single layer, in batches.  Do not overcrowd the pan or skillet.

    caramelized apples in a stainless steel pan

    What to serve with sauteed apples

    • Pork Chops with Apples - sauteed apples make a perfect topping for seared or grilled meats and create a beautiful dinner presentation!
    • Acorn Squash Stuffed with Apples - this versatile recipe is a perfect side dish for the holidays (Thanksgiving and Christmas).
    • Baked Brie with Apples - the apples are caramelized with brown sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, and honey and then added on top of the melting brie cheese.
    • Crepes with Creamy Ricotta Cheese Filling and Caramelized Apples - a perfect Fall dessert!

    Other ways to cook apples

    • Easy apple squares are made with cinnamon and brown sugar.  These delicious cake bars are very moist, thanks to the vegetable oil and the plain Greek yogurt.
    • Apple Pumpkin Bundt Cake is topped with dulce de leche and chopped pecans and is the best and the easiest Autumn cake. Great holiday recipe for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
    • Cranberry Apple Pecan Bundt Cake - vanilla, cranberries, apples, and pecans give the bundt cake lots of holiday flavor and crunch!
    • Apple Cinnamon Greek Yogurt Pancakes are stuffed with shredded apples and made with Greek Yogurt instead of milk. Delicious breakfast recipe!
    sauteed apples in a stainless steel pan
    4.94 from 32 votes

    Caramelized Apples

    Homemade caramelized apples make a great topping for breakfast pancakes and French toasts, desserts (such as crepes), and ice cream. They are also a great addition to brie cheese, goat cheese, and even meats, such as pork chops and chicken. The apples are sauteed in butter, lemon juice, cinnamon, brown sugar and finished with just a touch of honey! This recipe provides detailed tips and step-by-step instructions for sauteed apples. They are delicious, easy-to-make, vegetarian, and gluten-free!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Dessert, Side Dish
    Cuisine American, Mediterranean
    Servings 4 people
    Calories per serving 228 kcal
    Author: Julia

    Ingredients

    • 4 apples 2 green (Granny Smith), 2 red (Gala or Fuji)
    • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
    • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
    • 2 tablespoons butter
    • 3 tablespoons honey
    • fresh thyme
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions 

    • Prepare the apples. I used 4 apples (2 red and 2 green for presentation purposes). Core the apples and slice each one length-wise.
    • Place sliced apples into a large bowl, add brown sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, and mix. Let apples sit for about 15 minutes to release juices.
    • In a large pan, heat 2 tablespoons of butter on high heat. Add sliced apples (without juice at the bottom of the pan) cook on high heat for about 3 or 5 minutes, checking periodically. After 3 or 5 minutes, flip sliced apples to the other side and let them cook on medium-high heat for another 3 or 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
    • Depending on how hot your stove gets, it might take you less or more time to cook apples, the key is to brown them or even get a slightly “burned” effect. But don’t overdo it, once the apples have this “roasted” appearance.
    • Right after you remove the pan with roasted sliced apples from the heat, immediately add honey – it will make apples sizzle and will caramelize them beautifully, off the heat.
    • Sprinkle with the fresh thyme, if desired. You can also, optionally, pour the delicious juices from the bowl that you used for apples over the cooked apples.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Information
    Caramelized Apples
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    228
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    6
    g
    9
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    4
    g
    25
    %
    Trans Fat
     
    1
    g
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    Cholesterol
     
    15
    mg
    5
    %
    Sodium
     
    55
    mg
    2
    %
    Potassium
     
    222
    mg
    6
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    47
    g
    16
    %
    Fiber
     
    5
    g
    21
    %
    Sugar
     
    41
    g
    46
    %
    Protein
     
    1
    g
    2
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    274
    IU
    5
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    10
    mg
    12
    %
    Calcium
     
    24
    mg
    2
    %
    Iron
     
    1
    mg
    6
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Nutrition Disclaimer:

    The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    Keyword caramelized apples, sauteed apples
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    1. Kora

      December 20, 2021 at 5:10 pm

      Thank you so much for this easy recipe! I had store-bought Christmas buns, made these apples and poured them over the warm buns for our Christmas Eve breakfast. Delicious!

      Reply
      • Julia

        December 24, 2021 at 4:44 pm

        Wow, what a delicious way to serve cooked apples - over warm buns! Love it!

        Reply

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    Julia is the author of JuliasAlbum.com (a food blog focused on easy dinner recipes, pasta dishes, salads made with seasonal ingredients). In this photo, Julia is pictured wearing a yellow sweater against an Autumn background.

    Hi, I'm Julia!

    I am a full-time food blogger living in beautiful Colorado. I focus primarily on savory recipes (protein-based & fiber-rich main dishes, pasta, salads) using fresh & seasonal ingredients. A food blogger since 2012, I help home cooks create well-balanced and visually appealing dinners (many of which are 30-minute ONE-PAN meals). Find out more about me and my cooking philosophy. 

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