This versatile stewed apples recipe will become a staple in your mealtime routine because it's simple, delicious, and goes with almost anything. We love building balanced breakfasts with it, enjoying it as a sweet side to savory dishes, and even a light and easy dessert!
And if you enjoy this recipe, you'll love my apple cinnamon baked oatmeal, too!
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❤️ Why You'll Love this Recipe
Quick and Easy - You only need a handful of everyday ingredients to make this stewed eating apples recipe happen, and everything comes together in one pan in less than 30 minutes.
Comforting Old-Fashioned Flavor - You'll taste warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, plus a touch of golden honey. These are the cooked apples your southern grandma used to make, but even better!
Gut Healthy - Stewing apples increases the availability of a type of fiber called pectin (NIH) that supports digestion and a strong gut microbiome.
👉🏾 Craving more comfort food that loves you back? Try my crispy oven catfish, seasoned sweet potato grits, braised black-eyed peas, and stewed okra and tomatoes next!
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What You'll Need for this Recipe
Apples, of course! I like to use a mixture of sweet apples like Honeycrisp or Fuji and tart apples like Granny Smith for the best flavor. Grab yellow, green, or red apples--whatever you like.
Lemon Juice brightens and balances the flavor of this dish so it doesn't come out overly sweet. And the acid in it keeps the apples from oxidizing and turning brown.
Vanilla gives the apples a dessert-like quality that makes them really taste like a sweet treat! I like to use vanilla bean paste for the most robust vanilla flavor, but you can use vanilla extract or even vanilla powder--both work well in this recipe.
Check out the recipe card below for full ingredients list, measurements, nutrition facts, and step-by-step instructions!
Substitutions & Variations
Stewed Apples & Pears - I love using different types of apples and pears in this recipe as the seasons change. They pair together wonderfully, and I have a stewed pears recipe, too!
Shape and Size - You can slice the fruit, dice it, or cut it into whichever shapes you prefer.
Spices - This dish gives apple pie spice but elevated--almost like a masala chai vibe. Feel free to mix and match different spices to get the flavor profile you like. I like to do a gingerbread combination around Christmas.
Sweetener - You can reduce the amount of honey, swap in your favorite sweetener like maple syrup, agave nectar, or a sugar-free option, or you can make this easy stewed apples recipe with no sugar added. Or use the sweetening ingredient you like to make it vegan.
How to Make the Best Stewed Apples
- Step 1: Core the apples, and cut the fruit into small pieces.
- Step 2: Toss the cut fruit in the remaining ingredients in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Pro Tip #1
Cooking the apples with skin on not only boosts the amount of fiber, it also provides polyphenols like quercetin that serve an antioxidant function in the body. (NIH)
- Step 3: Cook and stir the fruit until it's golden and tender.
Pro Tip #2
The apples will release liquid as they cook down, which will mix with the honey to create a kind of syrupy glaze--no cornstarch needed! Make sure to toss and turn the fruit in this liquid for even flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to six days.
To freeze, cool completely to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight, freezer-safe container and place in the freezer for up to three months. I like to store mine in Souper Cubes for portioning and easy reheating. Note that the apples will be a little softer once thawed.
Ways to Use Stewed Apples
Temperature: These apples are best served warm, but honestly taste great cold and at room temperature, too.
Pairings: This cooked apples recipe is a great partner for porridge, Greek yogurt and granola, oatmeal, or breakfast sausage patties for a satisfying breakfast that tastes like dessert! Spiced apples are also a traditional side for pork chops.
Is this recipe good for people with PCOS?
Yep! As a woman living well with PCOS, I keep recipe ideas like this in rotation to meet my nutritional goals. Here's why it works:
- Fiber-rich foods like these apples help slow digestion and normalize blood sugar (Harvard), which is especially important for women with insulin resistance--which up to 80% of women with PCOS have. (NIH)
- When consumed with a healthy fat, the turmeric and black pepper in this recipe is bioavailable to reduce inflammation. (U Mass Medical School)
Bonus: I like to enjoy these apples with Greek yogurt and seeds like flax, chia, pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower as part of seed cycling for overall hormone balance.
More Favorite Apple Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
I hope you'll enjoy this old fashioned stewed apples recipe soon and very soon. And sharing is caring, so be sure to pin this recipe for later and follow me over on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!
📖 Recipe
Cozy Spiced Stewed Apples
Equipment
- 1 knife
- 1 large skillet or other cooking pan
Ingredients
- 3 pounds apples a combination of sweet and tart apples works best
- ¼ cup honey or sweetener of your choice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 pinch fine sea salt
Instructions
- Prep the Fruit: Core and cut the apples into ½-inch to one-inch sized cubes, leaving the skin intact.3 pounds apples
- Cook the Fruit: Add the apples, honey, vanilla, lemon juice, and spices to skillet over medium heat, and toss the ingredients until the apples are evenly coated.¼ cup honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon ground turmeric, ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom, 1 pinch black pepper, 1 pinch fine sea salt
- Finish and Serve: Continue cooking and stirring the apples for 8-10 minutes or until tender, golden, and fragrant. Remove from heat and serve warm.*The apples will release water as they cook that combines with the honey to form a kind of glaze. Be sure to mix everything well so that the apples get coated in this glaze.
Karly Rae says
Another delicious dish, Jazz! I followed your TikTok tutorial and served the apples with Greek yogurt and chia. Best breakfast ever!
Jazzmine Woodard says
Thanks, Karly Rae. That dish has changed the game for me, too!