Date Nut Stuffed Baked Apples

Satisfy your sweet tooth naturally with these Date Nut Stuffed Baked Apples.

As a child, I always knew when my mom was baking apples because the whole house smelled like warm apple pie…

Comforting, filling and delicious, these cinnamon scented baked apples take me back in time.

Date Nut Stuffed Baked Apples

taste as good without nuts, so if you can’t have ’em, leave them out!

This basic recipe adapted from Chef and nutritionist Rebecca Katz

is easy to vary with different nuts, fruits and juices

for delicious baked apples (or pears) any time of year.

Eat them for breakfast with yogurt and granola or dessert with cream/non-dairy topping.

Here’s some different apples you might try:

• Honeycrisp (my favorite) – juicy, firm and crisp
• Jonagold – firm flesh and sweet tart taste. The daughter of Jonathan and Golden Delicious
• Jonathan – tart, tangy, deep red color
• Granny Smith – tart, tangy, firm flesh
• Braeburn – spicy-sweet and firm
• Gala– crisp, mellow and naturally sweet

Bake a few different apples together and see which ones

you like best!

Baked apples taste even better on day two; just

slice in halves or quarters and reheat.

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If you like apples, check out these ten best apple desserts!

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Date Nut Stuffed Baked Apples

• Author: Dana Gerard
• Prep Time: 20
• Cook Time: 45
• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x

Vary with different nuts, fruits and juices for delicious, nutricious baked apples any time of year.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped (sub almonds or walnuts)
• 1/2 cup Medjool dates, pitted and finely chopped ( sub dried apricots, plums or raisins)
• zest and juice of two oranges (sub 2 tablespoons OJ concentrate or 4 oz orange juice)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 6 baking apples (Braeburn, Granny Smith, Jonagold or Gala)
• 2 tablespoons butter or vegan butter, chopped (optional)
• apple juice or cider for baking (at least 12 oz or more)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and set aside a deep baking pan or pie plate.
2. In a large bowl mix together nuts, dates, orange zest and juice, cinnamon and salt.  (If needed, add sweetener like honey, agave or stevia to suit.)
3. Wash and core apples; leaving a half inch of apple on the bottom to hold in filling. Cut one inch off tops, stuff apples with mixture and dot with butter (optional). 
4. Place apples in pan and add apple juice. Cover with foil and bake 40-60 minutes, until apples are fork tender but not falling apart. Large apples may need up to 80 minutes.
5. Serve warm or at room temperature, with extra apple juices from the pan.
6. Baked apples taste even better on day two. When cool, wrap and refrigerate leftovers up to a week.

Notes

Adapted from Baked Apples with Dates and Pecans from The Cancer Fighting Cookbook by Rebecca Katz