These best baked apples are all of the sweet and caramel-y goodness of a traditional apple crisp, stuffed and baked inside fresh autumn apples with the best crumble topping. Top it off with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce for an incredible fall treat everyone will go crazy for!

More recipes for apple lovers are closer than you think! Super Easy Apple Cobbler, Caramel Apple Dump Cake, and Apple Crumble Flatbread.

baked apple on plate with spoon in apple

For more delicious fall desserts, check out my recipes for Cinnamon Sugar Glazed Pumpkin Donut Holes, Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake, and Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Sugar Frosting.

This right here is what fall is all about! The apples, sugary crumble topping, and the smell of wonderful baked goodness all wrapped into the prettiest red and gold package is everything fall in one delicious dessert.

Send this apple crisp to the next level by adding a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. I like ice cream on top of everything, but in this case it’s actually a must. The ice cream to crumble topping to saucy cinnamon apple stuff must be just right in every single bite and what better way to do that than to pack all of those layers into an actual apple? This is my new favorite fall treat! At this particular moment I cannot think of anything more delightful than a stuffed baked apple filled with apple crisp yumminess.

up close spoon digging into apple with filling and oat topping

Why This Recipe Works

Gooey filling – The gooey, buttery filling covered in a crispy sweet and salty crumble topping is enough to send me into a fit of uncontrollable joy. Plus, it’s so simple to make.

Perfect fall dessert – At this particular moment I cannot think of anything more delightful than a stuffed baked apple filled with apple crisp yumminess. But fall in particular is the best time to serve this apple crisp. Make it for dinner guests and blow them away with its “fancy” presentation and deliciousness.

Whole apples – For some reason, to me, apple crisp in a casserole dish doesn’t taste nearly half as good as apple crisp stuffed back into an apple and then baked. Seriously. This is the best way to eat apple crisp, hands down – all literally self-contained which makes serving them super easy too!

Simple ingredients – You probably have all the ingredients you need right now to make these delicious best baked apples. It’s also a great way to use up apples no one is eating or that are at risk of going bad soon.

Here’s How You Make It

In an apple shell (see what I did there?) this are the very simple instructions for making this baked apples recipe.

First, preheat the oven to 400. Then, make the crumble topping by whisking together the oats, flour, both sugars, salt, and cinnamon. Next, cut in the butter with a pastry knife, two forks, or with your hands until mixture is crumbly. (photos 1-4)
Peel and chop 4 of the apples and add the chopped apples, butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon to a medium saucepan. Sauté this apple mixture over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes or until the apples are tender. Take these off the heat. (photos 6-7)
Take the remaining 4 apples and cut just the tops off. Use a spoon (or apple corer) to take out the middle flesh. You can use this for another recipe or eat it as a snack while you bake. You only need to take enough out to make a bowl for the filling; keep the skin intact. (photo 5)

four steps of stuffing apples with apple filling

Now, add the cooked apple filling to the cored-out apples. Then top them all with a generous amount of crumble topping. (photos 8-9)
Put the stuffed apples on a baking sheet and put them in the oven to bake for about 10-15 minutes. The crumble topping should be crispy and everything warmed all the way through. (photo 10)
I like to serve these best baked apples right out of the oven with a scoop of ice cream and caramel sauce but those are optional (sort of).

Ideas for Customizing This Recipe

Use any kind of apples you like for this apple crisp. Or, use one kind for the filling and another for the “bowls” – mix it up any way you like!
Make it dairy free by using plant-based butter and skipping the ice cream, instead opting for a dairy-free whipped topping.
Sprinkle some nuts on the top before baking. Some of my favorites include walnuts, pecans, and hazelnuts. Or, if you really like the crunch of nuts, add about ¼ cup of your favorite chopped nuts to the filling before baking.
Make homemade whipped cream and add a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg to it for a very fall topping.
Top with your very own homemade butterscotch ice cream!

Expert Tips

If you use an apple corer to remove the core of your apples, you can use some of the flesh in the filling in which case you won’t need 4 whole apples for the filling, but more like 3.
These baked apples will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days and taste great when warmed up in the microwave.