Baked Apples with Marshmallows + Video

These baked apples with marshmallows combine brown sugar, cinnamon and a wonderfully gooey topping. A little butter, a splash of apple cider and a hot oven turn apple halves into something worth slowing down for.

In this episode of Made in Niagara with Kimberly, I make three half-apple portions for dessert, including one for Mom. I already had some apples cut, so halves were the practical choice.

Typically, I would core a whole apple and fill the center. Halving them is another lovely way to do it: the cut surface holds the butter, cinnamon and brown sugar, and each hollowed-out center gets a marshmallow topping.

Baked Apples with Marshmallows: A Simple Autumn Dessert

This is a handy dessert when you have apples on hand and nothing else planned. There is no pastry to make and no batter to mix.

The apples bake in a shallow pool of cider or apple juice. As they soften, the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon mingle with that liquid, leaving delicious juices to spoon over each serving.

Then comes my favorite finishing touch: a toasted marshmallow with a crisp, browned top and a gooey center.

I like mine deeply toasted. You can stop at a lighter golden brown if that is more your style.

Watch: How to Make Baked Apples

Watch How to Make Baked Apples on YouTube.

Baked Apples with Brown Sugar, Cinnamon & Marshmallows

Yield: 3 small dessert portions, using 3 apple halves
Oven temperature: 350°F (175°C)
Baking time: Approximately 25–35 minutes, or longer as needed for tender apples
Optional broiler finish: About 1–2 minutes, watched continuously

This is a flexible, little-of-this-and-that recipe. In the video, I do not measure the butter, cinnamon or brown sugar. Use enough to coat and fill the apple halves as described below.

Ingredients

3 apple halves, skin left on
Butter, softened enough to spread, for coating the apples and adding a small dollop to each center
¼–⅓ cup apple cider or apple juice
Ground cinnamon, to taste
Brown sugar, enough to cover the cut surfaces of the apples
2 large marshmallows, cut in half; use 3 halves for the topping

Instructions

Preheat the oven. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Prepare the apples. Remove the seeds, tough core and any remaining stem or blossom-end pieces from each half. Make a small hollow for the filling, taking care not to cut through the skin underneath.
Coat with butter. Rub or spread a little butter over both the skin and the cut surface of each apple half.
Arrange in a baking dish. Set the apples cut-side up in a small baking dish. I use a loaf pan in the video because it holds the three halves neatly in place.
Add the cider. Pour ¼–⅓ cup apple cider or apple juice into the bottom of the dish. You want a shallow pool beneath the apples.
Fill and season. Add a small dollop of butter to each hollowed-out center. Sprinkle the apples with cinnamon, then add brown sugar over the cut surfaces and around the centers.
Begin baking. Place the dish in the oven and check the apples after about 10 minutes.
Add the marshmallows. Place one marshmallow half in the center of each apple. Return the dish to the oven for another 10–15 minutes.
Check for tenderness. Carefully test the apple flesh with the tip of a knife. If it is still firm, continue baking and check again after another 5–10 minutes. The apples are ready when the flesh is tender.
Toast the topping, if desired. For a more deeply browned marshmallow, briefly place the apples under the broiler in a broiler-safe dish. Watch continuously and remove them as soon as the topping reaches the color you like; this may take less than 1–2 minutes. Follow your oven manufacturer’s instructions for broiling and door position.
Serve. Carefully scoop each apple half onto a plate or into a shallow bowl. Spoon some of the buttery, cinnamon-scented pan juices over it. Let it cool slightly before eating—the apples, juices and melted marshmallows will be very hot.

Let the Apples Tell You When They Are Ready

The timing depends on the variety, size and firmness of your apples. In the episode, mine need an extra spell in the oven after the first tenderness check.

Use the suggested time as a guide, then check the flesh with a knife. You want a tender apple with a soft, spoonable center.

Apple halves and whole apples will not necessarily take the same amount of time. If you make the whole-apple version, allow additional time as needed and use the same tenderness check.

Spices and Variations

Cinnamon is what I use in this episode, but you can change the seasoning to suit your taste. A little allspice, pumpkin pie spice or cardamom would also be lovely.

Apple juice works in place of cider. I also mention maple syrup as another delicious possibility for sweetening the apples.

For an adult variation, a small splash of brandy or cognac can join the liquid in the bottom of the dish. The version demonstrated here uses apple cider.

If you want to make more portions, use a larger baking dish and increase the ingredients to suit. Keep the apples cut-side up, with a shallow layer of liquid underneath.