A couple years ago (ps…time flies, doesn’t it?) we made baked pears and were completely surprised by how much we loved them. Definitely one of my most favorite fall desserts ever. So this year we wanted to try the same idea but a different fruit. Apples!
We amped up the fall flavors by infusing the granola with pumpkin puree and fall spices. YUM!! The apples became totally shriveled in the oven and the top of the apples only reveal a crunchy granola…but once it was cut open it was filled with a steamy, fragrant, fall-esque oat mixture. It tasted so good! We also drizzled dulce de leche on top…because that never hurts. 😉
On another note…my brain is flooded with fall recipes (namely pumpkin) right now. Do you ever feel like there are too many recipes and not enough time? Each day, I read what other bloggers are making…first I drool and then I add them to my list of must try.
Here are a few that I’ve added to my list:
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Bars I made these last night and brought to work. I’ve never seen food get devoured so fast.
Pumpkin Butterscotch Blondies I’m making these tonight and giving them to my BFF Jen. Can’t keep them in my house!!
Salted Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake I need somebody to make this for. Somebody that doesn’t mind 1 slice missing. :-/
Triple Chocolate Pumpkin Pie Seriously? SERIOUSLY?
Pumpkin and Banana Marble Loaf Genius…and I’m baking/keeping for myself – I can count it as breakfast rather than dessert
Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake Ditto on my comment above
Who else thinks fall baking is the absolute best?
Here’s what you’ll need
Mix together oats, dried cranberries, wheat germ, spices, cashews
In another bowl, combine brown sugar, pumpkin puree, vanilla, applesauce and maple syrup
Hollow out the apples
Now stuff the apples!
Pairs perfectly with a drizzle of dulce de leche!
- 2¼ cups rolled oats
- ¼ cup wheat germ
- ¼ cup raw cashews, chopped
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon fleur de sel
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 apples (Gala or Honeycrisp)
- 1.5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine rolled oats, wheat germ, cashews, dried cranberries, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger and salt. Stir together; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar, pumpkin puree, applesauce, maple syrup and vanilla.
- Pour the wet mixture on top of the dry mixture. Stir until evenly coated.
- Use an apple corer to core each apple then use a small spoon to carefully hollow out some of the inside.
- Put 1/2 tablespoon of butter into the crevice of each apple, then stuff with the oat mixture.
- Bake the apples for 45-50 minutes; until the outside of the apples become soft and wrinkly. Serve with a drizzle of caramel sauce, if desired.
- We chose to prepare 3 apples even though the oat filling made enough for (probably) 3 more. Check back later this week to see what we did with the rest of our oat mixture. 🙂
