Low-Calorie Baked Apples

By
Kimberley Eggleston
Kimberley Eggleston
Kimberley Eggleston is a registered dietitian, nutrition class instructor, and food writer who specializes in healthy cooking.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 11/10/22
Tested by
Danielle Centoni
Danielle Centoni
Tested by Danielle Centoni

Danielle is a James Beard Award-winning food writer and editor based in Portland, Oregon.

Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Low-Calorie Baked Apples recipe

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Total: 35 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
147 Calories
0g Fat
36g Carbs
1g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 147
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 4mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 36g 13%
Dietary Fiber 5g 18%
Total Sugars 27g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 19mg 1%
Iron 0mg 3%
Potassium 281mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

You can't have enough ways to enjoy fresh apples when autumn hits. It's the best fruit of the season, and they're everywhere. If you're looking for an easy way to use up your apple stash or just in need of a quick and tasty dessert, this baked apple recipe is perfect.

This isn't a recipe for baked apple crisp with a crunchy sweet topping. It's much easier than that. These are simply baked apples cored and filled with a bit of a sweet mixture of raisins, brown sugar, and warm cinnamon. It's a healthy dessert with very little sugar, and it will fill your home with the most inviting aroma.

Granny Smith apples are the best baking apples and are recommended for this recipe. They will hold their shape, remain firm, and won't get mushy when baked. Plus, their tart flavor is a nice complement to the sweet filling. If you don't have them on hand, use whatever apples you have. If you have a choice, lean toward a tarter baking apple rather than a super-sweet apple.

Finally, this is a great dessert for just one or two people. At one apple per person, the baked apple mixture amounts can easily be reduced (or increased) to the number of people you are planning on serving. If you like, feel free to add crushed walnuts to the raisin and sugar mixture. They will lend some protein and texture to the filling.

Low-Calorie Baked Apples Tester Image

"This comforting dessert has all the autumnal flavors you crave in an apple pie or crisp but without all the butter and flour. It's especially delicious with yogurt, ice cream or creme fraiche whipped cream." —Danielle Centoni

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 4 medium Granny Smith apples

  • 1/4 cup raisins

  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • Whipped cream, optional

  • Yogurt, optional

  • Ice cream, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350 F.

    Low-calorie baked apples ingredients

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Using a small paring knife, gently cut around the apple core, starting from the top to remove the inner core and seeds. Be sure to remove all the seeds and any stringy, firm parts while keeping the bottom intact. You'll want to remove all the core to have enough room to fill the emptied space.

    Cut around the core of the apple starting from the top to remove the inner core and seeds

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Stand the apple up on a baking sheet with the cored portion up.

    Stand the apple up on a baking sheet with the cored portion up

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. In a small bowl, combine the raisins, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

    Combine the raisins, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Gently stir the ingredients together until they are well combined.

    Stir the raisins, brown sugar, and cinnamon together

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Using a small spoon, fill each apple cavity with about 1 tablespoon of the raisin mixture.

    Apples with a sugar and raisin mixture inside

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  7. Place the apples in the oven and bake until the apples are tender, about 25 minutes. After about 20 minutes, check the apples for doneness by piercing them with a fork or sharp knife. If the apples are tender, remove them from the oven. If not, continue baking in 5-minute increments until they are completely tender.

    Let cool slightly and serve warm with toppings of choice, if desired.

    Low-calorie baked apples on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Serving Suggestion Tips

  • These baked apples are absolutely delicious when eaten alone right out of the oven. It makes for a quick and relatively healthy dessert.
  • However, you can also serve them much like you would serve a helping of baked apple crisp. Top each apple off with a small scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream, frozen yogurt, or even whipped cream. You end up with the perfect contrast of sweet, soft, warm apples and cold, sweet, melted ice cream. It is simply delightful.

Recipe Variations

  • Change up the filling a bit by adding chopped walnuts into the mixture, or use dried cranberries in place of the raisins.
  • Adjust the cinnamon to your taste, adding more or less, as you desire.
  • Try other apple varieties for your baked apples, such as Honeycrisp or Jonagold.