Slow Cooker Baked Apples Recipe

Slow-cooker baked Apples are an easy and delicious dessert that requires less than 10 minutes of prep time. Full of sweet and crunchy stuffing with warm fall spices, raisins, and walnuts, they are healthy and incredibly tasty. These make the perfect comforting dessert, served warm and topped with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of honey or caramel sauce.

Slow cooker baked apples are a wonderfully simple dessert that requires just a few minutes of preparation. You simply core the apples, fill them with chopped walnuts and a brown sugar mixture, and let the slow cooker work its magic.

As a result, you will end up with the best delicious and healthy apple dessert! Also, this recipe calls for only a few ingredients. With the crockpot, you can simply pop in the stuffed apples and totally forget about them for hours!

Prepare to be pleasantly surprised by a delightful medley of flavors that enhance the fruit’s natural taste and texture. The combination of sweetness and crunchiness makes this dish a true delight. The fruit’s natural tartness is also beautifully balanced, especially with the addition of brown sugar and butter. 

Why you will love this recipe

• They cook fast for a slow cooker: These delicious baked apples can be done in under two hours on high.
• There are just a few ingredients: Just a handful of ingredients is all that is needed to make this dish.
• Serve as a snack, side dish, dessert, or breakfast: It is a versatile recipe that can be served in many different ways.
• Saves oven space for big meals: Make pork chops, ham, or even a turkey to go with these apples.

What you’ll need to make slow cooker baked apples

Special items:

• Slow cooker – I use a six-quart slow cooker for six apples.
• Bowls
• Cooking utensils

Ingredients:

• Apples – I use six medium-sized apples. I usually use Pink Lady, Gala, or Honeycrisp because they are sweet and firm.
• Honey – My favorite kind of honey to use for this recipe is clover honey because it is easy to find, mild, sweet, and clean-tasting.
• Water

For the stuffing:

• Unsalted butter – With a neutral flavor and a creamier texture, unsalted softened butter is best for this recipe.
• Vanilla – To add a bit of sweetness and delicate aroma, use pure vanilla extract, not vanilla flavoring.
• Brown sugar – Give your stuffing a rich molasses taste use dark brown sugar.
• Walnuts – For extra crunchiness and nuttiness, chopped walnuts are perfect for this stuffing.
• Raisins – Adds some extra sweetness and a bit of tanginess as well.
• Cinnamon – To give the apples a warm, sweet, and slightly spicy flavor with citrus undertones.
• Nutmeg – Also adds warmth along with citrus and a hint of clove, nuttiness, and a woodsy background.

How do you make slow cooker baked apples?

1. Fill the pot: First, I mix one cup of water with three tablespoons of honey and pour it into the slow cooker.
2. Prep the apples: Then, I prep the apples by washing them well and removing the core except for the bottom. The flesh I scoop out gets put into a small bowl and mixed with the filling ingredients.
3. Stuff and cook: Next, after stuffing the apples with the filling, I arrange them in the slow cooker and cook them on high for one and a half hours or low for two to four hours. Just until they are soft enough to serve.
4. Serve: Enjoy them warm with ice cream.

Expert tip

What are the best apples for slow cooking?

Some apple varieties were made for baking. I like Pink Lady, Newtown Pippins, Granny Smiths, Fujis, Galas, Jonathans, Honeygolds, Honeycrisps, Haralsons, and Braeburns. Also known as Cripps Pink, Pink Lady have a tart and sweet taste with a crisp and firm flesh.

Newtown Pippins are great for baking with tangy flesh and crisp texture. Granny Smith apples are the tartest with the firmest flesh, so they are best for those who like a tangy apple dish.

Similar to Granny Smith but not as hard, Honeygolds with a very intense taste. Honeycrisps are similar but sweeter and juicier because of their larger cells. Fuji is one of the sweetest apples and some say tastes like apple juice. Galas are sweet as well with a firm flesh perfect for sweet dessert lovers.

Haralson apples are tart and juicy with a medium texture, so they are not as ideal but are still a good choice. Perhaps more importantly, the ones I would not choose for this recipe include Red Delicious, McIntosh, and Cortlands. They end up with a watery or mushy consistency and a bland taste.

Recipe variations and add-ins:

• Granola: Instead of nuts, top these yummy apples with granola. It is just as crunchy and a little lighter.
• Caramel apples: Drizzle with my keto caramel sauce for a luxurious flavor without the extra sugar.
• More fruit: Another way to top the apples is with other fruit such as chopped peaches, pears, or berries.
• No honey: If honey is not your thing, use maple syrup instead.
• Make them juicy: Replace half the water with apple or orange juice for even more flavor.
• Coconut oil: Add 2 teaspoons of coconut oil to the filling for a boost of flavor. 

Serving suggestions:

Serve these as dessert, a side dish, snacks, or even for breakfast with a bowl of oatmeal.

• During apple season, these slow cooker baked apples are great served with my homemade apple cider made with apples and oranges.
• Serve it as a side dish instead of a dessert with a savory topping like cheddar cheese and bacon.
• These apples are also a wonderful breakfast dish to serve with pancakes or waffles. Try my fluffy and delicious rainbow waffles recipe.
• Also, you can serve them with your favorite garnish like a scoop of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or a pat of butter. 
• Try these after a delicious dinner of crispy air fryer pork chops, roasted pork loin, or juicy meatloaf. 

Frequently asked questions

Why are my slow cooker baked apples mushy?

One reason for mushy apples is overcooking them. Check them after one and a half hours to make sure they are not getting too soft. Another issue could be the ripeness. Make sure the apples used are not even the slightest bit overripe. In fact, it is better to use underripe apples than overripe apples. Smaller apples can also become mushy. Finally, choose the right kind of apples for baking such as Pink Lady, Newtown Pippins, Granny Smiths, Fujis, Galas, Jonathans, Honeygolds, Honeycrisps, Haralsons, and Braeburns.

How can I prevent apples from overcooking in the slow cooker?

First, make sure to follow the directions correctly. In my recipe, if the slow cooker is set on low, check them after one and a half hours. If they are fork tender, they are done. If they are being cooked on high, check them after one hour. Also, do not overfill the slow cooker. Just use one cup of water (or other liquid) along with the honey so they do not have too much liquid.

How can I easily hollow an apple for this recipe?

Obviously, an apple corer is the easiest way to core an apple. However, an apple corer will slice all the way through the apple, and there will be no base to hold it in the apple filling. Instead, try using a melon baller. It is the perfect shape, and it has sharp enough edges to carve away the flesh without digging too far in. Another great tool that will do this job is a metal measuring spoon. I use a half teaspoon, and it works perfectly. First, use a paring knife to remove the core without removing the bottom.

Why did my apples explode?

Certain types of apples can break down fast and will actually blow right out of their skins while they are baking. Some of these include McIntosh, Red Delicious, and Golden Delicious. They break down too quickly and cannot handle the heat. Other times, it could be from bacteria. This can affect any kind of apple. If there is a certain kind of yeast inside of it, the buildup of fermentation will lead to the skin bursting. However, since this recipe has the apples cored, they should be fine.

How to store:

• Refrigerate: Seal leftover apples in plastic and place them in an airtight container and they can be refrigerated for up to four days.   
• Freeze: Also, feel free to freeze them. First, let them completely cool at room temperature. Then, transfer them in a zippered freezer bag or individual freezer container, and freeze them for up to 2-3 months. 
• Defrost: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator for the best flavor.
• Reheat: Reheat leftovers in the oven for five minutes at 350 degrees F or in the microwave for one minute.

More recipes with apples:

Recipe tips:

• Be sure to use fresh apples. Any that are bruised or even slightly overripe will end up too mushy.
• Try a melon baller or metal measuring spoon to scoop the flesh from the apple.
• Make sure to leave about a half inch at the bottom of the apple to hold the filling.
• White sugar mixed with molasses will work just like brown sugar (because it is).
• Pink Lady, Granny Smiths, Galas, Fujis, and Honeycrisps, are some of the best apples for baking.
• Do not use Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, or McIntosh apples because they can explode and turn mushy.
• Check the apples early to make sure they do not overcook and do not add too much liquid.