These easy baked apples for baby are made with only 3 ingredients and no added sugar. They are a healthy and delicious finger food for babies 6 months and older, and perfect for baby led weaning.
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Why Bake Apples for Baby?
Apples are an affordable, nutritious fruit that we all tend to have on hand, but they're too hard for babies to eat raw. So why not bake them into a delicious baby friendly treat? All it takes is 3 ingredients and a few minutes of prep time to turn apples into a soft, cinnamon-y side dish or topper for oatmeal, yogurt and more. Though these no-added-sugar baked apples are great for baby led weaning and babies in the finger food stage, you'll want to enjoy them on your own breakfast, too!
Ingredients
All you need to make these easy baked apples are:
- Apples - Any variety will work, but I provide suggestions below.
- Oil or Butter - I like to use virgin coconut oil or butter, but a neutral flavored oil will work, too.
- Cinnamon - For extra flavor with no sugar
Helpful equipment: sharp paring knife, baking dish or sheet
Best Apples for Baking
Since these have no added sugar, you may want to choose a sweeter variety, such as Honeycrisp. The biggest factor here, though is going to be texture. For baby led weaning, you want apples that hold their shape in the oven better, since softer varieties tend to fall apart when cooking. Some good ones include:
- Granny Smith
- Honeycrisp
- Pink Lady
- Golden Delicious
- Braeburn
If you're making apples into a mash or puree for spoon-fed babies, go for a softer variety, such as Gala, Fuji, or Red Delicious, which will bake into a softer, smushier texture.
How To Make Them Step-by-Step
Here is a quick rundown. For the full recipe and amounts, head to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Wash apples, cut them in half from root to stem, and remove the core with a paring knife or melon baller.
- In a large bowl melt the oil or butter (if needed) and stir in the cinnamon.
- Add the apple halves and coat them evenly with the cinnamon mixture.
- Place the apples in a baking dish or on a baking sheet cut side up. Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes, or until soft enough for baby.
Tips & Variations
- For easier cleanup, line your dish with parchment paper.
- Feel free to experiment with other spices, like nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, or apple pie spice (with no sugar).
- If you want plain baked apples, you can omit the spices altogether and use just oil.
- For softer apples, you can turn the cut side down in the baking dish halfway through cooking.
- I think it's easier to roast the apple halves, then cut them later. If you'd like to cut down on cooking time, you can cut them into slices or small pieces before baking.
Storage & Reheating
Store baked apples in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. To freeze, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and pop them in the freezer. Once solid, transfer them to a freezer bag. Thaw frozen apples overnight in the refrigerator.
To reheat, you can either pop them in the oven for 10 minutes or so, or you can simply heat them in the microwave for 15-30 seconds. Make sure to test the temperature before serving to baby!
How To Serve Baked Apples for Baby Led Weaning
6 Months: For babies 6 months and up with a palmar grasp, offer the entire baked half to baby, as it's easier for little hands to grasp and suck on; or offer slices about the width of your pinky finger. You can leave the peel on or remove it.
9 Months: For babies with a pincer grasp, you can continue offering baked slices, or cut them into bite-size pieces, about the size of your fingernail. You can also offer utensils for practice. Leave the peel on or remove it.
Read more: How To Serve Apples for Baby Led Weaning for more serving and preparation ideas!
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Baked Apples for Baby
These easy baked apples for baby are made with only 3 ingredients and no added sugar. They are a healthy and delicious finger food for babies 6 months and older, and perfect for baby led weaning.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 2 apples 1x
- Category: side dish
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: baby/toddler
Ingredients
- 2 medium apples, any variety (see notes)
- 2 tsp coconut oil or butter
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375°F.
- Peel apples if you'd like. I keep the peel on. Cut apples in half from stem to root end. Use a melon baller or paring knife to remove the cores.
- Melt the oil in a large microwave-safe bowl. Stir in the cinnamon.
- Toss the apple halves with the oil until coated. Place them cut side up in a baking dish or on a cookie sheet.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until soft enough for baby. You can turn the cut side down halfway through to get the apples really soft.
- Remove from the oven and let cool before serving or storing.
Notes
- Best apples for baking: You can use any apple variety you'd like, but some will hold up better in the oven. For baby led weaning, you want apples that hold their shape better, such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Golden Delicious or Braeburn. If you'd like to mash them for young babies, softer varieties such as Gala, Fuji, or Red Delicious will bake to a softer, smushier texture.
- Plain baked apples: Omit the cinnamon.
- Ingredient variations: Feel free to use any spices you like, such as nutmeg, cardamom, ginger, or apple pie spice (without sugar). You can use any oil that you like, but I prefer virgin coconut oil or butter.
- Sliced or diced baked apples: I find it easier to roast the apples in halves, then cut them after cooking, but feel free to slice or dice them before cooking to cut down on the bake time.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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