Spiced Baked Apples with Cranberries and Honey-Glazed Pecans
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: Fall, Thanksgiving, Winter, Holiday
Serves: 4-8
Ingredients
  • For the apples:
  • 1½ cups apple cider
  • ⅓ cup dried cranberries
  • 4 medium or large baking apples such as Honeycrisp or Jonathan
  • 1 lemon, halved
  • 1 tablespoon vegan butter, melted (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ⅛ teaspoon allspice
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground clove
  • Pinch of salt
  • For the pecan topping:
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar*
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2 pinches clove
  • pinch of salt
  • Additional equipment needed: parchment paper
Instructions
  1. For the apples:
  2. Preheat oven to 375˚F.
  3. Pour the cider and scatter the cranberries in a baking dish.  Halve and core the apples and rub the cut sides with the lemons to prevent browning.  Arrange the apples in the baking dish on top of the cider and cranberries.  Drizzle the melted butter and honey over the apples, and sprinkle the cinnamon, ginger, allspice and cloves on top.  Cover with foil and bake for about 55 minutes, until the apples are softened and steaming hot.
  4. For the pecan topping:
  5. Lay a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet and set aside.
  6. Cook pecans in a medium frying pan over medium heat until fragrant and beginning to turn golden, supervising closely and stirring often.  Add the honey, sugar (if using), cinnamon, ginger and clove.  Stir constantly for about 2 minutes until the sugar dissolves and the liquid thickens, darkens slightly and coats the nuts leaving just a little residue in the bottom of the pan.
  7. Spread the nut mixture on the parchment paper and allow to cool for about 20 minutes until the coating hardens.
  8. Serve warm, spooning some of the cranberry-cider liquid over each apple and topping with the honey pecans.
  9. *The honey-only version tastes great and has a crunchy, slightly sticky texture.  The sugar version gives the nuts a slightly crispier texture.
Recipe by Spoon With Me at https://spoonwithme.com/spiced-baked-apples-with-cranberries-and-honey-glazed-pecans/