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Slow cooker baked apples, or chunky applesauce

Baked apples, made in the slow cooker, make the whole house smell great!

What happens when a good recipe goes kerplooie? You end up with two good recipes. Kathy and I were aiming for these beautiful slow cooker baked apples when, the first time around, we left them in a bit too long. The apples burst in the cooker, and with some gentle encouragement from a wooden spoon, the large remaining chunks became spoon-sized chunks and the whole thing morphed into the most indulgently rich applesauce.

I decided to share both recipes with you -- the one we intended to make, which worked perfectly the second time around, and the one we made by accident, so good that we made it again on purpose. If you don't have a 7-quart slow cooker (CrockPot), buy smaller apples that will fit into a 6-quart cooker. Baked apples or applesauce, laced with dried cranberries and crunchy granola and brown sugar -- only one thing could make them better -- a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting slowly on top.

Chunky applesauce, an accident that turned into a family favorite.

Slow cooker baked apples, or chunky applesauce {vegan}

From the pantry, you'll need: light brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves.

Serves 6.

Ingredients

6 large firm apples (Macoun, Cortland, Jonathan, etc.), cored
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granola + extra for garnish for apple sauce
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 cup apple cider or pomegranate juice

Directions

With a paring knife, trim a ring around the top of the apples. Fit the apples into a 7-quart slow cooker, trimmed part facing up.

In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, granola, cranberries, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Stuff the mixture into the apples. Pour the cider into the bottom of the cooker.

Cook on HIGH 1-1/2 hours for baked apples, or 2 hours for applesauce.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]


More apple goodness:
Five-spice applesauce, from The Perfect Pantry
Ruby applesauce with cranberries, from Gluten-Free Goddess
Applesauce spice muffins, from Pinch My Salt
Apple cinnamon streusel muffins, from The Purple Foodie

Slow cooker baked apples, and a happy accident that made the most delicious applesauce!


Disclosure: The Perfect Pantry earns a few pennies on purchases made through the Amazon.com links in this post. Thank you for supporting this site when you start your shopping here.

Comments

I think I need to pull out my crockpot today!

Oh, I love it when mistakes turn into something so beautiful and good, Lydia! :-) Boy, it would be a tough decision between using apple cider and pomegranate juice. Love both of those, so I'd have to make this recipe both ways.

Maria, here in RI it's cold and rainy, a perfect day for baked apples. This will make your house smell great.

Shirley, I love it too; that's what cooking is all about. I've tried both liquids, so my next experiment is to use half cider and half pomegranate.

I love this idea of making baked apples in the slow cooker!

Kalyn, I'm determined to use my slow cookers more this winter, and especially for the holiday meals. The baked apples are a winner.

Versatility and adaptability - you gotta love it!

MAKING asap! ;-) I forget sometimes about my crockpot for these types of delicious recipes...even accidents. ;-) I wonder if I could use pears too? Off to try.

Thank you! LOVE your blog - have been reading for years now, rarely comment.

Hmmm, having trouble deciding which I like better - might have to make extra and just pull out a few apples for baked and leave the rest in for applesauce.

I LOVE when recipes go kerplooie!

It sounds as though "kerplooie" turned into two very good recipes. I really need to dig out my crockpot more often.

Kathy, I'm falling more and more in love with my slow cookers all the time.

Eko, absolutely, you can use pears.

Jeanette, I like the apples for the built-in portion control, but it's hard to beat the applesauce for sheer deliciousness.

EB, me, too!

Cookin' Canuck, I do love both outcomes. The whole apples would be a great dessert, and the applesauce a wonderful breakfast dish.

just genius! This is a great way to cook dessert for a dinner party without tying up precious oven space...genius!
ps I am thinking walnuts instead of granola but that is just nutty me!

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