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January 25, 2018 46 Comments

Healthy Cinnamon Skillet Apples

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Warm cinnamon skillet apples cooked over low heat with just water and cinnamon for a super easy, healthy dessert. Top your bowl of cinnamon apples with a scoop of natural vanilla ice cream to make it a little more decadent!these cinnamon skillet apples are an easy, healthy dessert that tastes just like old-fashioned fried apples!

A year or two ago, I discovered that cooking apple slices in just water and cinnamon makes a really delicious, healthy dessert or even snack, so I’m sharing my super simple method for cinnamon skillet apples with you today.

This recipe has just three ingredients- apples, cinnamon, and water, and it’s hard to mess up. It’s a healthier alternative to a traditional fried apples recipe, which typically calls for loads of sugar and butter.

these cinnamon skillet apples are an easy, healthy dessert that tastes just like old-fashioned fried apples!

And an added bonus is that since the recipe actually doesn’t use dairy, honey, etc., it’s happens to be vegan-friendly and allergy-friendly!

I first made these cinnamon skillet apples for my family a few years ago since most of them were following a low-sugar eating plan, and they still request these apples all the time.

If you serve these skillet apples a la mode, it’s almost just like eating warm apple cobbler. I’ve also stirred leftover cinnamon skillet apples into plain Greek yogurt or oatmeal, which is amazing.these cinnamon skillet apples are an easy, healthy dessert that tastes just like old-fashioned fried apples!

Best Apples for Baking

Apples with a firm texture are generally good for recipes where you want the apple slices to maintain their shape (rather than become mushy).

I typically use Granny Smith apples for baking since they’re tart, which is a nice balance in a sweet recipe. They’re also widely available, relatively inexpensive, and the lowest in sugar out of all the apple varieties!

Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Cortland, Braeburn, and Pink Lady apples are also great choices for baking in a recipe like this.

As far as peeling the apples go, you absolutely don’t *have* to. The skin contains extra nutrients and fiber, and it’s great for you. Personally, though, I prefer a smoother, less chewy texture so I do peel mine.

My two very favorite healthy desserts (this and my favorite healthy apple crisp) use apples, so I have this inexpensive peeler/corer/slicer that’s a total game changer when it comes to apple desserts.

It cuts the prep time way down, all of the pieces are a uniform size, and you don’t have to worry about nicking yourself while peeling with a vegetable peeler. LOVE this thing…and hope you love this recipe!

If you try these healthy cinnamon skillet apples, let me know in a comment or post a picture and tag me @livbane on Instagram– I’d love to see! 

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5 from 5 votes

Healthy Cinnamon Skillet Apples

Warm cinnamon skillet apples cooked over low heat with just water and cinnamon for a super easy, healthy dessert
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 168kcal

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 6 medium granny smith apples
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional for topping

Instructions

  • Peel and chop apples into small, fairly uniform pieces, about 1/4 inch thick.
  • Place a medium skillet onto medium-low heat and add water. Add apples and cinnamon to taste, stirring and cooking until apples are softened, about 6-10 minutes. If all of the water evaporates, add a little more water as the apples cook.
  • Add cooked apples to serving bowls and top each serving with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of freshly whipped cream, plus a tablespoon of chopped nuts if desired.
  • Store leftover apples in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheat in the microwave for 20 seconds, or stir them into oatmeal or vanilla/plain yogurt– no need to reheat!

Notes

Nutrition info includes optional nuts.
Things I use: this high-quality organic cinnamon (it's a really good deal so I buy in bulk and just refill my spice jars!) and this all-in-one apple peeler/corer/slicer

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 168kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 26g

 

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Comments

  1. misty says

    February 8, 2016 at 8:24 am

    I crave these all the time! One of my favorite “desserts”!!!!

    Reply
    • Liv says

      February 8, 2016 at 9:26 am

      So do I! I’ll have to make them again soon!

      Reply
    • Pearl says

      February 1, 2020 at 7:40 pm

      5 stars
      Hi there,
      Just made these last night! I make overnight oats with chia seeds and scooped some of these apples on top. Very simple and easy to make. I like that they’re an easy way to add nutrition in the diet. I left the peels on to make the recipe even quicker and keep some extra fiber on the apples. I made plenty of apples to meal prep my oatmeal, thanks so much for this recipe!!!! I will definitely make again.

      Reply
      • Liv says

        February 2, 2020 at 5:54 pm

        Chia seed pudding with these apples sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing that idea 😀

        Reply
  2. Lizzy says

    February 8, 2016 at 12:34 pm

    Liv,

    Have you ever tried to make a single portion of this recipe with just one apple? Looks delicious!

    Reply
    • Liv says

      February 8, 2016 at 1:19 pm

      Hi, Lizzy! I’ve done a single-serving version in a skillet with a couple of tablespoons of water and about 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. I’ve also done the same thing in the microwave by putting it all in a mug and microwaving for about 1 1/2 minutes. So good!

      Reply
      • Melissa says

        May 18, 2020 at 4:44 pm

        This sounds like a good way to try it. I was looking for a recipe to try w/o sugars to keep it healthy.

        Reply
  3. Bethany says

    October 15, 2016 at 4:10 pm

    Just made these, looking all over for simple, low cal recipe for baked apples.
    Had with Greek yogurt and pecans. Delicious. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Liv says

      October 16, 2016 at 7:40 pm

      So glad to hear you enjoyed these, Bethany! The apples with Greek yogurt and pecans sounds delicious.

      Reply
  4. Flo says

    January 26, 2017 at 11:15 pm

    Just made a single serving with Gala, walnuts and greek yogurt..delicious!! Added a little vanilla. No guilt.

    Reply
    • Liv says

      January 27, 2017 at 11:36 pm

      Mmmm sounds delicious, Flo! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  5. Angela Kraus says

    April 4, 2017 at 10:20 am

    I came into three Granny Smith Apples that I didn’t want. Not an apple I like. I couldn’t find anyone else who wanted my three Granny Smith Apples either; so, I googled, and ended up here. I’m looking so forward to trying this recipe and sharing with my good friend Joyce. Fun! Gratitude! What a nice print out, to boot!

    Reply
  6. Grayce says

    May 25, 2017 at 9:20 pm

    Could I make this in the crockpot? I try not to use the stove in the summer 🙂

    Reply
    • Liv says

      May 30, 2017 at 8:20 am

      Hi Grayce! I haven’t tried it but I’m sure you could! I’m not sure how long it would take but you could just keep an eye on the apples and check them periodically so they don’t turn to mush!

      Reply
  7. Alyssa says

    September 16, 2017 at 10:55 pm

    I personally enjoy McIntosh apples the most for baking and eating, pink lady are a close second. For this recipe while delish on its own I added some vanilla, nutmeg, dash of salt, and god forgive me, some butter flavored cook spray while cooling and tossed. I just can’t have apples without some creamy butter flavoring!

    Reply
    • Liv says

      September 17, 2017 at 4:00 pm

      Sounds like yummy additions! I’m sure vanilla and nutmeg would be amazing in these apples!

      Reply
  8. Valerie says

    September 21, 2017 at 11:07 am

    Just made this last night. I used Honey Crips Apples my favorite. I’m on Weight Watchers so I used 1/2 cup of Salted Carmel Halo Ice Cream on top. It was so good!! Thanks!

    Reply
    • Liv says

      September 21, 2017 at 12:11 pm

      Mmm, love honey crisps! I’m so glad you enjoyed these skillet apples!

      Reply
  9. Mel says

    January 14, 2018 at 11:46 pm

    Was looking for a healthy way to get rid of a bunch of apples that were going bad – googled and came across your recipe. So delicious!!! Thanks 🙂

    Reply
    • Liv says

      January 16, 2018 at 9:02 pm

      Hooray!! I’m so glad to hear you loved this easy apple recipe!!

      Reply
  10. Pediatrics Brevard says

    January 30, 2018 at 5:17 pm

    5 stars
    The kids love Granny Smith Apples. I will make them some of these!

    Reply
    • Liv says

      January 30, 2018 at 7:12 pm

      Hope your kids love these cinnamon apples! 🙂

      Reply
  11. Claire says

    March 29, 2018 at 8:08 am

    Yum! Thanks for sharing. I’m going be making this tomorrow. I love how cinnamon completely complements apples.

    Reply
  12. Debby Boulware says

    November 19, 2018 at 9:39 pm

    5 stars
    Can this recipe be frozen?
    Thanks,
    Debby

    Reply
  13. Jackie W. says

    January 22, 2019 at 1:26 pm

    5 stars
    I just made this dish. I added 1/2 cup of chopped Omega-3 Deluxe Nut mix to the apples as they cooked. It is absolutely delicious. Didn’t top with ice cream but topped with Ready Whip. Really, really good.

    Reply
  14. Judy says

    April 18, 2019 at 5:49 pm

    About how many calories without the nuts

    Reply
    • Liv says

      April 21, 2019 at 5:51 pm

      Hi Judy! Without the nuts, it’ll just be the calories from the apples you use, which will vary a bit based on how large they are 🙂

      Reply
  15. BJ says

    September 25, 2019 at 4:11 pm

    Why peel the apples first? Aren’t you taking away a lot of nutrients?

    Reply
    • Liv says

      September 25, 2019 at 5:15 pm

      Hey BJ! It’s just a personal preference since the cooked skin can be a bit chewy; you’re welcome to leave the skin on!

      Reply
  16. Ruby says

    November 14, 2019 at 6:15 pm

    I love this. Really simple really tasty. I could not find cinnimon, I used ginger instead. It worked berry good

    Reply
    • Liv says

      November 15, 2019 at 1:43 pm

      So glad you enjoyed this apple recipe!!

      Reply
  17. Ertugrul says

    August 11, 2020 at 6:13 pm

    5 stars
    Thanks a lot for sharing yummy and healthy recipe!

    Reply
    • Liv says

      August 18, 2020 at 5:15 pm

      So glad you enjoyed this apple recipe!

      Reply
  18. Jennifer A Fortin says

    October 6, 2020 at 2:45 pm

    Just cooked some old gala apples! Added a little nutmeg to the mix and a pinch of salt. Fabulous! Thank you 😊

    Reply
    • Liv says

      October 6, 2020 at 3:35 pm

      So glad you enjoyed these apples! 😀

      Reply
  19. Kales says

    November 1, 2020 at 2:02 pm

    I am on a low sugar/low fat diet since I had surgery a month ago.. I was craving some ‘apple crisp’ and this hit the mark 100% I will continue to come back to this time and time again!

    Reply
    • Liv says

      November 3, 2020 at 1:16 am

      So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Kales, and that it works well for your dietary needs!

      Reply
  20. Addi says

    July 26, 2021 at 9:17 pm

    Made this for my brother! It came out incredible. We’re planning on having it with oatmeal in the morning. Thanks for the great recipe!

    Reply
    • Liv says

      August 6, 2021 at 8:22 am

      So glad you enjoyed this apple recipe, Addi!!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Recipe Sugar-free Cinnamon Skillet Apples - The Prevention Center For Heart & Brain Health says:
    March 26, 2024 at 4:20 pm

    […] Adapted from HealthyLiv.com and TasteOfHome.com. […]

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Hi, I’m Liv! I originally started blogging to share easy meals I made in my college dorm kitchen. Years later, as an attorney now, my goal is still to share delicious, approachable recipes with simple ingredients. You can most often find me running, eating ice cream, and making a mess in my kitchen. More...

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