Warm, sweet apples baked with comforting spices for a perfect, healthy breakfast. These Spiced Breakfast Apples will be the highlight of your morning spread!
These Spiced Breakfast Apples truly bring me back. When I was younger, I went to sleep away camp up in the mountains of West Virginia for about 5 summers. They were some of the best summers of my life, and were definitely filled with some amazing eats. I vividly remember the camp chef from the first couple of years, Chef Hazel. Hazel was an institution at my camp, and was even there when my mom went for 2 summers as a child. My mom and I both can attest to the fact that she was an amazing, comforting cook. Unfortunately, Hazel retired after my first two years at camp, but she definitely made a lasting impact on everyone she fed.
One of her signature breakfasts was biscuits, bacon, and, of course, Spiced Breakfast Apples. While the whole spread was good, the apples really took the crown for me. In fact, I think this breakfast was my favorite meal ever served at camp (obviously if I’m still thinking about it, lol). Naturally, I had to recreate this iconic meal at home, and share it with you all too;)
I’m not going to lie, coming up with this recipe was pretty difficult. I wanted it to taste just like my childhood, so it was nearly impossible to get perfect. Plus, I wanted to give this dish a lighter spin, with less frying while still keeping it totally stovetop…there’s just something about a stovetop breakfast that’s so much easier first thing in the morning! After some tried and true testing, I finally came up with this recipe. And, it. is. perfect.
the breakdown
Spiced with a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, and lightly sweetened with some honey, these apples can be made almost entirely with ingredients you have laying around. You could even use water instead of the apple cider… I do it all the time. And, all though it’s a lighter version, I wouldn’t skip the butter or coconut oil because that’s where the crust really comes together.
Besides that, these Spiced Breakfast Apples are so extremely versatile, and are perfect for an impressive or simple breakfast or brunch. I love to serve them over biscuits (camp style), on toast, or alone; but, my personal favorite is making them at the beginning of the week and using them as a topping for my oatmeal throughout the week (my go-to meal prep breakfast!).
Let me know in the comments how you eat your Spiced Breakfast Apples! Enjoy!
Spiced Breakfast Apples
Course: All Recipes, Breakfast, Desserts, Main Courses, Side Dishes, VegetarianDifficulty: Easy6
servings8
minutes30
minutes300
kcal38
minutesWarm, sweet apples baked with comforting spices for a perfect, healthy breakfast. These Spiced Breakfast Apples will be the highlight of your morning spread!
Ingredients
5-6 apples, peeled and sliced*
2 tbsp butter or 1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cloves
pinch of sea salt
½ cup apple cider or water
Instructions
- In a large pan or dutch oven with a lid, sauté apples and butter or coconut oil over high heat. After 5-8 minutes, or until the apples begin to soften, stir in the honey and spices.
- Add the apple cider or water, reduce heat to medium, cover with a lid, and allow to simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the apples have wilted and most of the liquid has evaporated
- Serve on oatmeal, with biscuits, on toast, or alone. Enjoy!
Notes
- Any apples with work, but the sweet red variety is preferred. Gala, Honey crisp, and Fuji are great options.
- These are a great addition to a breakfast or brunch board! Surround it with bacon, sausage, biscuits, apple butter, jams, and some greens and you have an impressive board for a crowd!
this looks very yummy!