These hasselback baked apples are a fun take on the traditional baked apple recipe. Instead of hollowing out the apple and adding a filling, the apple is thinly sliced and then drizzled with a delicious buttery brown sugar topping. A crunchy gluten free flour and oat topping completes this delicious dessert recipe.
When you are following a gluten free diet, desserts can be a challenge. Fortunately, both flour and rolled oats now come in gluten free versions, so apple crisps, apple crumbles and these tasty hasselback baked apples can be a delicious ending to your evening meal.
The term hasselback comes from a type of preparation for cooking potatoes. The hasselback potato was first created in Sweden in the late 1700s at a restaurant called Hasselbacken. It features an accordion style of cutting on potatoes that are drizzled with butter to make them creamy on the cut edges and soft inside the cuts. See my recipe for hasselback potatoes here.
Making these Hasselback Baked Apples.
These apples are quick and easy to make. The first step is to prepare the apples. Use very firm apples. If you use a softer apple, it will start to fall apart in the oven while you are baking it. Good choices are Granny Smith, Cortland, Pink Lady, Honeycrisp and other firm apple varieties. Try to use large apples if you have them. They will hold up better.
Peel the apples and cut them in half. Use a small melon baller to remove the core. Place the apples flat side down on a cutting board and cut them into 1/4″ slices being sure not to cut all the way through to the bottom.
Place the apples in a prepared oven proof baking dish, flat side down. Combine some unsalted melted butter, brown sugar and cinnamon and brush it over the top of the apples, trying to get a bit of the mixture into the cut areas. This will help to give the whole apple the buttery sugar flavor. Cover and cook for 20 minutes and then brush them with the juices, again.
While the apples are baking, prepare the streusel topping. Cut the rest of the butter into cubes and add the remaining brown sugar, cinnamon, gluten free flour and gluten free oats and some sea salt.
Raise the oven temperature to 425 º F. Top the apples with this mixture and bake uncovered for another 8-10 minutes . Don’t cook the apples too long. You want them to keep the hasselback shape.
Time to taste this Tasty Gluten Free Sliced Apples Recipe
I like to add a small scoop of ice cream over the top of the apples and then drizzle with some prepared caramel sauce that has been warmed and placed in a zip lock baggie and drizzled over the top of the apple.
The flavor of this gluten free sliced apples recipe is amazing. Each slice has a buttery sugar taste and the tartness of the Granny Smith apples compliment it beautifully. Scooping up a bite of the apples with the ice cream and caramel drizzle is pure heaven! Be sure to spoon on some of the crunchy bits from the baking pan. They add a nice texture to the bite!
This recipe makes four servings at 177 calories each (apple calories – toppings are extra. It works out to about 250 calories with a small scoop of ice cream and the caramel.) Not too bad for something that tastes as rich and decadent as these do!
For another delicious recipe, try my Cinnamon baked apple slices. They make another slimming dessert idea that is easy to make and tastes amazing.
- 2 Large Firm Apples (I used Granny Smith but Cortland, Pink Lady, Honeycrisp and other firm apples work too.)
- 2½ tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 3 tbsp of brown sugar
- ¾ tsp of ground cinnamon, divided
- 2 tsp gluten free flour
- 2½ tbsp gluten free rolled oats
- pinch of sea salt
- Cooking spray
- ice cream for serving Optional
- Preheat the oven to 400 º F.
- Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and allow it to cool. Add 1 tablespoon of the brown sugar and ½ teaspoon of the ground cinnamon. Stir to mix well and set this mixture aside.
- To prepare the apples, peel them and then cut them in half. Remove the core with a small melon baller.
- Place the apples cut side down on a cutting board. Cut slices in the apples, being sure to leave the bottom of the apple in one piece. Cut parallel slices about ¼" apart, stopping before you get to the bottom of the apple.
- Brush the apples with the butter and sugar mixture. Be sure to get some of the mixture in between the slices.
- Place the apples, flat side down, in an oven proof dish that has been sprayed with some cooking spray. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- While the apples are baking, prepare the streusel topping.
- Cut the rest of the butter into cubes. Place in a small bowl and add the rest of the brown sugar and cinnamon, the gluten free flour and oats and a pinch of salt. Use a fork to cut the butter through out the ingredients.
- When the apples have finished baking, remove the pan and increase the oven temp to 425 º F. Spinkle the streusel over the top of the apples, getting it down between the slices if you can.
- Place the dish in the oven, uncovered, and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes. (don't cook too long or the apples will start to fall apart at the sliced areas.)
- Allow the apples to cool for 5 minutes and then top with ice cream if desired.
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