How to Make Crock Pot Baked Apples

Try these delicious baked apples that my Grandma Lucy used to make and you sure will be glad you did! 

Grandma Lucy’s Love of Baked Apples.

My Grandma Lucy just loves baked apples. They were always such a treat for her. Growing up, it was a rare occasion to get them and she often told us this story.

They were sharecropping in a field at a nearby farm and Grandmama and her family had walked over there in the morning to work. It was customary that when you worked the field for a family, they provided a mid day meal for you. It got to be lunchtime and they were cold and tired as they headed up to the main house.

As they walked in the door, the smell of baked apples filled the air. “Those apples smelled so good. I’ll never forget that, never.” She would always say.

They all sat down to eat their meal but Grandmama said all she could think about was those apples and she sat there trying to eat and hoping so bad the lady had made some for them. When they finished eating the lady who owned the house came to the table with two big old pans of baked apples, one for everyone.

Grandmama was as happy as a dog wagging two tails. 🙂

I remember asking her, “Grandmama, why didn’t y’all ever get baked apples?” and her answer was so obvious that you and I would likely never think of it, but it made perfect sense when she replied “Because we didn’t have no apple tree!” 

Crock Pot Baked Apples Recipe

Here’s how to make baked apples in a slow cooker or crock pot, and how to do it in your  crock pot or slow cooker. This is a simple recipe, prepared like they did it in the old days where you just core your apple, stuff it with some good stuff, and bake away! But now the bonus is that you can do it in the morning and come home to that same smell my Grandmama walked into all those years ago.

Now, I doubt I’ve ever made these the same way twice.

Today, I’m keeping it simple but I’m going to give you lots ideas to personalize it and make it your own and I want to hear your ideas in the comments on this post, too!

For Crock Pot Baked Apples you’ll need: 

• Apples (about five fit into my slow cooker)
• Dried Cranberries (or raisins, or leave these out entirely)
• Brown sugar (I’m using dark but light is fine. You can also use white sugar if that’s what you have)
• Butter (or margarine)
• Cinnamon & Allspice (you can leave the allspice out if you like but I love how it enhances the cinnamon. Also, if you are a nutmeg lover you can add that as well. I’ve never been a nutmeg fan so I avoid it)

You can also add: Pecans, walnuts, oats, or anything else you come up with! 

• Place your brown sugar, cinnamon, and allspice (or whatever spices you are using) in a small bowl and stir them up really well.

• Add in your dried cranberries or raisins and stir those up as well.

Usually when I cook with raisins or dried cranberries I like to soak them in really hot water for a few minutes to plump them up a bit before adding them to the recipe but these will be slow cooking with plenty of steam in there so there isn’t any need to do that here.

• Core your apples. I bought one of those apple corer thingiemabobbers. It is about the size of a vegetable peeler and it sure is neat! 

• After you core your apples peel off just a little strip around the top.

This is supposed to keep the apples from splitting as they cook but I mostly just do it because Mama told me to….

• Now place them in the bottom of your slow cooker and use a spoon to fill each apple with your sugar mixture.
• Push the filling down in there and fill it up some more!

• Top each one with a pat of butter. You can also cut the butter into your sugar mixture but this works just as well and is less work.

• Cover with lid and cook on low 6-8 hours or on high 3-4, or until tender.
• (Optional) Add ice cream if you like because you know what? Everything is better with a little ice cream!
• Remember to add nuts, oats, spices you like, and anything else to really make this recipe your own!

Old Fashioned Slow Cooker Baked Apples

 

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Ingredients

• 4-5 Apples (whatever will fit in your slow cooker)
• ½ Cup water

For Each Apple you'll need:

• 2 Tablespoons Dark Brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon dried cranberries or raisins
• ½ teaspoon Cinnamon and ⅛ teaspoon allspice (just a smudge of allspice)
• 1 Tablespoon (or pat) of butter

Instructions

1. Core each apple and peel a small strip from around the top of each one (about 1 inch). Place in bottom of slow cooker.
2. Combine brown sugar, spices, and dried cranberries in a small bowl and stir until well combined.
3. Stuff each apple with filling, all the way to the top, pressing down with your finger to make room for more filling. Top each one with a pat of butter.
4. Pour water into bottom of slow cooker.
5. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours, or until tender. Serve on their own or with ice cream. Also great over oatmeal.

To bake in the oven : Follow the same recipe, but place in baking dish (8x8 or 9x13) and pour water in just as before. Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes, or until tender.

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“When bobbing for apples, an idealist endlessly reaches for the best apple, a pessimist settles for the first one within reach, while an optimist drains the barrel, fishes out all the apples and makes pie.”

~Vera Nazarian

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