These sautéed cinnamon apples are a delicious snack or healthy dessert for the whole family to enjoy. They are a great finger food for babies, taste delicious served with ice cream/yogurt and also make a great topping for oatmeal, pancakes or waffles.
What’s to Love About Cinnamon Apples…
- TASTY – Sweet and cinnamony without the need for added sugar. (Pan-frying brings out the natural sweetness of the apple)
- EXPOSURE – Allows young children to see different ways apples can be prepared and served.
- NUTRITION – Serve these sauteed apples with some greek yogurt or peanut butter dip for a well-balanced snack.
- VERSATILE – They’re great on their own but also served with a range of foods. (serving suggestions below)
- FAMILY FRIENDLY – Not just for kids, the whole family won’t be able to resist these. Cook the apples until they are really soft so that toddlers and babies can enjoy them, without the same risk of choking that comes with raw apples.
Ingredient Information
- APPLES – In this recipe, the variety of apples used is down to personal choice. You are not cooking the apples for a long time and you don’t need them to break down to perform in a certain way. Use your favourite variety, or one with plenty flavour. Different varieties will have different cooking times, just keep an eye on them as they cook.
- COCONUT OIL – Butter also works great, the choice is yours!
- CINNAMON – Because some food combinations are meant to go together.
Process Shots and Cooking Tips
These cinnamon apples literally take minutes to make. We all know, as parents, that life is busy and we want easy, simple snacks to serve. This certainly fits the bill and within 10 minutes you can have a healthy and delicious snack or dessert.
- Prepare Apples: Core and chop each apple into sixteen wedges. The easiest way to do this is to half the apple and then half each half three more times. (see above photo). You can, of course, chop them any way you wish. Small chunks/cubes work really well. The wedges do make it easier for babies/toddlers to handle. Peeling is optional.
- Pan Fry: Heat the coconut oil until melted, add the apple slices and cinnamon and pan-fry, over low heat, until you achieve your desired softness. Add tbsps of water if and as needed. A nonstick skillet works best, you can use a cast-iron skillet but you may find that you need a little more oil and/or water.
Serving Suggestions
Cinnamon apples are a delicious dessert (served with ice cream) or snack served with yogurt. However, they can be used in a number of ways, why not try topping/ serving with…
- oatmeal
- peanut butter yogurt dip
- crepes or pancakes
- waffles
- custard
- mashed onto toast
Serve warm or cold, depending on your preference.
Storage Instructions
Leftovers can be refrigerated, in an airtight container, for up to two days. Toss in some lime or lemon juice to prevent excess browning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, from 6 months + . Make sure that they are cooked until very soft as hard apple can be a choking hazard if bits break off. As with all foods, close observation is important when feeding a baby.
No, you can peel the apples if preferred. The peel contains a lot of fibre and leaving the skin on makes it easier for little ones to grip.
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Have you tried this recipe? I’d love to know your thoughts and see your pictures. Please leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram
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Cinnamon Apples
Ingredients
- 2 Apples *SEE NOTE 1
- 2 tsp Coconut Oil *SEE NOTE 2
- 1 tsp Cinnamon *SEE NOTE 3
Instructions
- Core and cut apple into wedges. I cut them into 16ths (half apple then half again 3 more times)
- Heat coconut oil in frying pan over a medium / low heat. Add the apple wedges and sprinkle with cinnamon
- Lightly fry for 10-15 mins (depending on the firmness of the initial apple), stirring as necessary, until desired softness is achieved. Add tbsps of water as needed.
Video
Recipe Notes
- Use any apples you wish. As there is no added sweetener I find using a sweet apple works best. Pictured are Pink Lady apples.
- Coconut oil can be substituted with butter if preferred.
- Adjust the amount of cinnamon you use to suit your taste. You can also omit it if you prefer.
- If making for a baby you will want to cook the apples until they are really soft. Hard apple can be a choking hazard if bits break off.
Erika says
Really appreciate your work in sharing healthy recipes so thanks for that.
One concern has come up though with the pretty high coumarin content of the general cinnamon which is toxic to the liver. I presume we should always highlight using Ceylon type which contains much less of this compound.
Amy says
Thanks for this Erika, if using cinnamon a lot then it is definitely best to use Ceylon.
Pia Sarris says
Fab ideas for healthy grandchildren the ones I made where agreat hit
Amy says
Hi Pia, thanks for taking the time to let me know. So glad they were a hit 🙂
Taylor says
Sorry if this was asked but I couldn’t really tell in the pictures.. did you leave the skin on? Really wanting to make these for my 6 month old
Amy says
Hi Taylor, Yes I left the skin on but you can peel if you prefer 🙂
Sharon says
Hi Amy, I really like this recipe, may i ask how long can keep this apple cinnamon? 1-2days?
Amy says
Hi Sharon, sorry for the delay in getting back to you. TBH I am not sure how long they can keep. I would presume they would turn brown but a touch of lemon juice could help with this. 🙂