With a super simple cooking method and the ability to store in the fridge or freezer, these Stewed Apples are a delicious snack for the entire family—babies and toddlers on up. They’re flavorful and a quick way to make fresh apples even yummier.
We eat a lot of fresh apples in our house, but sometimes, we just want something a little extra. These Stewed Apples are super flavorful and so incredibly easy and fast to make.
I love doing this with apple cider for extra flavor, especially during the fall, but there are a few options for the liquid.
These soft apples are a great baby snack, an easy side to offer with a toddler breakfast or toddler dinner.
They are also wonderful on top of oatmeal, yogurt, cottage cheese, pancakes…and really anything else you decide sounds good to you!
Why This Recipe Works
With a simple technique that simply involves simmering apples in liquid, these stewed apples are a great way to serve apples to kids—or use up lingering ones. Plus, you can add spices such as cinnamon or ground ginger, as well as raisins for more flavor.
(You may also like my Stewed Peaches, Cinnamon Pears, Cinnamon Apples, and DIY Fruit Cups.
Table of Contents
Ingredients You Need
To make this Stewed Apple recipe you’ll need to have the following ingredients on hand and ready to go.
- Fresh apples: I like to use Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, or Jonathan, but the recipe is flexible. Use an apple that you like the flavor of when eaten fresh, though! (You can also make this recipe with frozen apples.)
- Apple cider, apple juice, or water: Any of these liquids work, so go with the one that you prefer. The apples will have more flavor if you use cider or juice.
- Cinnamon, optional for more flavor.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a look at the basics involved in this Stewed Apples recipe so you know what to expect. Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full info, including the amounts and timing.
Step 1. Peel the apples if desired. You can leave the skin on if you prefer—my family prefers them with the skin off. The skin is safe for babies and toddlers to eat.
Step 2. Dice the apple into fairly uniform pieces to ensure they cook at the same rate.
Step 3. Place into a pot with the liquid of choice and bring to a simmer to slowly cook the apples.
Step 4. Simmer until soft. Stir in any optional spices. Let cool at least slightly and serve warm or store for later.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes you can freeze stewed apples by letting them cool fully, then placing into freezer-safe storage containers. Freeze for up to 6 months.
Yes, it’s really personal preference as to whether or not to peel the apples.
Yes, to make them without the natural sugars in apple cider or apple juice, use water as your cooking liquid. They will still taste delicious.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve these Stewed Apples as a simple snack on their own or over yogurt, cottage cheese, Apple Pancakes, or as a side dish for roasted meats. You could also stir them into oatmeal or use them in Apple Yogurt or Fruit-on-the-Bottom Yogurt.
How to Store
Store Stewed Apples in storage containers in the fridge for up to 5 days. Serve chilled or slightly warmed.
Or, you can freeze Stewed Apples by letting them cool fully, then placing into freezer-safe storage containers. Freeze for up to 6 months.
Best Tips for Success
- Peel the fruit if you prefer a smoother final texture. You can totally leave the peel on; it’s safe for kids to eat.
- Simmer just until soft when poked with a fork—you don’t want to overcook the apples and end up with applesauce.
- Add an optional ingredients (cinnamon, ginger, or raisins) if desired for more flavor.
- Use water as the liquid to make these without the natural sugars in the apple cider or juice.
Related Recipes
I’d love to hear your feedback if you try this recipe, so please comment below to share!
Easy Stewed Apples
Ingredients
- 4-6 medium apples (about 6 cups diced)
- 1 cup apple cider (or apple juice or water)
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
- 1/4 cup raisins (optional)
Instructions
- Peel the apples if desired. (We prefer to peel them for this recipe, but it's also fine to leave the skin on.)
- Dice the apples into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Discard the cores.
- Place apples into a pot set over high heat. Add the cider, juice, or water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium so the liquid is just at a simmer. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until the apples are just soft when poked with a fork.
- Remove from heat, stir in any optional ingredients, and let cool at least slightly. Serve warm or store for future use.
Notes
- Apple Cinnamon: Use apple juice and add ½ teaspoon cinnamon.
- Apple Ginger: Use apple cider and add ¼ teaspoon ground ginger.
- Pure Apple: Use water as the liquid and keep things simple.
- Peel the fruit if you prefer a smoother final texture. You can totally leave the peel on; it’s safe for kids to eat.
- Use an apple variety like Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, or Jonathan. Choose one that you like the flavor of when eating it fresh.
- Simmer just until soft when poked with a fork—you don’t want to overcook the apples and end up with applesauce.
- Add an optional ingredient (cinnamon, ginger, or raisins) if desired for more flavor.
- Use water as the liquid to make these without the natural sugars in the apple cider or juice.
Nutrition
This post was first published December 2021.
Do we strain the apples before adding the spices, or after?
I’d add the spices and then you can decide how much liquid you want.