This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Warm, tender baked apples and a sweet crispy topping pair together for a beautiful, easy dessert. Make for the holidays, during the fall, or any time you want a comforting apple dessert! Paleo, AIP, and naturally gluten-free (which is great if you're serving it to company!)

This post has been updated in October 2021.

Perhaps you'll have company in town over the holidays?

You'll probably go out to eat a few times, but most likely will eat at home a few times as well. Due to tradition, you probably have the recipes for the big days, like Thanksgiving and Christmas, covered, but what about the other nights? You want to impress those in-laws with your mad cooking skills and delicious creations, right?

However, you don't want them to get automatically turned off because you are serving them something that is “Paleo”, “AIP”, “gluten-free” or GASP – “healthy”.

Naturally gluten-free, Paleo, and AIP

One surefire way to impress is to end a dinner with a tantalizing dessert that is NATURALLY gluten-free, Paleo, and AIP. No need to disclose that these are compliant with some diet that your guests might incorrectly judge is tasteless and full of cardboard-like meals.

These baked apples are one such dessert. The crispy cinnamony tigernut and raisin topping fills your house with the most delightful, warming scent. Plus on the scale of difficulty, these are pretty much one of the easiest things you can make.

Easy to make ahead!

You can even prepare these a day or two ahead of time, store in the fridge, and then just bake while you are eating dinner. And your guests won't even know that they are Paleo and AIP!

Imagine just sitting down to serve dinner and as you are wrapping up, the amazing smell of cinnamon wafting from your kitchen.

Who is the hero now?

Seriously though, these are a wonderful, simple dessert and even if you just have them in the middle of July for a normal dessert with just your dog they'd be great.

Oh, and use red apples with this. The granny smith apples (green apples) are a bit sour to use. Go with sweet and your tastebuds (and mother-in-law) will thank you.

Easy to customize for allergies or other diets

The recipe below gives some options for making this with either walnuts or tigernuts. You'll want to use tigernuts if you're doing AIP since nuts are out on the elimination portion of the AIP diet, and you can use either if you're not on AIP.

If you need to make it nut-free, tigernuts work (they're small tubers, not nuts!), sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds could all work.

If you want to make it Vegan, just change out the honey with some maple syrup instead.

Other Paleo and AIP dessert recipes

Also make sure to check out these other simple yet delicious Paleo and AIP dessert:

Ginger Baked Pears (Paleo, AIP)

Pumpkin Pudding Parfaits (Paleo, AIP)

Chocolate Raspberry Pudding Parfaits (Paleo, AIP)

Graham Crackers (Paleo, AIP)

More helpful AIP & Paleo resources in the freebie library

If you find this recipe helpful, you may really enjoy the resources in my Paleo & AIP Freebie Library! There's a “dump” freezer meal plan, a list of AIP-compliant breakfast toppings, and so much more. Plus, you'll get even more ideas sent to your inbox! Get the password here.

Baked Apple Dessert Recipe

If you make this dessert, I'd love to hear how it turned out! Either comment below or share a pic on Instagram and tag me @thrivingonpaleo!

Baked Apple Dessert (Paleo, AIP)

Author: Michele

Servings: 4 servings

Warm, tender baked apples and a sweet crispy topping pair together for a beautiful, easy dessert. Make for the holidays, during the fall, or any time you want a comforting apple dessert! Paleo, AIP, and naturally gluten-free (which is great if you're serving it to company!)

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 40 mins

Total Time 55 mins

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 4 Apples
• 3 tbs Raisins
• 1 cup sliced Tigernuts for AIP and nut-free or chopped Walnuts for Paleo
• 2 tbs Coconut Oil or Avocado Oil (you can also use butter if not on AIP)
• 1/4 cup Honey or Maple Syrup
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 2 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp Nutmeg (or Mace for AIP)

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350 F.
• Cut the apples into 3 pieces – one on each side of the core. Alternatively, you can cut the apple into 2 and just use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Place skin side down in a baking dish.
  
• Mix the melted coconut oil (or avocado oil), honey/maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg/mace, and vanilla extract together in a small bowl.
• Add in the sliced tigernuts/walnuts and raisins and mix.
• Sprinkle the filling evenly over the apples.
  
• Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake until the apples are soft, approximately 40 minutes. Serve with your favorite dairy-free ice cream or coconut whipped cream! (I like this vanilla ice cream recipe)

Notes

• For an additional nut-free option (but not AIP), you can use sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.
• For an additional nut option (also not AIP) you could use chopped pecans instead
• This dish originally had you using an apple corer to remove the core of the apple and then standing the apples upright in the baking dish, then stuffing the filling down in the hole. This is still a great option, but many people don't have the apple corer so this is easier! 

Course: Dessert

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword: AIP, Autoimmune Paleo, autoimmune protocol, gluten free, holidays, Paleo

Did you make this recipe?Leave a comment below or share a photo on Instagram and tag me @thrivingonpaleo !

This recipe used to look like this below. You can still do this if you'd rather – just use an apple corer to remove the core of the apple and then stuff the filling down into the apple instead. Bake for 40 minutes at 350 F

You may also like:

Ginger Baked Pears (Paleo, AIP)

Chocolate Pudding Parfaits (Paleo, AIP)

Graham Crackers (Paleo, AIP)