Quick and EASY Maple Cinnamon Sautéed Apples make the perfect dessert topped with ice cream, a delicious snack all on its own, or served with oatmeal, waffles, and pancakes!
These easy Maple Cinnamon Sautéed Apples are warm, tender and coated in the most delicious cinnamon maple sauce! Made right on the stovetop in under 10 minutes, this simple sautéed apples recipe is naturally sweetened with pure maple syrup and packed with cozy fall flavor.
Serve these cinnamon sautéed apples over oatmeal, pancakes or waffles for breakfast, enjoy them on their own as a healthy snack, or spoon them warm over vanilla ice cream for an easy dessert. They taste just like apple pie filling without the crust and make your whole kitchen smell amazing!
Why You’ll Love This
- Quick and easy – these sautéed apples cook right on the stovetop in less than 10 minutes.
- Naturally sweetened – pure maple syrup adds just the right amount of sweetness with no refined sugar.
- Warm and cozy – cinnamon, apple pie spice and vanilla give these apples all those classic fall flavors.
- So versatile – serve them for breakfast, as a snack, easy dessert or even as a sweet side dish.
- Perfect for fall – this is such an easy way to use fresh apples during apple-picking season.
Ingredients for Sautéed Apples
- apples – I used honey crisp apples because of their delicious combination of sweet and tart, but any type of apples will work for this. I like to peel the apples because my toddler loves these, but you could leave the skins on as well (which saves time too!)
- butter (or coconut oil) – I’ve been making these apples for years and both butter and coconut oil work great! Coconut oil has more nutritional value and is a great option if you’re vegan or dairy-free, but in my opinion butter always tastes better 😉 Feel free to choose whatever works best for you!
- maple syrup – maple syrup naturally sweetens these apples and tastes incredible with all the warm spices! You could also use honey, coconut sugar, brown sugar or other sweetener of choice.
- vanilla extract – gives these apples a boost of flavor!
- apple cider – make sure to use apple cider, NOT apple cider vinegar! This is what the apples simmer in and the cider really enhances that delicious apple flavor, you could also use water in place of apple cider.
- cornstarch – this will thicken the sauce and make it nice and gooey! You could also use arrowroot powder in place of the cornstarch.
- spices – delicious combination of cinnamon and apple pie spice with a pinch of salt (a pinch of nutmeg tastes great too!)
How to Make Maple Cinnamon Sautéed Apples
- Prep the apples. Peel the apples, if desired, then slice them into even-sized pieces so they cook at the same rate.
- Sauté the apples. Melt the butter (or coconut oil) in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced apples, cinnamon, apple pie spice and salt. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples begin to soften.
- Make the maple cinnamon sauce. Whisk together the apple cider and cornstarch until smooth. Pour the mixture into the skillet along with the maple syrup and vanilla.
- Simmer until tender. Continue cooking for another 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the apples are tender and the sauce has thickened and coats the apples.
- Serve warm. Enjoy immediately on their own or spooned over oatmeal, pancakes, waffles, yogurt or vanilla ice cream.
How to Serve Sautéed Apples
These warm cinnamon sautéed apples are incredibly versatile and can be enjoyed for breakfast, dessert or even as a simple snack. Here are a few of my favorite ways to serve them:
- Spoon over warm oatmeal or overnight oats.
- Serve on top of pancakes, waffles or French toast.
- Add to Greek yogurt with chopped pecans or walnuts.
- Spoon warm apples over vanilla ice cream for an easy fall dessert.
- Top with whipped cream or a drizzle of nut butter.
- Enjoy them straight from the skillet all on their own!
Best Apples for Sautéing
The best apples for sautéing are firm varieties that become tender when cooked but still hold their shape. I love using Honeycrisp because they’re naturally sweet, crisp and pair perfectly with the maple and cinnamon flavors in this recipe.
Pink Lady, Braeburn, Cortland and Golden Delicious are also great choices because they soften nicely without becoming mushy. If you prefer a more tart flavor, Granny Smith apples work really well and balance out the sweetness of the maple syrup.
You can also use a combination of sweet and tart apples for even more flavor. Just be sure to slice your apples evenly so they cook at the same rate.
Frequently Asked Questions
No! Peeling the apples is completely optional. I personally prefer the softer texture of peeled apples, but leaving the skin on saves time and adds a little extra fiber. Either way works well for this recipe.
Sliced apples generally take about 8 to 10 minutes to sauté over medium heat. You want them tender enough to easily pierce with a fork while still holding their shape.
Firm apples such as Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Braeburn, Cortland and Golden Delicious are great for sautéing because they soften nicely without becoming mushy. Granny Smith apples work well too if you prefer a more tart flavor.
Yes. You can easily swap the butter for coconut oil to make these sautéed apples dairy-free and vegan. Both work well, although butter gives the apples a richer flavor.
Absolutely! These apples are great for meal prep because they reheat really well. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and reheat them in a skillet or microwave before serving.
More Apple Recipes You’ll Love
- Apple Pie Overnight Oats
- Apple Cinnamon Thumbprint Cookies
- Harvest Apple Cider Punch
- Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal
Hope you all enjoy these Maple Cinnamon Sautéed Apples and if you love this as much as we do, please leave me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using the hashtag #eatyourselfskinny! I love seeing all your delicious recreations!
Maple Cinnamon Sautéed Apples
Ingredients
- 3-4 apples, peeled and sliced
- 1 Tbsp butter, or coconut oil
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp apple pie spice
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1/4 cup apple cider, not apple cider vinegar(you could also use water)
- 2 tsp cornstarch
Instructions
- Peel and slice the apples, making sure they're all about the same size thickness.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt better (or coconut oil), add apples and spices, mixing them well. Sauté apples for about 4 to 5 minutes until they are tender.
- In a small bowl, whisk together apple cider (or water) and cornstarch to make a slurry. Add the slurry, vanilla and maple syrup to the apples and continue sautéing for about 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce has thickened and apples are soft, continually mixing so that the apples are completely coated in the sauce.
- Serve the apples warm over top of waffles, pancakes or top with some ice cream! Enjoy!
Notes
- To Prep: You can slice the apples ahead of time and toss them with a little lemon juice to prevent browning. Store covered in the refrigerator until ready to cook.
- To Store: Store leftover sautéed apples in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To Reheat: Warm the apples in a skillet over medium-low heat or microwave in 30-second intervals until heated through.
- To Freeze: You can freeze sautéed apples in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I cook my apples a bit longer so that they soften up a bit more, and I did not add the cider and cornstarch to make a sauce. Just the liquid release by the apples and the corn syrup made them juicy enough for me. I agree that these would be good served over ice cream or cereal. I use them as a side dish with a roast beef and baked potato dinner. I like having a touch of sweet on the side to create a good mix of flavors. Thank you!
This is a great article. We all know the nutrition value that Apples have. However, it sometimes becomes quite difficult to get kids to consume Apples in raw form. This recipe is an excellent way to entire them into having apples presented in a delicious and aesthetically pleasing way. Thanks Kelly for sharing this.
You seriously have the best recipes! This is where I always come for all the healthy recipes…and it’s a bonus if they’re this easy!!
This recipe was amazing and so good over vanilla ice cream, I can’t wait to try it over pancakes or waffles!
My boyfriend loves every recipe I’ve made from here so far, which is a plus since he used to eat tuna or chicken for dinner everyday. The variety in recipes is always a winner, there’s something on here for everyone!
Thank you so much Kari! 🙂