Baked Cinnamon Apples with Mushroom Honey Drizzle

Baked apples have long been a cozy American autumn tradition, especially for weekend gatherings. This version fills crisp fruit with cinnamon warmth and finishes with an unexpected mushroom-honey drizzle that turns earthy and sweet.

Serves 4 · 15 min prep · 35 min cook

Estimate for one serving

• 248 cal
• 3g protein
• 48g carbs
• 8g fat
• 3g fiber

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Ingredients

• 4 large crisp baking apples
• 4 oz fresh shiitake or cremini mushrooms
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp fresh lemon zest
• 2 tbsp fresh mint leaves
• 1 tsp fresh thyme
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts
• 1/8 tsp pinch of sea salt
• 1/3 cup apple cider

Instructions

1. 1Preheat the oven to 375°F and lightly butter a small baking dish that holds the apples snugly.
2. 2Core the apples carefully from the top, leaving the bottoms intact to form natural cups, then score the skin lightly the equator so they do not burst.
3. 3Finely chop the mushrooms and place them in a small saucepan with the honey, sea salt, and thyme; warm over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes until the mushrooms soften and the honey turns fragrant and slightly syrupy.
4. 4Stir the cinnamon and lemon zest into the warm mushroom honey, then remove from heat and let the mixture steep while you prep the apples.
5. 5Set the cored apples upright in the baking dish and spoon a little of the mushroom honey mixture into each cavity.
6. 6Dot the tops with small bits of butter and pour the apple cider into the bottom of the dish to keep everything moist.
7. 7Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, basting once halfway through with the pan juices, until the apples are fork-tender and lightly caramelized on top.
8. 8While the apples bake, roughly chop the mint and toast the walnuts in a dry pan until fragrant if not already toasted.
9. 9Transfer each baked apple to a shallow bowl or plate, spooning extra pan juices over them.
10. 10Drizzle the remaining warm mushroom honey generously over and each apple so it pools slightly.
11. 11Scatter the toasted walnuts and fresh mint leaves on top for crunch and bright herbal contrast.
12. 12Serve immediately while warm so the honey drizzle stays glossy and shareable for the table.