These soft-baked, sweet and sour Hasselback Apples with Crumble will become your new fall-time favorite! They are quick and easy to make and burst with cozy flavors.
This dessert is the perfect treat during fall and winter! Top the warm apples with your favorite ice cream and Katjes sour gummies for a colorful and fun twist. Some ice cream fitting flavors include vanilla, butter pecan, caramel, almond, and many more!
To round this dessert up with a sour and sweet flavor we like to add Katjes plant-based Sour Gummy Candy on top! We prefer their gummies because they are entirely vegan (no animal gelatin), they are palm oil free, and they don't use high fructose corn syrup. Plus, they have a fun selection of flavors and forms.
They make a fun decoration for baked goods and sweets. Check out our other recipes using Katjes, such as this vegan Piñata cake, these thumbprint cookies, and this easy sheet cake.
Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
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This post is sponsored by Katjes USA. A big thanks to the supporting brands that make The Simple Sprinkle possible.
💡 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It is Vegan! It is cruelty-free so you will not find eggs or dairy in this one.
- Easy to make
- Uses simple ingredients
- Cozy fall-themed recipe that is super comforting!
📋 Ingredients
To make vegan Hasselback apples with crumble at home you need the following ingredients:
- Apples - The best apples to use for Hasselback apples are firm varieties like Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, Granny Smith, and Pink Lady, which hold their shape well during baking and offer a range of sweet and tart flavor profiles.
- Muesli of choice
- Brown sugar
- Chopped walnuts
- Spices (such as cinnamon and nutmeg)
- Flax meal
- Salt
- Maple syrup
- Neutral oil (such as vegetable or coconut oil)
- Your favorite (vegan) ice cream to garnish
- Katjes Sour Gummies to garnish
- Vegan caramel to garnish
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
🍴 Substitutions
Are you looking for substitutions or quicker alternatives? We got you!
- Apples - You can use other fruits such as pears or peaches as a substitute for apples.
- Muesli - If you don't have muesli, you can use old-fashioned oats, granola or crushed cereal as an alternative.
- Brown Sugar - You can replace brown sugar with coconut sugar, or maple sugar.
- Chopped Walnuts - Substitute chopped walnuts with pecans, almonds, hazelnuts, or other nuts of your choice.
- Spices - The spices can be adjusted to your taste preferences. Some fabulous alternatives include ground ginger, allspice, or pumpkin spice mix.
- Maple Syrup - Agave syrup can be used instead of maple syrup.
- Oil - Melted vegan butter or coconut oil can be used in place of oil.
Remember, substitutions will bring their own unique flavors and textures to this Hasselback apple recipe! Enjoy exploring different variations and discovering your favorite twist on our samosa recipe.
🥄 Variations
There are many delicious flavor variations to explore with this recipe! Here are a few ideas to play around with to zing up the flavor:
- Cranberry: Mix in some dried cranberries to the filling for a sweet-tart contrast.
- Coconut: Add shredded coconut for a tropical touch.
- Chocolate: Sprinkle some vegan chocolate chips or cocoa nibs over the filling for a sweet and decadent surprise.
- Rum-Raisin: Soak raisins in rum and mix them into the filling for an indulgent and festive twist.
- Maple-Pecan: Use maple syrup in the filling and top the apples with chopped pecans for a rich and nutty flavor.
Feel free to mix and match these flavor variations and play with the recipe. Experimenting with different ingredients and flavors is part of the fun! If you end up whipping up a fantastic variation, don't forget to drop a comment at the bottom of the blog post! I'm all ears and absolutely thrilled to hear about your culinary adventures.
🍽 Equipment
Time to get your fabulous knife, cutting board, and spoon or apple corer out (by the way, a cookie scoop makes a great apple corer)!
You also need a microwave-safe plate and microwave, a small mixing bowl, a casserole dish or baking pan (such as a pie pan), wooden spits, skewers, or a Hasselback cutter! Enjoy the applause and deliciousness! You've got this!
👩🏽🍳 How To Make
Let's chat about how to make the best Hasselback Apples from scratch! Follow our step-by-step guide:
Cut a washed apple in half lengthwise.
Core it with a spoon or apple corer (a small cookie scoop does a great job too).
To help prevent cutting entirely through the apple lay either a (wooden or metal) spit, or skewer on each side. For more security tape it to the work surface to prevent wiggling around. Alternatively, you could use a Hasselback cutter.
Starting at the outermost edge, cut with a sharp knife almost, but not all the way, through each apple half. Since the apple is cored, make your cuts shorter coming towards the middle. Leave around 3 to 4 mm (⅛ - inch) of space in between the cuts.
Assembly and Baking
Zap those cuties in the microwave for a quick run. While they're getting all warm and softened, whip up the crumble: muesli, brown sugar, walnuts, spices, flax meal, salt, and maple syrup. Stir it up like a pro!
Now, get those apples in a casserole or pie dish - they're ready to be pampered! Use a spoon to stuff in between the layers with crumble. Keep going until every cut is bursting with flavor. Add the crumble on top and around the sides for that extra pizzazz!
Pop 'em in the oven for 15-20 minutes, and voilà, you've got apple enchantment! Want them softer? No worries! Cover them up with a lid or foil and let them bake for another 45 minutes to an hour.
Now comes the fun part - the grand garnish! A scoop of ice cream? Heck yes! Top it with Katjes Sour Gummies for some sour flavor and pops of color. And oh, let's indulge a bit more with that drizzle of vegan caramel. Go big or go home, am I right?
Serve these baked beauties on a plate and watch your guests (or yourself) swoon. You're a Hasselback hero, and these apples are your delicious triumph. So, dig in and savor the sweet victory!
💭 Recipe FAQ
Hasselback is a cutting and cooking method in which typically potatoes are sliced through (but not all the way) in thin, even layers, which can be stuffed or topped with additional flavorings. Other items such as apples, pear, squash, zucchini, or sweet potato are suitable for the Hasselback technique as well. Hasselbacking is a way of creating more surface area on the food item for added flavors and creating additional texture.
Absolutely! While Hasselback apples are classic and wonderful, you can experiment with other fruits like pears or peaches for a delightful twist.
Just make sure the fruit you choose is firm enough to hold its shape during the slicing and baking process. The Hasselback style works wonders with various fruits, giving you endless possibilities to create your own fruity masterpieces.
🥣 Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat for a few minutes in a preheated oven at around 350°F (or in the microwave) to serve warm.
Freezing: Wrap each apple individually in plastic wrap and pop them into a freezer-safe container. Freeze the filling separately as best as possible. They will be good for up to 3 months!
When you're craving some, simply thaw them in the fridge overnight, then reheat them in the oven to bring back that heavenly warmth and flavor.
More Vegan Fall Recipes
📖 Recipe
Hasselback Apples with Crumble
Equipment
- casserole or
- pie pan
- kitchen knife
- scale or
Ingredients
- 3 apples
- ½ cup muesli
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons walnuts chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon you can add more to taste
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin spice
- 3 tablespoons flax seed meal
- Pinch of salt
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil
to serve
- 6 scoops of vegan ice cream (eg vanilla or butter pecan)
- 1 package Katjes Sour Gummies
- drizzles of vegan caramel sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C). Cut the apples into halves and core the middle part with seeds using a spoon.
- Starting at the outermost edges, make cuts almost all the way through each apple half, leaving around ⅛-inch (3 to 4mm) of space in between the cuts. To prevent cutting entirely through the apple, you can either lay a wooden spit or skewer on each side and tape it to the work surface or use a Hasselback cutter. You can refer to the how-to images in the blog post above.
- Microwave the apple halves on a microwave-safe plate for around 2 minutes at 500W.
- While the apples are microwaving, mix the following ingredients in a small bowl to prepare the filling: muesli, brown sugar, chopped walnuts, spices, flax meal, salt, maple syrup, and oil. Stir together until well combined.
- Place the apples in a casserole dish. Spoon some of the filling onto a spoon and use the spoon or a brush to spread the filling into the apple fissures, stuffing them evenly. Continue until all cuts are filled. Sprinkle the remaining filling on top and around the sides of the apples!
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. If you prefer softer apples, cover the casserole with a lid or foil and bake for an additional 45 minutes to 1 hour at 300°F (150°C).
- Remove the apples from the oven and garnish them. Serve on a plate with a scoop of ice cream and top with Katjes Sour Gummies. For an extra indulgence, drizzle with vegan caramel. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
The provided nutritional information is an estimate. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
For food safety see guidelines at USDA.gov.
wow - so much flavor with these tasty apples! it was a crowd pleaser this weekend for our fall get-together with family!
Love these apples, and the candy on top is perfect!
So tasty, and easy to make too. A great idea!
The apples were sweet and the candies were sour- great combination.