Easy Honey Roasted Apples are tender, sweet, and buttery. Perfect as a side dish for pork or spooned over top ice cream. Try these out soon!
These apples are a great Side Dish to add sweetness to a hearty meal. Try out my Honey Roasted Apples and Potatoes and Honey Mustard Roasted Potatoes too!
Sabrina’s Honey Roasted Apples Recipe
As a chef, clients will often ask me to recommend menus when I am working with them for dinner parties. Usually steak or seafood is requested but I would sometimes get a client who wanted pork for their main entree. My ears would perk up as this side is one of my favorites to make to pair along side pork.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 2 apples Granny Smith , cut into 1 inch chunks
- 2 apples Braeburn or similar apples , cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 425.
- Remove the core of the apples and cut into 1 inch chunks, toss with lemon juice.
- Heat a cast iron skillet on medium high heat with the butter in it.
- When the butter begins to brown add the apples and kosher salt.
- Sautée for 5-7 minutes until the edges start turning a rich brown color.
- Add the honey and put in oven for about 8-10 minutes.
- The apples should be tender but not mushy and richly caramelized.
- Carefully serve with spatula, taking care not to smash them.
Nutrition
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Notes from Sabrina
Make sure to cut chunks of apples uniformly so they cook evenly. If they are different sizes some can cook faster than others leading them to become mushy. Also, make sure your cast iron pan has enough room to spread them out over an even layer so that they aren’t over crowded while cooking. This will ensure that they roast instead of steam.
Table of contents
About this Recipe
Honey Roasted Apples is an adaptation of a Michael Chiarello recipe, these are crispy yet soft, sweet, salty, and an absolutely amazing side to a pork dish. I’ve also made them with chicken and with stuffed pastas. They are deceivingly easy to make and taste like you know some kind of kitchen wizardry that elevates honey and apples to a whole other level. The secret? Some butter, a good hot cast iron skillet and the play between kosher salt and honey. Make this side dish, you won’t be sorry.
Can this be made ahead of time?
These apples can be made ahead of time, but they are probably best if you can make them fresh. If you are looking to get some of the prep done ahead of time you could slice your apples and store them in an airtight container. You will want to add the 2 teaspoons of lemon juice over the top of them and toss them so they don’t turn brown. You can also submerge the apples in cold water right after cutting them and before storing them to help slow down the browning, and then add the lemon juice later when you are ready to cook them.
Serving Ideas
- Dinner: Serve this along side Roasted Garlic Herb Rack of Pork with Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Melting Sweet Potatoes.
- Holidays: These apples would also make a great side to a holiday dinner like my Apple Cider Glazed Ham.
- Dessert: While these apples are delicious served as a side dish for dinner, they are also equally as delicious served over the top of a bowl of Vanilla Ice Cream and topped with Whipped Cream.
How to Store
- Serve: These apples can be at room temperature for up to 2 hours.
- Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
- Freeze: Cool apples completely before transferring to an airtight freezer safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Slow Cooker Method
- To make slow cooker Honey Apples, start by buttering the bottom and sides of the slow cooker.
- Slice the apples into 1 inch chunks.
- Place the apples in the bottom of the crockpot.
- Melt the butter and add it over the top of the apples. Add the remaining ingredients on top as well.
- Slow cook, covered, on low for 4 to 4 ½ hours.
Variations
- Root Veggies: Add root vegetables like potatoes, turnips, parsnips, or rutabagas. They would taste delicious. You can also swap in sweet potatoes.
- Apples: Use other baking apples like Gala apples, Honeycrisp apples, or Jonagold apples. Avoid using softer apples like Red Delicious.
- Spices: You can add Pumpkin Pie Spice or add spices like cloves, cardamom, or nutmeg.
- Bourbon: Add ¼ cup of bourbon while cooking. If you don’t want to cook with bourbon, substitute 1 tablespoon vanilla mixed with ¼ cup sparkling apple cider. You can use other sparkling juices like cranberry or grape too.
- Maple Syrup: Try maple syrup or corn syrup instead of the honey. You can also use dark corn syrup.
- Nuts: Add chopped pecans on top, you can use toasted almonds, walnuts, or hazelnuts as a crunchy topping. You could also use granola clusters.
Related Recipes
More Roasted Side Dish Recipes
These photos were used in a previous version of this post:
Not only did this meet the no refined sugar (it is hell on my fibromyalgia) but it was better than the apples made with sugar I was accustomed to ?
I’m so glad you were able to enjoy this recipe Angela!
Brought this to a new years lunch with friends and everyone said it was yummy. I was disappointed because the apples just wouldn’t caramelize and were cooking down too much so it became more baked apples than yummy roasted.
Do you think this would hold up if made earlier in the day and just warmed in the oven before serving?
Can this be used for a dessert? Over a pavlova?
If you try it please let us know how it turned out! Enjoy!
Can these be made with a butter alterative? I have been dairy free while nursing my son but would love to try these.
I haven’t tested with a non-dairy alternative, I don’t see why not but the taste may change a bit.