Instant Pot Hasselback Apples feels like dessert and leaves you feeling good too, even if you decide to have a double serving. That's my kind of dessert! Whip it up in minutes with ingredients you likely already have on hand.
This little bowl of sweet, pure goodness is my epitome of desserts. No matter how many cheesecakes and lava cakes I create around here, it's the simple and wholesome desserts that steal my heart.
Cooking with fruit truly excites me. It can be a challenge to get right, but once you learn how to work with its natural sweetness and texture, a whole new world of flavors opens up to you.
My favorite desserts on the blog are this Naturally Sweet Caramel Apple Pie, Blackberry Poached Pears, and this nourishing Fruit Soup. They honestly bring me so much joy to make, eat, and watch my children devour.
Next up in my “all-time favorite dessert” line up is today's Instant Pot Hasselback Apples. Oh friends, you are in for a treat.
Most baked apple recipes are covered in a brown sugar syrup and a brown sugar oat crumb topping.
I get it, that's good, but just you wait. Pure, sweet, wonderful Honey Crisp apples don't need all that to shine.
WHY YOU WILL LOVE HEALTHY “BAKED” APPLES
- Luscious, decadent, and good for you “caramel” sauce that'll have you eating 3 apples in one sitting
- Hasselback cut apples to allow that sauce to saturate into every bite
- A wholesomely sweetened oat topping that is just as delicious eaten raw as it is browned
- A dollop of cream to really make it sing
Seriously, I'd take this over chocolate cake any day. And you all know about my obsession with chocolate.
HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT HASSELBACK APPLES
- Peel and core 3 apples. Slice them in half
- Hasselback the apples by cutting most, but not all of the way, through the apple. Make a new slit about every 1/4 inch. Note: if you go all the way through, it's okay, the ramekins will hold it together
- Place the apples in the ramekins and brush half of the caramel sauce overtop
- Place 3 ramekins on a trivet in the pressure cooker pot
- Balance the remaining 3 ramekins on the rims of the bottom ramekins
- Cook for 4 – 5 minutes (depending on how soft you want it)
- Stir the remaining caramel sauce into the oat mixture and top the warm apples
- Top with cream and serve hot
- Enjoy!
SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR DETAILED COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
Okay, STOP! You actually have an important decision to make before you add the cream.
Do you want the oat topping raw and soft or browned and crispy? I like both and the vote of my children was . . . well . . . MORE. They didn't care which one they got they just wanted more.
I suggest tasting a spoonful of it raw and decide from there. There's something really delicious about the raw topping melting into the apple, but a crisp oat topping is always a good thing in my book as well.
Sorry, I'm gonna have to leave this one up to you.
To brown it you can throw it under the oven broiler for a couple of minutes (watch it close) or use this fancy Mealthy CrispLid to brown it right in the pressure cooker pot.
TIPS TO MAKING THE BEST HASSELBACK APPLES
- Avoid a mushy, applesauce situation by using apples that bake well like Honey Crisp and Pink Lady.
- I prefer almond butter 100% of the time, but if you prefer apples and peanut butter, go for peanut butter in your caramel sauce.
- Serve hot! In my world, apple desserts are best when they are warm and juicy and have cream melting over them.
- If you like a little bite left to your apple, go for 4 minutes. If you want it soft, try 5 or even 6 minutes
HOW TO HASSELBACK YOUR FOOD
I've showed you how to Hasselback chicken before in this Instant Pot Chicken Cordon Bleu and Instant Pot Caprese Chicken.
Cutting slits into your food is a terrific way to infuse flavor into every bite.  Hasselbacking also works great with potatoes (which is the most common food you'll see using this technique).
The point with all foods you cut Hasselback style is to cut most of the way, but not all the way through the food. The bottom layer should always remain intact.
This can be a bit tricky, but I suggest grabbing your sharpest knife, and take clean, steady cuts into your food. Don't rush it!
If you want some help, this spoon trick looks interesting, and I've used this chopstick method with good success before.
VARIATIONS FOR HASSELBACK APPLES
- Use a Granny Smith apple and hit it with a sprinkle of salt (Mom, this one's for you)
- Bring on the toppings! Raisins, cranberries, coconut flakes, more nuts, etc etc.
- Ice cream. Yep, ice cream is awesome too. Vanilla, pralines and caramel, butterscotch . . . the sky's the limit
How great is it to have dessert and still proudly proclaim, “I had my apple a day today!”
A good friend of mine once told me, “Your body is your best friend, it's always with you, no matter what. Take care of it!”
That quote went through my head several times while I was creating this recipe.
Good for you food that tastes good and makes you feel good. That's a good standard to live by!
Enjoy this one, my friends!
MORE APPLE RECIPES FOR YOUR INSTANT POT
- Instant Pot Apple Cinnamon French Toast Casserole
- Instant Pot Caramel Apple Pie
- Instant Pot Cranberry Apple Sauce
- Instant Pot Healthy Apple Fig Compote
- Instant Pot Applesauce
- Instant Pot Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oats
TOOLS USED TO MAKE INSTANT POT HASSELBACK APPLES
PrintInstant Pot Hasselback Apples – Healthy Dessert!
Healthy, wholesome Instant Pot Hasselback Apples is a dessert for everyday!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 3 medium size apples (Honeycrisp or Pink Lady are the best)
For the Caramel Sauce
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons creamy almond butter or peanut butter (see note)
- pinch of kosher salt
For the Oat Topping
- ¼ cup old fashioned oats
- 2 tablespoons roasted pecans, chopped (see note)
- 2 teaspoons white whole wheat flour (any flour will work)
- Optional: 1 tablespoon unsweetened shredded coconut
Optional for serving: lightly sweetened whipped cream
Instructions
- Wash and peel 3 apples. Use an apple corer to remove the center (alternatively you can use a spoon or melon baller to scrape out the center after you cut the apples in half)
- Cut apples in half from top to bottom and lay them cut side down.
- Use a sharp knife to carefully cut ¼ inch slices into, but not all the way through, the apple.
- Place each apple into a ramekin.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the Caramel Sauce ingredients
- Brush half of the caramel sauce over the apples. Reserve the rest.
- Add 1 cup of water to the pressure cooker pot and place a short trivet inside.
- Place 3 ramekins on the trivet, then stack the remaining ramekins 3 ramekins on top (do not stack them directly on top of the bottom ramekins, but on the rims – see picture above for example).
- Secure the lid and turn pressure release knob to a sealed position. Cook at high pressure for 4 – 5 minutes (4 for tender crisp, 5 for soft).
- While the apples are cooking, toss together the oats, pecans, flour, and optional coconut for the oat topping. Add the remaining caramel sauce and stir to combine.Â
- When pressure cooking is complete, use a quick release.
- Top each apple with the oat topping. Â
- Optional: Use your oven broiler or Mealthy CrispLid to brown the oat topping. If using the CrispLid, cook at 300 degrees for about 3 minutes or until it is browned to your liking.
- Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream and serve immediately.
Notes
- For the almond/peanut butter, I prefer the unsweetened brands that need to be stirred, but any kind will work.
- For the roasted pecans, you can roast your own in the oven or simply buy a can of roasted pecans (I prefer the canned pecans).
- Cook time will vary depending on how soft you want your apple. 4 minutes is crisp tender, 5 minutes is softer and easily cut with a fork, and 6 minutes is very soft.
- The oat topping is amazing whether you decide to brown it or leave it uncooked.
Keywords: Instant Pot dessert, hasselback apples, baked apples, apple desserts
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