BHA & BHT Free Ginger-Cardamom Baked Apples with Walnuts
Warm, spiced, and deeply fragrant, these baked apples are the kind of dessert that makes the whole kitchen smell incredible. The filling combines raw walnuts, fresh ginger, honey, and a bloom of cardamom, cinnamon, and turmeric — every single ingredient is whole and unprocessed, which is exactly the point. BHA and BHT are synthetic preservatives that sneak into packaged snacks, oils, and even some spice blends, so building a dessert entirely from scratch with fresh and raw ingredients sidesteps that concern completely. Coconut oil stands in as the fat here, and a splash of fresh lemon juice brightens the pan juices that the apples slowly baste in as they roast. After 40-odd minutes in the oven, the skins wrinkle and caramelize at the edges while the flesh turns completely tender and almost jammy around that nutty, honeyed core. A handful of pomegranate seeds scattered on top at the end adds a jewel-bright pop of color and a little tartness that balances the warmth of the spices beautifully. It's an effortlessly elegant finish to any meal, and you'll feel genuinely good about every ingredient in it.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 4 large firm baking apples (such as honeycrisp or braeburn)
- ¾ cup raw walnuts, roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ⅛ tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
- ½ cup water
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
For serving
- 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Using a melon baller or small spoon, core each apple from the top, removing the seeds and creating a cavity about 1 inch wide and 2 inches deep, leaving a solid 1/2-inch base so the filling stays in.
- 2
In a small mixing bowl, stir together the walnuts, honey, grated ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, turmeric, salt, and melted coconut oil until the mixture is evenly coated and holds together loosely.
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