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Tart apples are cooked to perfection with butter, brown sugar, and spices. Serve these simple sautéed apples over everything from vanilla ice cream and cheesecake to pancakes and french toast.
No fall is complete without taking my girls apple picking at least once. We bring home bags of fresh, crisp apples and then get to decide what recipes we’re going to make with them.
There’s always a batch or two of crockpot applesauce, at least one homemade apple cake, and at least a couple breakfasts that are made extra special with these sautéed apples.
After all, what better way to wake up than to the smell of warm cinnamon apples floating through the house?
Easy sautéed cinnamon apples
If you’ve recently taken a trip to the apple orchard and found yourself with a few too many apples on hand, I’ve got you.
I have dozens of apple recipes that I’ve made over the years, but few are as quick and easy as this recipe for sautéed cinnamon apples.
Peel and slice some tart apples, toss them in a pan with plenty of butter, sugar, and spices, and you’ve got yourself a delicious topping for just about any breakfast or dessert. You can even pile these apples on top of pork!
I’m not saying that this will become your favorite fall trick for making breakfast (or “breakfast for dinner”) a little more special, but I also wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case.
How to make these sautéed apples
These sautéed apples are quick and easy – you’ll love how simple they are to throw together at the last minute.
Ingredients you’ll need
To make these apples, you will need:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- pinch of fine sea salt
- 2 pounds Granny Smith apples
- ½ cup cold water
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon apple pie spice
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
I really like using granny smith apples for this recipe. The tartness of the apples contrasts well with the sweetness of the sauce we’re going to make, and the apples are nice and crisp so they don’t get too mushy as they cook.
But any good baking apple will also work. Golden delicious, jonathan, jonagold, honeycrisp, or mcintosh apples are all great options.
Recipe Tip!
You can make quick work of peeling, coring, and slicing the apples by using an apple peeler, corer, and slicer. It’s a nice tool to have on hand, especially if you plan to make other recipes such as slow cooker apple butter, apple crumb pie, or apple pear crisp.
If you are out of brown sugar, whip up a simple brown sugar substitute to use in these sautéed apples instead. I also have several tricks for softening brown sugar if yours hardened in the pantry.
This recipe is naturally gluten free, so it’s a great option for any friends or family with gluten sensitivities or allergies. If you need these apples to be vegan as well, simply swap the butter for your favorite dairy-free/vegan butter.
Making this recipe
Place the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and let it melt. Add in a pinch of salt – this will help balance out all of the flavors.
Add the sliced apples to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until they just start to become tender. This will take about 6-7 minutes.
Whisk the water and cornstarch together in a measuring cup or small bowl. Add this to the apples along with the brown sugar and spices. Stir to combine.
Bring the mixture to a boil and let cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce is thickened and the apples are cooked to your desired texture.
Take the pan off the heat and stir in the vanilla.
Serving suggestions
There are so many ways to enjoy these sautéed apples for nearly every meal of the day!
- Use them as an apple pie filling for apple hand pies or apple turnovers.
- Spoon them over vanilla ice cream, vanilla cheesecake, mini cheesecakes, or cheesecake bars.
- Use them as a topping for buttermilk pancakes, homemade waffles, or french toast.
- Turn them into a breakfast parfait with yogurt and granola.
- Spice up your oatmeal routine by adding them to the top of your traditional or steel-cut oatmeal, overnight oats, or baked oatmeal.
- Add a savory spin by serving them on top of pork tenderloin or skillet pork chops!
Make ahead tips
If you’re prepping these sautéed apples for a brunch and want to get some work done ahead of time, these are totally make-ahead friendly.
Cook the apples and let them cool. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days.
When you’re ready to eat, reheat them on the stove over low heat or in the microwave in 30-second increments until warmed through.
Sautéed Apples
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- pinch of fine sea salt
- 2 pounds Granny Smith apples peeled, cored and sliced into ¼-inch pieces
- ½ cup cold water
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon apple pie spice
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Sprinkle in a pinch of sea salt. Add in the sliced apples and cook until they just begin to become tender; about 6-7 minutes.
- Mix the water and cornstarch together and pour over the apples. Add in the brown sugar, apple pie spice and cinnamon and mix until everything is combined. Allow the mixture to boil for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally until the perfect texture is achieved. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Serve warm over vanilla bean ice cream, cheesecake, waffles or pancakes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
