Stewed Apples With Ginger And Cinnamon

Name: Stewed Apples With Ginger And Cinnamon
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 17 min
Ingredients: 2 large Pink Lady apples ((2 cups when diced)); ½ cup coconut milk; 1 tbsp maple syrup; 1 tsp rapadura or brown sugar; 1 tsp grated fresh ginger; ½ tsp cinnamon; Pinch of sea salt

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These Stewed Apples are combined with coconut milk, ginger, and cinnamon to make a truly delicious topper for a variety of dishes. They’re warming and comforting adding plenty of extra flavor to breakfasts, or desserts but they’re equally good as a snack too.

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Two white hands are holding a small bowl filled with stewed apples topped with chopped almonds.

Key Ingredients

This simple recipe is a wonderful way to start or finish your day. The natural sweetness of the apples combined with the ginger, cinnamon, and coconut milk will help keep your sweet tooth in check too.

All the ingredients needed to make stewed apples have been laid out on a table in small bowls.

Fresh Apples – The foundation of the dish, providing plenty of natural sweetness. Several apple varieties work well in this recipe, but sweet apples like Pink Lady or Fuji are ideal.
Coconut milk – Helps to thicken the stewed apples and also adds flavor.
Fresh ginger – Offers a warm, spicy kick that complements the sweetness of the apples and is a perfect match for the cinnamon.
Cinnamon – Brings more warmth and depth of flavor to the recipe and complements the ginger.
Panela sugar – Adds a hint of caramel flavouring and makes the liquid mix a touch more rich. You can substitute with dark brown sugar if you don’t have panela.
Maple syrup – Helps to add sweetness and subtle hints of toffee and caramel. Honey works well too if that’s what you have.
Sea salt – Just a pinch to enhance the taste of the other ingredients.

For a sugar-free version, the panela and maple syrup can be omitted or replaced with something like monk fruit sweetener. This will change the flavor profile of the dish, but it will still be delicious. Taste before serving and if needed add a touch more cinnamon and a little more salt.

Substitutions And Variations

Honey crisp, Gala or Fuji apples can replace the Pink Lady if they’re not available in your area. You can also swap sweet apples for green apples/granny smith apples if you’d like your cooked apples to be a bit more tart.

The maple syrup, and rapadura sugar can also be replaced with rice malt syrup or date syrup if that’s what you have on hand. Any sweetener is fine – they will all offer slightly different flavor profiles though and do try and stick with one that’s less refined.

Add in some berries for lots of extra flavor! Replace ½ a cup of the apples with blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries.

How to Make These Stewed Apples

This recipe is quick and easy and can be done in as little as 12 minutes. It is a choose-your-own adventure on the cooking time though. If you’d like the apples firmer, stick to the time outlined in the recipe. If you’d like them much softer, almost mushy – add in more liquid and keep cooking them down for an additional 10-15 minutes.

A small cup of coconut milk is being poured into a pot of stewed apples and cinnamon.

A white hand is stirring stewed apples and cinnamon in a pot with a wooden spoon.

Stewed apples are simmering in a large pot on a small induction cooktop.

Two white hands are placing a small bowl of stewed apples on a table top.

Peel and core the apple then cut it into bite-sized pieces.
Add the apple to a medium-sized saucepan with the coconut milk, cinnamon, rapadura, maple syrup, grated ginger and salt.
Place the pot over medium heat until it simmers, then reduce the heat to low and continue simmering for 10 – 12 minutes or until the fruit is just fork tender.

Serve stewed apples warm as a dessert or as a topping for yogurt, vanilla ice cream, oatmeal, or pancakes. You can also top with a little extra rapadura sugar, honey or maple syrup and a drizzle more of coconut milk and enjoy it as a snack.

Looking down into a large pot filled with stewed apples being stirred with a wooden spoon.

Tips For Success With This Recipe

To prevent the apples from becoming mushy, cook them gently over medium heat. The goal is fork tender but not overly soft apples.

Storing And Freezing

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days. They’re perfect for a quick snack or dessert.

To freeze, let the mix cool completely then transfer to freezer-safe containers or a ziplock bag. When you’re ready to enjoy them, thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop. I do find this makes the apples very watery though, so while you can freeze them, I don’t recommend it.

A small blue bowl is filled with oatmeal topped with stewed apples and blueberries.

Stewed Apples FAQs

Can I use any variety of apples?

Yes – any kind at all will work here though cooking time and level of added sweetness may need to be adjusted.

What can I serve these stewed apples with?

Try them over yogurt, oatmeal, waffles or ice cream. They also make a delicious snack when drizzled with a little more coconut milk and honey too.

Other Recipe To Enjoy In Fall And Winter

Did you make this recipe?

If you try this recipe, I’d love to know. Leave a comment, rate it, and remember to tag @wholenaturalkitchen in your pics or reels on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok!