Best Baked Apples

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Peel, core, and cut 1 apple into 1⁄4-inch dice. Combine diced apple, 5 tablespoons butter, cranberries, pecans, sugar, oats, zest, cinnamon, and salt in bowl; set aside.
2. Shave thin slice off bottom (blossom end) of remaining 6 apples to allow them to sit flat. Cut top 1⁄2 inch off stem end of apples and reserve. Peel apples and use melon baller or small measuring spoon to remove 1-1⁄2-inch-diameter core, being careful not to cut through bottom of apples.
3. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in 12-inch ovensafe nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add apples, stem side down, and cook until cut surface is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip apples, reduce heat to low, and spoon filling inside, mounding excess filling over cavities; top with reserved apple caps. Add maple syrup and 1⁄3 cup cider to skillet. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until skewer inserted into apples meets little resistance, 35 to 40 minutes, basting every 10 minutes with maple syrup mixture in pan.
4. Transfer apples to serving platter. Stir up to 2 tablespoons of remaining cider into sauce in skillet to adjust consistency. Pour sauce over apples and serve.

If you don’t have an ovensafe skillet, transfer the browned apples to a 13 by 9-inch baking dish and bake as directed. The recipe calls for seven apples; six are left whole and one is diced and added to the filling. Serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

BEST BAKED APPLES WITH DRIED CHERRIES AND HAZELNUTS
Substitute coarsely chopped dried cherries for cranberries, coarsely chopped toasted hazelnuts for pecans, and pepper for cinnamon.

BEST BAKED APPLES WITH DRIED FIGS AND MACADAMIA NUTS
Substitute coarsely chopped dried figs for cranberries, coarsely chopped toasted macadamia nuts for pecans, lemon zest for orange zest, and 1⁄4 teaspoon ground ginger for cinnamon.

BEST BAKED APPLES WITH RAISINS AND WALNUTS
Substitute coarsely chopped raisins for cranberries, coarsely chopped toasted walnuts for pecans, lemon zest for orange zest, and 1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg for cinnamon.

BEST BAKED APPLES WITH DRIED APRICOTS AND ALMONDS
Substitute coarsely chopped dried apricots for cranberries, coarsely chopped toasted almonds for pecans, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for cinnamon.

KEY STEPS TO BETTER BAKED APPLES
1. Slicing off tops allows for generous room for filling and removing entire peel for base prevents blowouts and keeps flesh firm.
2. Sautéing apples in butter before baking contributes rich, caramelized flavor.
3. Capping apples with sliced-off tops shields filling from burning in oven.