The Autumn harvest is here and the scent of apple and pumpkin overwhelm the kitchen. Of all the seasons, fall has my heart. I feel like the world slows down as the harvest moon rises and the cooler air rushes through the vibrant leaves. The world is hushed.
At least it feels this way as we hike through the woods experiencing the wonder of nature during this transitional time.
If you find yourself overwhelmed or lost in the monotony of the hustle and bustle, I encourage you to recharge on a hiking trail. To stand in nature absorbing the silence and wonder is healing…especially during this season.
THE RECIPE
Whether you are hosting a gathering, Friendsgiving, or just looking for a sweet family-friendly recipe this fall, these blooming apples are a semi-healthy sweet tooth fix and party favorite.
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The pans that I like to use to keep the apples contained, while they steam, are these “pot-in-pot” stacking ones. This set is my absolute favorite- they come with lids as well. You can find them here: https://amzn.to/3oyJMOZ
Fun for the whole family these treats are easy and so versatile. Arrange loaded cooked apples and toppings on a board or sheet pan (with edges) to set up a blooming apple bar – everyone can make their own loaded blooming apples. Some topping ideas: crushed nuts, dried cranberries, raisins, maple syrup, caramel sauce, peanut butter sauce, vanilla bean ice cream, and whipped cream.
If you do not have a pressure cooker these can be baked in the oven although the cooking time does increase significantly (about 35 minutes at 375 degrees F, for small apples). For this recipe, I love using the instant pot as I can make a whole batch with a 1 minute cook time.
Please note that this recipe uses LOW PRESSURE.
Make sure to set your Instant Pot back to high pressure before cooking your next meal.
The most important part of this recipe is to cook on low pressure and to avoid overcooking. Don’t go too far while these are steaming, or you’ll end up with a big pile of applesauce in your Instant Pot- not an exaggeration, trust me.
During the fall grocery stores stock up on bags of apples, they typically are very small and can be found in paper bags with handles. These are the size that I like to use for this recipe; they are the perfect individual serving for kids and adults. Because of their small size, even though we cook on low pressure, these have a cook time of one minute. See the varying cook times below:
Small Apples
LOW pressure
1 minute
QPR. KEEP LID CLOSED FOR 5 MINUTES
Regular Apples
LOW pressure
3 minutes.
QPR. KEEP LID CLOSED FOR 5 MINUTES
Large Apples
LOW pressure
5 minutes.
QPR. KEEP LID CLOSED FOR 5 MINUTES.
OPTIONAL STEP
Use your air fry lid or oven to broil the cooked apples. This only takes about a minute but gives the oats a crispy & caramelized crust. I have the old 8 qt Instant Pot and unfortunately, they do not sell one for this size individually. Thanks to an Amazon search I stumbled upon a crsiper that fits both 8 and 6 quart Instant Pots. I absolutely love this Mealthy Air Crisp lid. Not only is this free from plastic and Teflon but this all stainless steel and glass lid allows you to watch as it cooks to avoid overcooking. This feature is absolutely amazing. You can find the Mealthy on Amazon here (affiliate link): https://amzn.to/37UneSD
The Recipe Video
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Instant Pot Blooming Apples
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 1 + 5min cool down
- Total Time: 11
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Instant Pot
Description
Whether you are hosting a gathering, Friendsgiving, or just looking for a sweet family-friendly recipe this fall, these blooming apples are a semi-healthy sweet tooth fix and party favorite.
Ingredients
6 washed apples
3 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar (Maple syrup can be substituted)
1–1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup regular oats
1 1/2 cups water
Instructions
Carefully scoop out the core of each washed Apple going no more than 3/4 of the way down (just passed the seeds). You can use a melon ball tool to do this easily.
Turn the Apple upside down and carefully make slices starting 1/4 of the way down. (see video for details)
Mix together the filling: melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and oats.
Pour water into the inner pot of your instant pot and place your trivet with a pan or steamer basket on top of the water.
Using your melon ball tool or a small spoon fill each apple well with the oat mixture. As you fill each apple, place on your pan or steamer basket
Making sure the sealing ring is properly placed, close your lid and vent
SET INSTANT POT TO LOW PRESSURE
Set to manual for 1 minute (time chart for larger apples in blog post notes)
When the timer goes off do a Quick Pressure Release immediately, but leave the lid CLOSED for 5 minutes.
As an optional step, you can broil the cooked apples to crisp the oats. Using an air fryer lid or your oven broil cooked apples for one to two minutes until desired crispness.
Open the lid and use tongs to remove each apple carefully and serve with your favorite toppings
